War leaves Gaza zoo animals malnourished

GAZA/CAIRO: The war in Gaza has taken a heavy toll on animals, with shortages of food, medicine and vaccines leaving many of them weak and malnourished.

At a zoo near the Nuseirat refugee camp, visitors found animals showing clear signs of the difficult conditions. A lion remained largely inactive inside its cage, while chimpanzees sat quietly in their enclosure.

The zoo is being operated by Mahmoud Gomaa, who has worked to keep the animals alive despite the continuing crisis. He previously ran a zoo in Rafah but was forced to leave the area after Israeli military operations reached the city in 2024.

Gomaa said saving the animals became a priority for him during the war. He moved the surviving animals from one location to another before eventually settling in Nuseirat, where he reopened the zoo earlier this year.

He said he had faced enormous difficulties in finding food and providing basic care for the animals.

Before the war, Gaza had several zoos that housed wild and exotic animals. The conflict, however, has made maintaining such facilities extremely difficult.

Veterinarians say the shortage of suitable food has affected the animals’ health. Some zoo owners have been forced to feed animals frozen meat because fresh food is difficult to obtain.

The war has also caused direct losses among Gaza’s animals.

When Gomaa left Rafah, he said he had to abandon three lions, several crocodiles and African ostriches. When he later returned, he found only the bones of the crocodiles and ostriches. The lions had also disappeared.

Animal welfare experts say the impact of war extends beyond food shortages and physical injuries. Continuous explosions, aircraft noise and fighting can cause severe stress among animals.

Veterinarian Amir Khalil, who has visited Gaza with the animal welfare organisation Four Paws, said animals can detect sounds and disturbances that humans may not notice. He said the constant conflict creates fear and extreme stress for them.

Despite the harsh conditions, the zoo has become a temporary place of relief for some children.

Children visiting the facility were able to interact with parrots and smaller monkeys. For many, it offered a rare opportunity to step away from the destruction surrounding them.

Residents say children have few places left where they can play. Large parts of Gaza have been reduced to rubble, while many families continue to live in tents.

The zoo therefore serves a purpose beyond displaying animals. It provides children with a brief moment of normality amid a devastating humanitarian crisis.

Yet keeping the facility operating remains a major challenge. Limited supplies, damaged infrastructure and the continuing conflict threaten both the animals and the people caring for them.