The Sancti Spíritus Zoo acknowledged that it has gone through “very critical” moments in securing food for its lions and that it has needed the support of small and medium-sized enterprises, one of which even donated 250 pounds of meat without charging the institution.
The situation was presented by Taimí Mencía Venegas, director of the base business unit Complex Zoo Park of Sancti Spíritus, during an interview published by Radio Sancti Spíritu regarding Jorgito, the lion born in that facility in May 2024, who is already over two years old.
When discussing the challenges of caring for the animals, the director specifically acknowledged the support received from private enterprises.
"I acknowledge the MIPYME Osbel y Familia from Colón, which, when we have faced very critical situations, we have called and they have brought here 250 pounds of meat at no cost," he stated.
Mencía expressed gratitude for the support and presented it as a demonstration of the "sense of belonging" of Cubans and their willingness to support the feeding of the animals.
The economic difficulties of the zoo also became evident when they were asked about the former project to create a kind of African savannah that would allow for an expansion of the lions' space.
According to the director, the earthworks needed for the so-called lion's pit would cost around five million pesos, an investment that the institution currently cannot afford.
Today we are not in a position to take on that expense, because we barely have enough to care for our animals, which is the primary principle of this zoo, he admitted.
The private sector is also involved in the repairs of the facilities. Mencía explained that they recently signed a contract with the small and medium-sized enterprise Edis to intervene in the lion enclosure, which has been damaged by corrosion.
The director noted that it was necessary to replace the fence that serves as a divider and the doors, tasks that she deemed essential not only to keep the animals in safe conditions but also to protect the workers who enter to clean the facilities.
In this case, it involves a service contracted and paid for by the Cuban Zoological Company, not a donation like the meat provided during times of scarcity.
The interview focused mainly on the growth of Jorgito, who was born on May 6, 2024, and has become one of the main attractions of the park.
The cub was born alongside another specimen in a multiple birth, although only Jorgito survived.
His mother, the lioness Mily, was able to raise him naturally, without the caretakers having to resort to artificial rearing.
During that time, Mencía explained now, they provided Mily with enhanced nutrition consisting of seven kilograms of meat and eliminated fasting days so she could produce the milk necessary to nourish the offspring.
"We left it to nature, and the lioness Mily raised Jorgito, who is now quite a lion," he noted.
The director described the young feline as "affectionate" and "playful," and she assured that when it stands on its hind legs, its size is quite impressive, reaching nearly two meters.
"Jorgito is very cute and everyone has to look at Jorgito," she said.
When he was just a few weeks old, the management of the zoo showcased his growth as an "achievement" tied to the proper feeding of the animals.
Two years later, the same institution acknowledges that it has gone through critical periods during which it had to ask for help to obtain meat.
The statements come amid strong criticisms regarding the conditions of lions in several state-run zoos in Cuba.
In July, an activist reported on the condition of a lion at the Florida zoo, Camagüey, describing it as having visible ribs, confined within a rusted and deteriorating cage, and stated that it had been without food for about a month.
The most controversial case erupted in August in Las Tunas. First, residents reported the severe physical deterioration of two lions, whose ribs and bones were visible in photographs circulated from the facility.
Days later, activists reported that one of the animals had attacked and killed the other after a prolonged period without receiving meat. Animal welfare representatives then mentioned that it had been between 13 and 15 days without meaty food.
The Provincial Government of Las Tunas later denied that the feline had killed the other to eat it, but confirmed that one attacked and caused the death of the other and, most importantly, acknowledged that several days had passed without food.
The authorities described what happened as "unacceptable" and also acknowledged the "deterioration and impoverishment" of the facility.
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