Four zoos were suspended

Hamid Zahrabi, Deputy Director of Natural Environment and Biological Diversity of the Environmental Protection Agency, announced the suspension of four zoos in the country due to the “very weak” rank in the evaluation and rating plan.

Accordingly, the activity of the Sunshine Zoo (Zarandieh in Markazi Province), the Zoos Zoo (Zabul in Sistan and Baluchistan), the Sukan Zoo (Semnan) and the Babolsar Zoo (Babolsar in Mazandaran) were suspended.

Zahrabi emphasized the need for careful management and supervision of wildlife maintenance centers:

Following the assessments made, about 5 % of the country’s units are at a weak and very poor level. So far, more than 5 notice and warnings have been sent to the provincial general offices for notification to the zoos, and the activity of four zoos has been suspended as well as the entry of wild species into all weak and very weak units.

He added that if the conditions were not corrected, the closure and complete collection of offending units would be inevitable, adding:

Certificate of unity in evaluation and ranking is the basis of organizing the zoos of the country’s zoos and will be dealt with decisive centers. The basis of zoos activity should be based on awareness and participation in protecting species.

Zahrabi also emphasized the ban on the use of wild animals to produce content and attract the audience:

All zoos in the country have been evaluated by 2 indicators in 2 axes and in two provincial and staff stages by technical teams, and this process will continue on a continuous basis.