Zoo Animals Famished, Dying Of Hunger in Venezuela

People are not the only ones starving in Venezuela. Around 50 animals in major zoos in the country have starved to death due to chronic food shortages. These animals have all died within the last six months - and many others, including pigs, tapirs, rabbits, and birds in Caracas have not eaten in weeks.

As if zoos weren't sad enough, 50 animals have starved to death at Caracas zoo as food runs out https://t.co/Hs8IlsL4pN

— Hannah Dreier (@hannahdreier) July 27, 2016

Oslander Montoya, and accountant handling zoo funding shared that they have been doing all that they could to ensure the functionality of these zoos. Marlene Sifontes, a union leader for employees of state parks agency Inparques said, as noted by the Independent UK, that the plight of these animals mirror the crisis that Venezuelans are facing today, as many of them routinely skip meals or wait hours in line for dwindling food supplies in supermarkets as an effect of the economic mismanagement of the Venezuelan government under Nicolas Maduro. In fact, Venezuela is in a severe economic crisis, leading them to food shortages and even looting.

Reuters said that lions and tigers at the Caracas zoo are being fed mango and pumpkin by staff to make up for the lack of meat rations, while elephants have been eating tropical fruit instead of their usual diet, which is hay.

Other cities in the country are even said to be in worse situation, asking for fruit, vegetables, and meat donations from local businesses. Outside the capital, food shortage is even worse. Three animals died in May at a Paraguana zoo, and staff is planning to move a dozen animals, including spectacled bears, to another park in Merida. The zoo's bears are currently eating only half of their required diet every day.

Still, government officials denied that these deaths were due to the lack of food, BBC News reported. President Marudo even blamed the country's problems on the "economic war" waged by businessmen and government opponents.