On 12th June 2009 a small group of us from all over Europe visited Oradea Zoo to meet the newly appointed zoo director Daiana Gender.  Daiana has worked closely in the past with the charity FPCC who run several shelters and extensive spay/neuter programs in and around Oradea.

What we saw there that day was truly distressing and cannot be forgotten.  The 'zoo' was a place that I imagine existed only in the dark ages.  Many many animals held in cramped, dark, filthy and wholly inadequate conditions.  Birds that should be free to fly also caged in a hellish prison.  Wolves showing extreme signs of stress, bears that seemed to have given up the will to live and huge adult lions in less space than domestic cats would find tolerable. 

Those of us on our first visit were overwhelmed by the sight and shocked that an EU country would allow this institution to exist.  Whatever your views on zoos in general, surely one of their main purposes is to educate... alas there was no such benefit here.  The cages so dark you could barely see what animal was languishing within.  No information about the sad creatures, just a horrendous image of animal slavery which is nothing short of a national disgrace.

All of us there that day vowed to make efforts to establish contacts when we returned home with any wildlife parks, reservations etc. that may consider taking some of these animals thus leaving more space for those that remain and affording some the freedom they all deserved.  In addition, it was clear that several of the animals and in particular the lions, would need sterilizing a.s.a.p.

There was also an elderly tiger who through severe lack of space, had ingrowing claws resulting in even more restricted movement as the pain left him unable to walk.  This case was urgent and so within just a couple of weeks, a team of vets from Italy had been organised to visit the zoo, treat the tiger and relieve some of his suffering.

There is some fantastic news though!!  Since our return a wonderful offer has been made by Graham and Jan at the Ape and Monkey Sanctuary in Wales http://www.cefn-yr-erw.co.uk/to take some of the wolves.  Furthermore, thanks to Graham's contacts, up to 14 of the lions may find a new home in Yorkshire at a well-run wildlike park.  On Saturday 30th August an appeal was published in the News of the World for funds to build the neccesary enclosures and to cover the transport costs of these majestic animals back to the UK.

February 2010

The lions arrive!  For full info/photos please visit the Yorkshire Wildlife Park main website or follow the link http://www.wix.com/supportsimon/ywpl