China's recently announced plans to donate several species of animals to the Kabul Zoo is drawing strong opposition from WSPA and other organizations.

"While we understand that people want to help, the Kabul Zoo needs to concentrate on providing for the animals already in its care. The zoo is still in a shambles and is not ready to accept any new animals," commented WSPA's John Walsh, who led WSPA's relief effort at the zoo this past winter.

China's Badaling Wildlife Park in Beijing is planning to send pairs of lions, brown bears, deer, wild boar and peacocks along with a lone wolf. Currently, the majority of the enclosures at the Kabul Zoo need extensive repairs and renovations just to serve the basic purpose of confining the animals. The enclosures that are intact are in need of improvements and environmental enrichment to meet the behavioral needs of surviving zoo animals.

Despite the best efforts of the Kabul Zoo staff, the facility still faces many fundamental problems just in caring for the animals they already have. Though WSPA was able to restore running water and electricity to the facility in February, the infrastructure of such utilities are not reliable throughout Kabul. Fresh fruit and vegetables are only available sporadically, and there is no local source of modern veterinary pharmaceuticals.

"Based on my experience at the Kabul Zoo, an influx of animals will result in the suffering and possible deaths of the animals that China plans to send," said Walsh, who recently urged the Chinese government to reconsider their plan.

The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums is preparing to help renovate the Kabul Zoo with donated funds and joins WSPA in opposing the premature introduction of new animals. Their first priority is to provide a stable environment for the animals and address basic issues such as staff training and appropriate veterinary care.

Writing letters to help animals:
Your brief, polite letter to the Chinese Ambassador to the United States could help persuade China to reconsider its plan to send zoo animals to Kabul.

Points you can include in your letter are:

• The cages at the Kabul Zoo are already filled; there will not be enough space for the new animals from China. 92 % of the zoo was destroyed during military hostilities and it has not been rebuilt.
• Basic necessities such as fresh fruit and vegetables, running water and electricity are only sporadically available at the zoo. Proper nutrition cannot be guaranteed.
•  The zoo is still in need of 24-hour expert veterinary care and has no local source of modern veterinary pharmaceuticals.
• The zoo currently has no stable source of funding except for donated funds organized by the World Zoo and Aquarium Association. Their priority is to provide for the animals currently at the zoo.

Please send your letters to:
His Excellency Yang Jiechi
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008

Tel: (202) 328-2500
Fax: (202) 588-0032
Email: chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn