An online campaign was launched after horrible images that showed lions starving at a zoo in Sudan went viral on social media.
The shocking images showed a group of starving lions being kept in cages at the Al-Qureshi Park in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan.
Reports suggest that the lions at the zoo have barely eaten anything in the last couple of weeks.
The online campaign wants the lions to be moved to a better location where they will be fed and looked after properly.
Osman Salih launched the campaign on social media.
Osman started the #Sudananimalrescue campaign on Facebook.
Starting the campaign on Facebook, Osman said, “I was shaken when I saw these lions at the park… their bones are protruding from the skin. I urge interested people and institutions to help them.”
Updating his account on Facebook, Osman said that one of the lions in the pictures died.
He said, “I regret to inform you that the sick female lion has died. The other female is getting better and the male is OK.”
Park officials and medics said the lions in the pictures lost around 2 thirds of their body weight over the past few weeks.
The manager of Al-Qureshi Park said they are having a hard time feeding the wild cats at their zoo.
The manager said, “Food is not always available, so often we buy it from our own money to feed them.”
Moataz Mahmoud, a caretaker at the Al-Qureshi Park said the animals at the zoo are suffering from severe illnesses.
Mahmoud added, “They are sick and appear to be malnourished.”
Osman said the emergency responders visited the park to offer medical assistance to the malnourished lions.
Osman said local authorities are helping and are working together to find a new home for the animals in the zoo.
On January 19, 2020, Osman provided an update about the animals.
Osman said, “Today was a positive day at Qurashi Park. We had good meetings with the park administration and the wildlife police.”
He added, “Lots of fresh meat was brought by several donors as well as two sheep. Supply of regular meat from factories and slaughterhouses were also secured.”
He continued, “Best news of the day was the willingness of FOUR PAWS International to send an emergency rescue to rehabilitate the animals not only at Qurashi zoo but other parks in Sudan as well as train staff at wildlife authority.”