WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU VISITED A ZOO?

A visit to zoo of Bitola city in Macedonia broke my heart for good in summer 2006. I made a short video documentary about the suffering animals; it was hot summer as usual reaching + 40 degrees, the animals had basically no water or food, very small cages and not to mention nothing to do. I have been told that most of the post Soviet zoos are in same condition. And if the country is not part of European Union, there is nothing much you can do about it. For example, in Tallinn zoo (Estonia) the conditions were really bad, but after the country joined EU, they have renovated the whole place. This is only in Europe, but there are horror zoos around the world. Since then, I have visited Bitola zoo again, but nothing changes.

It is another question why do we need to have zoos in general, but the issue is that now that we have zoos, the animals should have decent living conditions. "You can't do anything about it" is something that I've heard the zoo professionals and ordinary people say to me again and again. But I refuse to belive that.

I am asking for help for Bitola zoo animals. Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia was formerly managing the Bitola zoo, but now it is City of Bitola from the beginning year 2006. The zoo doesn't have enough funding. It is understandable, because even some Macedonian people are living in poverty. From my opinion, we should at least have that much heart to slaughter the suffering animals or to move them to well-kept zoos. If you have any campaign ideas etc., know people who should be contacted and might be able to help, send me an e-mail. I will send you free of charge a copy of ZOO documentary (dvd) for promoting purposes. Contact: mkk (at) katastro (dot) fi
Video can be also seen at:
http://www.vimeo.com/clip:165482

Related links:
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria : www.eaza.net
WWF : www.panda.org
Born Free Foundation : www.bornfree.org.uk
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia : www.kultura.gov.mk

Organisations mentioned above were not involved in making ZOO -documentary.

This wolf couple were living in a cage sized 2m x 3m. The cage is filthy, they are standing in their own urine. You can probably imagine the smell.

There are three bears living in Bitola zoo. One in a very small cage and these two in concrete bunker. The bear on the left tried to drink/lick water from the hole in the ground.