[FEL-L] Ethiopian Zoo Poisons Lion Cubs It Can't Afford

[BigCatSimba at aol.com]

HOW SAD :-(


Ethiopian Zoo Poisons Lion Cubs It Can't Afford
By LES NEUHAUS, AP

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Nov. 22) - Rare Abyssinian lion cubs are being 
poisoned at a zoo because staff cannot afford to keep them, a wildlife official said 
Wednesday.

The dead cubs are sold to taxidermists for $170 each to be stuffed and sold 
as decorations, said Muhedin Abdulaziz, the administrator at the old imperial 
Lion Zoo in the capital, Addis Ababa.
"These animals are the pride of our country. We need to do something about 
this. But our only alternative right now is to send them to the taxidermist," 
Abdulaziz said.
Ethiopia's lions, famous for their black manes, are the country's national 
symbol and adorn statues and the local currency.
Wildlife experts estimate that only 1,000 Ethiopian lions, which are smaller 
than other lions, remain in the wild. Despite a recent crackdown, hunters also 
kill the animals for their skins, which can fetch $1,000.
Abdulaziz said it costs around $6,000 a month to run the zoo, but it only 
receives $5,000 in revenues from entrance fees. He added that the poisoning has 
been going on at least since he arrived two years ago; the number of cubs that 
have been killed was not immediately clear.
The zoo is a popular local attraction, although poor facilities have led to 
concerns by international wildlife organizations. It was built in 1948 by 
Emperor Haile Selassie and currently has 16 adult lions and five cubs.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/ethiopian-zoo-poisons-lion-cubs-it-cant/2
0061122040109990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
11/22/06 03:55 EST
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