Filenews 4 May 2023 - by Ioanna Mantzipia
A public consultation will determine the future of the Limassol Zoo and after a study commissioned by the Municipality of the city, to the Cyprus Centre for Environmental Research and Education of the Holy Metropolis of Limassol. At the same time, the Party for the Animals, the Green Movement, the EnErgo Movement and various non-governmental organizations and activists insist on its permanent closure.
The issue was put on the table at yesterday's meeting held by members of the above political movements together with the Mayor of Limassol, Nikos Nicolaides. The latest incident that came to light and resulted in renewed reactions was the death of a deer, whose antlers were trapped in the fence of the place where he lived.
The attendees once again expressed their long-standing position that the zoo must be closed immediately. On the other hand, the Mayor informed them that the issue of the zoo is of very serious concern to the City Council, announcing that its future will be judged through public consultation and after all possible options have been put on the table, even the permanent closure.
In statements to "F", Mr. Nicolaides said that it is time to re-study the future of the zoo, noting that the last change in its conditions was made 10 years ago. He said his future must be consistent with animal welfare issues, good practices of other countries' zoos and legislation. However, he argued that there are opportunities for educational policy as well as promotion of endemic fauna.
"Our goal is in the next two to three months to close this dialogue," he said, explaining that with the use of a design firm, all possible options will be put on the table. "What they want is through a responsible, serious, objective and documented dialogue with the citizens of Limassol, to make appropriate decisions about what its future will be. All possibilities and all possibilities are open for us all to decide collectively," he said. In addition, he noted that there is no question of moving it, while regarding the number of visitors, he said that on weekends the zoo has more than 1,000 visitors.
For her part, the member of the Green Movement, Monika Pieridou, noted that even a public consultation, the timeless position and opinion of the Movement, is the final closure. "We have overcome the issue of public consultation," said Kyriakos Kyriakou, President of the Party for the Animals. He noted that the Party for the Animals can undertake the transfer of animals to other countries with which it is consulting.
