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The complaints posted on social media regarding the deplorable condition of the animals at the Casino Campestre Zoo in Camagüey prompted an immediate response from the authorities of the facility, including increased surveillance, restricted access to certain areas, and urgent cleaning and repair work on the cages.
According to observations made by a reporter from Cubanet who visited the site, with their identity kept anonymous for safety reasons, the changes were evident and directly attributable to public pressure on social media.
According to the source, he visited the zoo following recent reports and claimed to have witnessed an intense day of cleaning and feeding of the animals, with numerous workers sweeping the premises and placing water and food in various cages.
During the tour, the reporter also noted the state of deterioration that had prompted criticism on social media. She reported that several species showed visible signs of neglect.
"The hyenas are thin. The monkey cages were full of feces," he stated, describing an environment where some facilities appeared to be deteriorated and were being cleaned and repaired.
He also mentioned the presence of animals such as peacocks, zebras, and a crocodile, housed in conditions he described as very dilapidated.
Access to certain areas of the zoo was restricted. According to his testimony, he was not allowed to get close to the lion cages due to a heavy security presence within the park.
The collaborator stated that during the visit, she noticed constant surveillance of the visitors, particularly those using mobile phones.
In his view, the zoo staff appeared to be vigilant in preventing recordings or photographs that could circulate on social media, amid the controversy generated by complaints about the condition of the animals.
The images that circulated on social media showed lions with their ribs and hip bones clearly visible, which sparked a wave of public outrage.
In response to the criticism, the zoo director stated that the animals have a diet and are not going hungry, while the institution responded by labeling the allegations as manipulation and slander.
"Following the publication of the lions looking so thin, there has been a noticeable change, as I hear on the street that the lions were in an almost cadaverous state. And when I went, I saw the change: a good number of keepers cleaning the entire zoo, feeding the animals, giving them water," the reporter recounted.
This is not the first time reports of mistreatment have been made regarding Cuban zoos. In December 2025, it was reported that a lion at the zoo in the municipality of Florida had gone eight days without eating.
Similar situations have been reported in other provinces, such as the abandonment and widespread hunger in the zoo of Puerto Padre, or cases where the cats at the Santiago de Cuba zoo were fed with leftovers.
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