Animals saved in Afghan Zoo

In Kabul, Afghanistan, a solitary sentinel, the Kabul zoo stands a silent witness to the changing political landscape of the country. The 100-acre zoo, decades ago had a thriving wild life population. Kabul zoo now has not more than a handful of animals, some of them seriously injured by grenades and other means of attack perpetrated on by Afghan guerillas.

The zoo which has been running without skilled labour and a handful of starving staff who are paid less than the price of peanuts is now having a change of direction. Funds are being raised to save the remaining animals and the skeletal staff. The zoo runs on a paltry entrance fee of just about $300 /- a month, in stark comparision to operating costs of $6,000. Kabul zoo's director hasn't collected $20-a-month salary since July.

Till date, zoos and aquariums and zoos in the U.S. have been able to raise $30,000/-. More funds are being raised by the North Carolina Zoological Society, as much as $26,000 from 150 donors. A generous donation of $10,000 has been made by an anonymous donor. Zoos in Europe too are also busy on fund raising drives. The North Carolina Zoo network in association with the (WSPA) World Society for the Protection of Animals is also busy raising funds.

Marjan, the lion in the zoo whose lunch and dinner bills come to as much as $14 a day is something that most Kabulites eye enviously. Unfortunately, both Marjan and an elephant have been seriously injured by grenades thrown by guerilla attackers. Fund raising missions through the European and U.S. Zoo network hope to raise as much as $100,000 to renovate the run down premises of the zoo.