Demand the Release of Malik from Tierpark Chemnitz, Germany

UPDATE 22nd SEPTEMBER 2016:

DEAR FRIENDS, I HAVE NOW FORWARDED A RESPONSE TO THE CORRESPONDENT FOR  THE LADY MAYOR OF CHEMNITZ as follows:

Good afternoon Bürgermeister Miko Runkel

I confirm my acknowledgement of receipt of your email regarding Malik (below) dated 16th September (2016) and thank you for taking the time to write to me on behalf of the Lady Mayor of Chemnitz.

Unfortunately, serious concerns remain outstanding and I adamantly oppose your decision not to release Malik.

Whilst I appreciate your assurances regarding Malik’s satisfactory health condition and care, it is most certain that Malik’s chronic renal disease has directly resulted from being forced to live in captivity in the first instance. As your vet would undoubtedly be aware, degenerative diseases such as “chronic renal diseases and degenerative spinal diseases are common in older captive fields (Munson 1993: Munson et al. 1999b; Kolmstetter et al. 2000) but not in free-ranging animals” (Munson et al. 2005)

Whilst I acknowledge your advice that Malik was raised as a cub and with human interaction, I cannot accept this as any justification for your decision to keep Malik living in captivity:

Lions are majestic animals of the wild. They are not born to be stolen and forced to live in captivity.

Wildlife in their infant stages are stolen from their natural environment and used as commodities for business enterprises, and bred within the artificial confines of business enterprises. I adamantly oppose these abhorrent acts

Wildlife are reportedly captured, transported and used as mere commodities for zoos which have been launched as commercial enterprises, using wildlife to boost profits for their business. Given the strong negative health and animal welfare consequences that should mitigate strongly against this practice, I cannot believe that you would consider that it is an act of respect and kindness to deny a cub of its right to live in the freedom of its natural environment: this is clearly an assault on its freedom.

It is well documented that that animals in captivity do not have control over their natural environment, and the diet, size and characteristics of the enclosure may be completely alien to the species as it exists in the wild.

Whilst I acknowledge your advice that Malik “behaves normal like a lion of his age” I cannot understand how this conclusion has been made, as a lion in captivity would certainly not behave as normally as a lion living in its natural environment. Malik has been forced to live within severe confines of an artificial environment where he has been of denied the natural exercise that a lion can have in its natural environment.

Whilst I acknowledge your advice that an old lion lives alone, I also cannot accept this as any justification for your refusal release Malik. It is normal for an old lion to live as a nomad, travelling long distances and many miles in freedom in its natural environment, however Malik is denied this freedom.

Regarding your advice that Malik is “fine” and “shows absolutely no signs of suffering”, I cannot accept that any consideration has been given to Malik’s psychological state.

I ask that you imagine a role reversal whereby you have actually been forced to live in captivity, within strict confines for the duration of your life. I ask whether you would happy and “fine”being denied your freedom to live and behave normally by being forced to live in isolation and used as a mere display for visitors to frequent pass and only stop to stare at you for a few moments.

I am forced to question what the value is of keeping Malik in captivity, as it is abundantly clear that the only value of keeping Malik in captivity is for the Zoo to gain. Again, I assert that this is an assault on Malik’s freedom, and you condone this by your refusal to release him to the credible and globally recognized animal welfare organizations who consider Malik’s health and wellbeing as their primary focus, and not the Zoo’s financial gain.  

In light of ever-growing public awareness regarding adverse effects of wildlife kept in captivity in zoos, education promoting respect for wildlife, I respectfully urge you to have the moral courage and respect for Malik and agree for his immediate release to restore his dignity and live in a sanctuary arranged by the credible and globally recognized animal welfare organisations who are specialized in wildlife.

I have no doubt that, as a person of your high calibre and intelligence, you would agree that it is not respectful and kind to keep Malik confined at the zoo, and this situation will tarnish Germany’s reputation across the world.

For these reasons, I urge your immediate action to release Malik.

I thank you for your time and consideration of my request, and I respectfully look forward to your reply.     

Sincerely,

Janet Kenelley

UPDATE 16th SEPTEMBER (2016):

DEAR FRIENDS, I have received an email from the Offices of the Lord Mayor of Chemnitz (below). Understandably, I cannot accept that there is any sincerity in this response. As per my previous updates, the Humane Society International and Born Free are continuing to apply pressure to have Malik released from this horrendous zoo. As per my most recent update, I have lodged a formal complaint against this zoo and the director of this zoo, to the European Parliament. Further updates are forthcoming.

Dear Miss Kenelley, the Lady mayor has mandated me to answer your email from 12th of September, 2016. The lion Malik was hand reared (in another zoo) and is therefore more imprinted by human than normal lions. He gets attention by his keepers and the public and he enjoys this very much. Old male lions very often live solitary in wild. It is a high risk and not necessary to socialize an old hand-reared lion male. We have no intention to relocate him. Malik is fine and we are satisfied with his health status. Because of his chronic renal disease he is the most supervised animal in the zoo by our vet and all keepers. Malik feeds well and behaves normal like a lion of his age. He has enough space and enrichment. Lion males sleep and rest most of the time. He shows absolutely no signs of suffering. The responsible veterinarian and wildlife conservation authorities had checked the situation and had no objections. I attach a current picture of him. With best regards Miko Runkel -Bürgermeister-

UPDATE 10th SEPTEMBER (2016):

DEAR FRIENDS, 

                I am now able to confirm advice to me from the Humane Society International (HSI)  that the HSI is working together with Born Free in applying pressure to have Malik released.

                    I still have not received a response from Dr Anja Dube, Director of Tierpark Chemnitz, the Lord Mayor of Chemnitz, or the Foreign Affairs Department.

                    I HAVE NOW LODGED A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AGAINST TIERPARK CHEMNITZ FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION (UN) ZOOS DIRECTIVE (1999/22).

                    I HAVE ALSO NOW LODGED A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST DR ANJA DUBE, DIRECTOR OF TIERPARK CHEMNITZ.

   The European (EU) Zoo Inquiry identifies that German zoos are failing to meet EU standards

(Brussels 5th June 2013)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jun/22/germany.animalwelfare

 THIS PETITION has been created to ensure that valuable time is not further wasted and to ensure that urgent action is taken to release Malik..

We, the undersigned, urge that Malik the lion be retired from Tierpark Chemnitz as a matter of urgency.
Within the confines of a small and unnatural environment, Malik’s once-powerful body is now thin and almost lifeless.
Malik lies alone, depressed and almost motionless. He is dying.
Yet, he continues to be a source of gaining profits for the zoo, cramped in limited space with virtually no privacy, and very few opportunities to exercise or keep his mind active.
In the wild lions are free to run and climb. But when a lion is imprisoned in cages or small enclosures at zoos, they cannot do  the things that are natural and important to them.
It is well documented that lions in captivity suffer a much higher frequency of behavioural abnormalities, also suffering skeletal deformities likely to cause neurological complications.

http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/zoo-check/captive-wildlife-issues/abnormal-behaviours/

 http://www.lionaid.org/news/2014/04/why-lions-should-not-be-kept-in-captivity.htm

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/how-captivity-effects-the-mental-well-being-of-all-animals/

But the primary concern for the zoo is gaining profits, and therefore continues to use Malik as an ‘investment’, a source of continuing their gain in profits.
Justifiably, public outrage at such cruelty in zoos is becoming stronger, and there are zoos that have done the right thing in retiring animals from their lives of misery and deteriorated mental and physical health.
Over the years, Malik has been denied of his natural habitat and kept in captivity, for the use of financial gain.
Malik (12) lives alone in Tierpark Chemnitz after his partner, lioness Kimba, died on February 2016.
The decision that the zoo makes will mean the difference between life and death for Milik.
THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY We urge you to do the right thing and retire Malik the Lion as a matter of urgency