After the announcement, the fear was that animals left without a "home" would be subjected to euthanasia. Fortunately, this will not be the case
Living Coasts Zoo in Torquay, Devon has decided it will close its doors after the coronavirus lockdown. Great news, you think. But after the announcement, the fear was that animals left without a "home" would be subjected to euthanasia. Fortunately, this will not be the case.
The Wild Planet Trust said earlier this week that it would not reopen the Living Coasts Zoo because it found it impossible to manage the maintenance costs incurred during the shutdown. The joy of the animal rights activists for the closure of the zoo, however, was immediately quelled by a fear: the practice of euthanasia on poor guests.
"It is with regret that Wild Planet Trust has to announce that it will not reopen Living Coasts as a visitor attraction following its closure during the current global coronavirus pandemic," the official post reads. Among the causes is “the drop in the number of visitors and the forced closure of all its zoos due to COVID-19. After nearly twenty years in business, the site also needed substantial maintenance that the Trust is no longer able to afford ”.
It is with regret that we have to announce that Wild Planet Trust zoo and aquarium Living Coasts will not be re-opening…
Posted by Wild Planet Trust on Monday, June 15, 2020
Once the decision was made, the problem arose of finding a place for the animals. From there a series of concerns arose since among the feared possibilities there was also that of resorting to euthanasia, effectively killing the animals for which a new "home" had not been found.
“The next step is to find homes for the animals. Living Coasts is part of a worldwide network of zoos and aquariums and we will be looking for animal homes within them once travel restrictions are lifted. Our priority is the welfare of our animals. In the unlikely event that we can't find accommodation that fits their needs, we may have to making the difficult decision to euthanasia. At present, we do not expect this to be a likely scenario ”.
But the Wild Planet Trust has announced that it has already found several accommodations for the animals. Simon Tonge, the executive director, said:
“I am pleased, but not surprised, to have found homes for our animals so quickly. The zoo community is very well connected and mutually supportive. Thanks to all of our members and friends for sharing your concerns and I hope you are reassured that our pets are in the best hands possible. "
Free some animals? Possible
There is no doubt that the best home for animals is nature, their habitat, even if for those born and raised in captivity this can be problematic. But Living Coasts pointed out that some of the animals in the closed zoo may actually return home:
“Subject to appropriate veterinary verification and in accordance with the guidelines of the IUCN reintroduction specialist group, it may be possible to release some species locally directly into the wild. For most livestock this will not be possible because many of them were born in Living Coasts, and would not be able to cope with life in the wild without an unprecedented and substantial retraining period. "
Most of the animals will likely be moved to one of the other zoos in the group, an unattractive but less terrifying prospect than death.
Reference sources. Living Coasts, Wild Planet Trust
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