RECENTLY, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) criticized the Manila Zoo after it was revealed that they would be taking in a baby lion cub named Isla.

A statement made by PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker read: “PETA, alongside compassionate Filipinos, condemns Manila Zoo’s decision to imprison yet another animal. Isla, a baby lion, is the latest victim in the zoo’s collection of suffering, living beings.”

They went on to write that Manila Zoo has repeatedly shown in the past that it could not meet the basic standards of care needed for the animals that reside within it. 

They added that the widespread public outcry over their decision to take in Isla simply shows that they have not learned from the fate of the beloved elephant Mali, who passed away last year, 2023.

“​​The zoo’s history of subjecting animals to a life of misery is now plain for all to see,” said PETA.

This came after the Manila Zoo announced that they would be taking in “Isla” to add to their collection of animals for exhibition. 

In a post on Facebook, Manila Zoo wrote: “Mula po sa pamunuan ng Lungsod ng Maynila sa pangunguna ng ating Punong-Lungsod Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan kasama ang Kawanihan ng mga Libangang Pambayan sa pamumuno ni G. Roland F. Marino, Opisyal na Nangangasiwa, isang taos-pusong pasasalamat sa mga opisyal ng Manila Achievers Lions Club, District 301-A3, sa kanilang pagbibigay sa Manila Zoo ng isang batang leon.”

Manila Zoo also wrote in their post that while Isla is still being nurtured and strengthened, she will not yet be made visible to the public.

In the case of Mali, Bertha, and many more

PETA has always been vocal about Manila Zoo’s apparent mistreatment of its animals, and many Filipinos have since agreed with their sentiments.

In 2013, for example, Manila Zoo celebrated 54 years of existence. PETA, however, stated they were instead celebrating 54 years of unnecessary suffering for the animals in their care. 

They added that those 54 years only meant that they’d been imprisoning animals in cages for a long time.

Reports quoted PETA’s campaign manager, Rochelle Regodon, as saying that the zoo was imprisoning animals in cages and pens that were a tiny fraction of the size of the habitats of the animals in nature. 

They also stated that the zoo denied everything natural and important to these animals, with many of said animals showing signs of suffering both mentally and physically.

They cited Mali as an example; before her death, she’d been exhibiting strange behavior, such as shifting her weight from one leg to another, which veterinarians explained was a sign of constant pain. Instead of being sent to a sanctuary, she was kept in Manila Zoo until she eventually passed away in 2023.

Many had dubbed Mali as the “world’s saddest elephant.” Many all over the world called for the release of the animal; CBS News reports that even Paul McCartney of The Beatles had written a letter to Former President Benigno Aquino the 3rd asking to transfer Mali to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. 

Before Mali, one of the oldest residents within the zoo, a hippo named Berta, also passed away in her enclosure.

“Bertha’s life at the Manila Zoo was full of frustration, misery, and deprivation,” wrote PETA Asia on their website.

“Animals imprisoned at zoos are denied everything that’s natural and important to them, and every aspect of their lives is manipulated and controlled.”

Other examples PETA cited were animals suffering due to guests throwing foreign objects into their enclosures, and others suffering from severe skin infections. Certain animals have also been seen with severe feather loss; dead birds were even spotted in enclosures occasionally, such as in the ostrich enclosure.