According to Nicole Viljoen who started the movement, the closure of the zoo is the only sustainable way to ensure that the animals are taken care of.

During her visit, Viljoen was saddened by the state of one of the monkey cages where they had dirty drinking water. PHOTOS: NICOLE VILJOEN

Viljoen claimed that conditions are worsening after she paid a visit to the zoo about two months ago. “As we made our way through the entrance towards the enclosures, the gardens looked terrible and you could see trash between the plants,” she explained.

According to the SPCA there were three filthy cages that were discovered on Sunday but they have since been cleaned out.

Viljoen expressed that many of the animal’s living spaces were neglected. “The hippo area was disgusting. There were no animals in sight. The large camp close to the road barely had grass and the animals were taking shelter in the little shade provided. It felt like I was moving through an animal concentration camp,” added Viljoen.

However, according to Mangaung Metro Municipality spokesperson, Qondile Khedama, the cleanliness of enclosures are prioritised. “Cleanliness of the zoo is given priority. However, there are enclosures which are currently empty, and those enclosures are overgrown.

According to Viljoen there were building debris, garbage and garden tools lying on piles on site while some rakes were left in the trees.

Enclosures which have animals in them are kept in a good state,” explained Khedama. He added that many of the animals are out of sight during the day to avoid the heat. “Due to the October and November heatwaves, the animals do not willingly come out of their sleeping quarters. The City is looking into other best practices to ensure cooler environments for the animals,” said Khedama.

The initiative aims to gain 100 000 signatures from locals to close down the zoo and then hand the petition over to the Mangaung Municipal Manager.

Bloemfontein SPCA Senior Inspector Reinet Meyer expressed that although the organisation is against keeping wild animals in zoos, the creatures at the local zoo are indeed taken care of. “We inspect the zoo at least once a month and our last inspection was on Sunday but if there are complaints, we visit immediately,” she explained.

“We found that all the animals have food and are in good condition but there were three filthy cages, which we issued a warning over. They were rectified that afternoon,” added Meyer.

If you want to sign the petition, visit www.chng.it/cXYYFCBG6p

Nomaqhawe Mtebele/Bloemfontein Courant