Campaign Launched to Save Malnourished Lions in Khartoum Park

An campaign has launched online to save five severely malnourished lions in Al Qurashi Family Park in Khartoum, Sudan.

The park, which is located between Khartoum 2 and Khartoum 3, keeps the five lions in small cages as a park attraction. There are other animals in the park including birds and turtles that have also been left in dire conditions.

اتضح أنو ما بس الأسود المهملة في حديقه القرشي #اسود_حديقة_القرشي#حقوق_الحيوان #انقاذ_حدائق_الحيوان_في_السودان
#SudanAnimalRescue pic.twitter.com/Se28A4MLSn

— Fathi Khalid™ 🇩🇪 (@FathiKhalid06) January 20, 2020

In addition to calling for aid, many have taken to social media to demand releasing the lions from the cages and returning them into the wild, their natural habitat. Some of the lions had lost almost two-thirds of their body weight.

The story of the famished lions first broke out when a visitor, Osman Salih, visited the park and was shocked to see the lions in their ill state. He then turned to social media using the hashtags #SudanAnimalRescue and #اسود_حديقة_القرشي to share their plight.

مشيت بالصدفة لحديقة القرشي في خرطوم ٣ وانصدمت بوجود خمسة اسود منتهين عبارة عن جلد على عظم وفي واحد اتوفى قريب بسبب الجوع والإهمال 😟 الأسود دي محتاجه جهه تهتم بيها وتوفر ليهم الأكل الكافي وتعالجهم وإلا للاسف برضو حيموتو#لم_تسقط_بعد#حنبنيهو@SudanPMHamdok pic.twitter.com/SSJ26Lscud

— Osman Salih (@0smanSalih) January 18, 2020

The story soon went viral, bringing the attention of international media organisations such as Al Jazeera, AFP, The Guardian and more.

🦁 “ملوك الغابة” .. ضعفاء في #السودان ، فمن المسؤول؟#حديقة_القرشي | تفاصيل أكثر https://t.co/VtnuWLxpCp pic.twitter.com/tA62sowo31

— الجزيرة مباشر (@ajmubasher) January 18, 2020

According to Salih, he has met with the park’s administration who said that the National Wildlife Unit is responsible for the welfare of the lions. Salih along with other volunteers are yet to meet with the wildlife officers. However, after Salih’s social media posts, an outpour of volunteers of veterinarians as well as medication and food donations have come to the rescue of the lions.

لقد زرنا حديقة القرشي للوقوف على حالة الاسود 🦁🦁🦁#اسود_حديقة_القرشي#حقوق_الحيوان #انقاذ_حدائق_الحيوان_في_السودان
#SudanAnimalRescue pic.twitter.com/TZFWSh9T5R

— Osman Salih (@0smanSalih) January 19, 2020

جبنا مزيد من الأدوية و الاسعافات مستمرة. دعواتكم. #اسود_حديقة_القرشي pic.twitter.com/rEMAFZdK3w

— Osman Salih (@0smanSalih) January 19, 2020

However, one of the lions, a female lion named Aswad, meaning Black, has fallen severely ill. It was fed fluids through a drip as it recovered from dehydration. However, still unwell, Aswad has been taken to a clinic in Soba. (*Update: Aswad has died on Monday 20 January 2020)

صباح اليوم. اللبوة ختوها في قفص و محولنها لي كلنك في سوبا. يقولو انو في تحسن و الله اعلم. أنشأ الله خير. ما ادوني فرصة اتكلم ولا اصور.

#اسود_حديقة_القرشي #حقوق_الحيوان #انقاذ_حدائق_الحيوان_في_السودان
#SudanAnimalRescue pic.twitter.com/1Rjuxohovl

— Osman Salih (@0smanSalih) January 20, 2020

There are at least 100 lions in Sudan mostly in Dinder National Park (DNP) in South East Sudan on the Sudan-Ethiopia border. African lions are classified as a “vulnerable” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their population dropped 43% between 1993 and 2014, leaving only around 20,000 alive today.

Sudan’s wildlife includes lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, and numerous varieties of antelope. Several species of monkeys are found in the forests. Resident birds include bustards, guinea fowl and storks. Reptiles include crocodiles and various lizards.

Sudan has several protected nature areas, including game reserves and national parks. Dinder National Park and Radom National Park have been designated as UNESCO biosphere reserves.

Related links:

Bringing in the Wild