Six Malaysian zoos shut over poor conditions

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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s wildlife authority has shut down six zoos as it enforces new regulations aimed at stopping animals being mistreated or kept in poor conditions.

Perhilitan, the wildlife and national parks department, said on Wednesday that checks on 45 zoos and animal parks nationwide found that the six did not meet new rules on cage sizes, veterinary services, animal feed and vaccination.

“All the wildlife in these premises will be released into their natural habitat after rehabilitation or handed over to other local zoos,” it said in a statement, adding that checks would continue periodically.

However, conservation groups have previously called for authorities to consider shutting down another 17 zoos considered by the wildlife department to be below standard.

In recent years, several cases have come to light of animals in Malaysian zoos and animals parks suffering abuse or living in appalling conditions.

Last year, 32 tigers and several lions were rescued from a dirty and cramped private zoo in the southern state of Johor.

An orangutan that had amused visitors by smoking cigarette butts thrown into her cage at
another Johor zoo also was rescued last year along with other animals.

Wildlife activists were outraged in 2010 by a video posted on YouTube showing a tiger being manhandled and kicked to make it pose for pictures with visitors at an animal park. — AFP