Parks Department work to spruce up Mitchell Park Zoo
In January, the zoo was in the spotlight after a visitor posted images on social media and commented that something needed to be done to improve it.
FOLLOWING complaints from the public earlier this year about the state of the Mitchell Park Zoo and the condition of its animals, the zoo has undergone a revamp during lockdown and is now open to the public.
In January, the zoo was in the spotlight after a visitor posted images on social media and commented that something needed to be done to improve the environment the animals and birds were living in at the zoo.
Ward 27 councillor Ernest Smith, along with other officials, held an oversight visit to inspect the situation and stated ongoing work was needed to restore the zoo to its former glory.
Among allegations by the resident were that animals were living in shocking conditions, social creatures like cockatoos, mongoose and iguanas were living alone when they should have mates, some appeared to be injured, and birds lacked stimulation.
Smith also noted an enclosure which was unoccupied and was overgrown and filled with rubble, and stated something needed to be done about this, as it was unsightly.
ALSO READ: Ongoing work needed to restore Mitchell Park Zoo to former glory
On Monday, 21 September, Councillor Smith visited the zoo to show Berea Mail what work had been done during lockdown to improve the zoo. He said among other projects, work had been done to fix cages where monkeys were getting in and stealing animals’ food.
“External rewiring of cages and on the dome which houses dassies has not only managed to keep monkeys out, but has improved the look of the cages. The macaw cages have also been rewired and opened up to give the birds more space. Wood has been put in the cages to stimulate the birds and we are also appealing to residents to donate toys for the birds to play with,” he said.
He said overall, the birds were looking better, were quieter and living in a bigger space.
The unoccupied enclosure has now been cleared of rubble and overgrowth, and Shaun Oakley, aka Damn Vandal, has painted a mural on its walls, and it has been transformed into a cage for the Blue-and-Yellow Macaws.
“This a a nice big space, four times bigger than they had before, and the birds have a lot of stimulation. I like the work that has been done by Shaun,” said Smith. Smith said he was pleased the animals were looking healthy, the zoo was looking well-kept and maintained. Staff were at work in enclosures, raking and clearing leaves and washing out ponds, and birds and animals had fresh food and water.
Commenting on improvements, Smith said, “At the end of the day, a zoo is not a clean place, and everyone has an idea of what it should be like. As long as the animals are healthy and looked after, this is positive. The work that’s been done here is amazing and the public is encouraged to come through and visit the zoo. I thank the Parks Department for the hard work done during lockdown.”
ALSO VIEW: VIDEO: Mitchell Park Zoo reopens to the public following lockdown
Smith said there were other issues which needed attention, however there were a few requisitions pending that the Parks Department still needed to approve. If anyone can donate toys for the parrots and birds, they can contact Ernest at ward27@ethekwini.org or 079 214 0020.
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