Welsh Zoo Responsible for Lynx Deaths Banned From Keeping Wild Cats
Borth Wild Animal Kingdom has been banned from keeping “category 1” animals, including wild cats such as lynxes, lions, and leopards. The decision came after PETA launched an official challenge to the zoo’s licence and submitted a petition signed by nearly 6,500 PETA supporters urging Ceredigion County Council to revoke the licence after a female lynx named Lillith escaped and was subsequently shot dead and another female lynx, Nilly, was accidentally strangled to death by a keeper shortly afterwards.
“Category 1” animals include all species that are deemed “likely to cause serious injury or be a serious threat to life”. In addition to lynxes and other wild cats, this comprises bears, wolves, great apes, and many other species.
Although Borth Wild Animal Kingdom will be allowed to reopen and display other species, this move is a step in the right direction. Even in the best artificial environments, a lifetime of captivity is no life at all for wild animals, and conditions at Borth Wild Animal Kingdom are far from the best.
Documents released to PETA by the council show that at least 99 animals have died at the zoo since 2014, including wallabies, marmoset monkeys, and Egyptian fruit bats. The owners have admitted that they “didn’t have much of an idea” what they were doing when they bought the facility earlier this year and that “the enclosures are too small”.
PETA is calling for animals rescued from the zoo to be moved to accredited wildlife sanctuaries where they can live out the rest of their days in a more natural environment.
Thank you to everyone who took action and signed our petition to Ceredigion County Council.
What You Can Do
Please don’t visit zoos or other attractions that keep animals in captivity for human entertainment. Visit our “Animals in Zoos” issues page to learn more about the ways animals suffer when turned into living exhibits:
