British animal welfare group accuses European zoos of animal welfare breaches May 17, 2024

Elephants had the highest number of accommodation issues in the zoos inspected by a British wildlife conservation group. PHOTO: AFP

By AFP - Agence France Presse

British animal welfare group accuses European zoos of animal welfare breaches

A British animal welfare group said on Friday it had uncovered thousands of breaches of animal welfare standards in zoos across Europe and is pressing for improvements.

The Aspinall Foundation claimed it had found more than 3,000 breaches of standards set by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) in 29 zoos over the past 18 months.

The EAZA aims to ensure that its member zoos and aquariums adhere to “the highest standards of care and population management”, according to its website.

As of October last year, the association had 308 full members, including dozens in the UK.

The investigation, which took place in 12 European countries including the UK, alleged that EAZA had failed to ensure compliance, resulting in animals “suffering mentally and physically”.

In the 29 zoos visited, the researchers saw elephants locked outside their enclosures in cold temperatures, bears housed in concrete enclosures with no shelter, and a hippopotamus with no access to a pool.

Elephants had the most problems with housing in zoos, followed by rhinos, lions, tigers, and giraffes, according to the Aspinall Foundation.

In its report, the foundation accused EAZA of shortcomings, including a lack of unannounced inspections, and said its reliance on membership fees cast doubt on the rigor of its enforcement.

EAZA denied that membership fees influenced its inspections, adding that fees were common in professional associations.

Member zoos allegedly maintained their accredited status despite breaches relating to enclosure design, animal housing, and exercise,

A “significant deficiency” was a gap of seven to ten years between accreditation and renewal, which the report said, “can lead to a deterioration in standards”.

The report also expressed “serious concerns” about the trust placed in EAZA accreditation by the public and zoos.

Damian Aspinall, chairman of the Aspinall Foundation, condemned the accused zoos for creating a “myth of conservation” and said EAZA was a “pointless organization if it is not effective and honest with the public”.

EAZA executive director Myfanwy Griffith said in response that the report “does not truthfully represent the objectives and effectiveness of the EAZA accreditation program”.

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