In a shocking turn of events The Al-Qureshi Park in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan is facing severe shortage of foods and medicine. The lions which have been caged in the park have now become highly malnourished. Park officials and vets said the health of the lions have deteriorated over the past few weeks with many of them losing two-thirds of their weight. “Food is not always available so often we buy it from our own money to feed them,” said Essamelddine Hajjar, a manager at the park, which is managed by the Khartoum municipality but is partly funded by private donors. According to reports, one of the cats is supposed to have been dead due to lack of proper treatment and medication.
Sudan is in the middle of an economic crisis led by increasing food prices and shortage of foreign currency. Residents, volunteers, and journalists who visited the park clicked pictures of the lions which soon went viral on social media. One of the cats was tied with a rope and was fed fluids through a drip as it recovered from dehydration. Meanwhile, chunks of rotten meats covered with flies lay scattered near the cages. The lions are also reported to have been suffering from many illnesses said one of the caretakers. On the other hand, online calls to save the big cats from the prevailing conditions have been gaining momentum.