No case of animal abuse at Malaysian Zoo
State of Malacca dismisses viral post’s claims that zoo can’t afford to properly care for their animals
By Kelly Koh
It is habitual for lions to sleep during the day as a male lion sleeps for an average of 20 hours a day, said the Malaysian state of Malacca’s Tourism, River, Beach and Islands Development Committee deputy chairman Datuk Ghazale Muhamad.
Ghazale was refuting claims of abuse against animals at the Melaka Zoo and Night Safari.
He urged visitors to not to spread false news and create unwarranted doubts of animal torture in their enclosures here.
“I have gone to the zoo to check yesterday after seeing a post going viral on social media.
“I was informed by the zoo veterinarians that are normal for lions to sleep most of the time and it is only active for four hours. There was also no element of abuse,” said Ghazale.
The post, which had gone viral on Facebook, showed pictures of tigers and lions lying motionlessly in their enclosure.
The Facebook user in his caption claimed that due to decreasing numbers of visitors to the Melaka Zoo, this have affected the zoo’s income and in turn, the zoo’s management cannot afford to maintain the animals in the zoo. He had said the lions and tigers looked thin, scrawny and lifeless.
