Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

12.4.11

A young lion from the Golden Circus in Bahrain, died at 4.00am on 9^th April.  Born Free’s Senior veterinary consultant, John Knight, described his death as a “sad story of wilful neglect.”

The Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) had been trying to get the sick lion from the Golden Circus into their care, without success; it was only when he was in a state of collapse that the circus relented.  They named the year old male Afua, which is Swahili for Mercy.

The Golden Circus from Egypt had arrived in Bahrain last September, in time for the three day Muslim holiday of Eid and the National Day holiday in November; the circus say that their plans to leave after the celebrations were delayed because of the unrest in Bahrain.  Now, nearly four months after their last performance in December, they are illegally in the country, their permits expired, and there are differing stories about their plans to move on.  In all this time, the five lions and one tiger had been kept in their tiny travelling cages, in the full sun, with no opportunity for exercise, and making it difficult to keep them clean.

While Afua had appeared well on arrival in Bahrain his diet at the circus was to primarily consist of “cow’s milk and eggs” and he was noted to have “had diarrahoea throughout his life”.     Then at the end of March reports of the youngster’s ill health got back to the BSPCA; they tried to visit but the people left in charge of feeding the lions and tiger refused to allow them to examine the sick youngster.  It was only when Afua was in a state of collapse they allowed the BSPCA to take Afua away.

The BSPCA took him straight to their sanctuary on 4^th April, and started to administer intravenous fluids to the severely dehydrated young lion.  With no wildlife vets on hand to help out, they rang the Born Free Foundation for advice on treatment.  John Knight, Born Free’s Senior Veterinary Consultant, tried to give advice based on phone calls and video footage, but this was clearly less than satisfactory, and John knew he had to fly out to see Afua, even if it meant he would recommend euthanasia on his arrival.  He hastily swapped commitments around and jumped on a plane.  Sadly, Afua died while John was en route. 

“If the owners had agreed to release the cub even just a few days earlier, we might have been able to save him” said Paul Duke the BSPCA’s shelter manager who had been caring for Afua.  Hansel Thomas, the Society’s veterinarian said “We are all devastated at the loss after having cared for Afua 24 hours a day over the past week and are extremely upset that his owners showed no concern or provided proper care.”

John was at least able to carry out the post mortem.  “My initial post mortem findings suggest that the primary cause of Afua’s death was profound anaemia associated with chronic kidney failure.  These changes would have taken place over several months.  Afua’s poor body condition and development suggests on-going malnutrition and poor management.  Afua should have received expert veterinary attention months ago.   His is a sad story of wilful neglect.”

WHAT OF THE OTHER LIONS AND TIGER?

Afua’s nine year old mother and three other lions and a tiger remain in the circus, supposedly waiting to move on to another country.  John visited with the BSPCA and was disturbed to see the animals were kept in the hot sun with just one shutter open to allow ventilation.  He urged the circus open the other three sides.  Only two water trays were available which had to be rotated between the five remaining big cats.  However, since the intervention of Bahrain’s Ministry of Tourism, the cages were very clean.

The BSPCA are now urging the Bahrain authorities to ban circuses with performing animals – something the British government has yet to do – or, at the very least, allow the BSPCA to inspect and intervene sooner in such sad cases as Mercy.

As is the case with Anne the elephant, recently seen in “Bobby Roberts Super Circus” being excessively chained and beaten, the day to day life for an animal in the circus is grim indeed.  The long periods of confinement and travel are part and parcel of circus life, even without the examples of cruelty that are regularly exposed.  There is no place for animals in the circus.