A zoo in Africa has been accused of animal cruelty after a photo of a thin camel appeared on social media.
Tunde Sawyerr was visiting the National Children’s Park and Zoo in Nigeria when he photographed the animal.
He posted the picture on Twitter, writing: “Saw this former camel at the Abuja zoo.” The post went viral.
Saw this former camel at the Abuja Zoo. pic.twitter.com/PuNcKs2kXq
— Sawyerr (@MrSawyerr) October 27, 2018
According to CNN World, the zoo’s deputy director Muhammed said that the heavy rain had affected the camel’s health but the zoo has given the animal adequate medical attention.
“The camel is an albino camel. They are desert animals and it’s just a young one, so it’s just trying to acclimatise that’s why it comes down with that (skin infection),” Muhammed said, adding that animals at the zoo undergo regular check-ups every three months.
CNN stated that Justin Williamson, the lead investigative officer at the International Animal Rescue Foundation Africa disagreed with the zoo’s authorities.
“That camel has more than a skin infection, sadly,” he said.
“This is a dromedary, a juvenile Arabian camel, which I can see is very sick and very malnourished. There’s little suitable food on the ground for the animal to even graze on, which unfortunately will eventually lead to its slow and painful death,” Williamson told CNN.
