Dear Editor,
For sure Guyana can boast about our beautiful weather, rainforest, and wildlife – the many species of birds, fish, and, especially, our cats. This begs the question: what is happening to our zoo?
You know that gorgeous jaguar in posters, videos, and magazines that beckons tourists from around the world to visit our lush country? Well, I was surprised that none of the four or five that were there on my last visit were still there on my most recent one.
You would be interested to know that at Trinidad’s zoo, the giant otter is the centrepiece, and bathes in a picturesque waterfall and pool, at the bottom of which is a glass-walled viewing gallery.
Nothing has really changed at our zoo in all the decades that I have been visiting it. Well that’s not exactly true, there are far fewer animals and the conditions and upkeep of the facility keep getting worse. I guess what I mean is that there has been little sustained improvement. No facelifts to the cages, no sense that we take pride in our animals and care for them. Why do these animals need to be confined in such small cages? Why can’t more be done to make them feel more at home? The otter swims alone in stink water. The stork is alone. The aquarium is in a deplorable state.
If we have a zoo, shouldn’t it be a lively, pleasant place for kids and families and visitors to enjoy? We boast about our tourism and that we are promoting bird watching and the opportunity to see wildlife, and yet a visit to our zoo does not reflect any of these aspirations. The message the zoo sends is that we don’t care for our animals, we don’t care for our environment, we don’t care for visitors, and we don’t care what anyone thinks.
Only recently it was reported that several deer died in the zoo. It has been reported that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission is likely to be taking the bold step of funding the purchase of an elephant. While I would be happy to see the return of such a beautiful mammal to our zoo, and I am sure that it will make many children and families happy to see this addition, I hope that the zoo is prepared to house and care for such a large animal.
I wish to share some of my suggestions for improving the zoo:
1. Move the animals from ‘cages’ to holding spaces that more reflect their natural habitats.
2. Wild birds can be encouraged to ‘visit’ by leaving bird seed and fruits and whatever else they like around certain areas to attract them. (We can also enjoy the birds outside of a cage!)
3. Flowering plants can also be used attract hummingbirds and butterflies (Trinidad’s modest zoo has done this).
4. Animals need not be isolated, but can be placed together with other friendly animals.
5. More animal enthusiasts can be encouraged to volunteer.
6. A strategic alliance can be pursued with the GSPCA to promote mutually beneficial programmes for animal care, protection and sensitization.
Access to resources is always a challenge, but this should be no excuse for the state of the zoo. The facility itself can generate income, if it is properly managed. If the management wanted to be creative and innovative, and if they wanted to make the zoo a pride and joy, they could do it.
Yours faithfully,
Nadia Ragnauth
