The Limassol Municipal Council rejected the proposal that provided for the abolition and transformation of the city's Zoo into a Biodiversity and Urban Environment Center "Nature".
During yesterday's marathon session, 14 municipal councillors were against the proposal to close the ZKL, while 10 voted in favour. Specifically, the Mayor, the municipal group of AKEL, the municipal councillors of DIKO, Michalis Michael and Kleanthis Raptopoulos, Christakis Mahallekidis of EDEK, from DIPA Evangelia Paraskeva and of the Hunters, Prodromos Ttopouzis, voted in favour.
The proposal was voted against by the Deputy Mayor of Mesa Geitonia, Marios Protopapas, the municipal group of DISY, the Ecologists with Ms. Diamantidou clarifying that it expresses a personal opinion and not the position of the Movement, ELAM, as well as two of the four members of the municipal group of DIKO. It should be mentioned that 24 members of the Municipal Council participated in the vote, with absences recorded for various reasons.
In his statements on state radio, the Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeftis, stated that, despite the rejection of this proposal, the discussion on the future of the Zoo has not been completed.
"There is more to come," he said, noting that various suggestions were submitted before the Municipal Council and intense concern was developed. He also stressed that the municipal groups will prepare proposals. He indicated that the dialogue will continue in an effort to reconcile the different views presented and to find a common denominator, because "the city's zoo is not something that should divide us".
It is recalled that a few months ago, the updated proposal of the Cyprus Centre for Environmental Research and Education of the Metropolis of Limassol was presented to the Municipal Council, which provided for the conversion of the zoo into a Biodiversity and Urban Environment Center.
According to the scientific director of CYKEPE, Dr. Andreas Hatzihambis, two different approaches to the future of the space had been put before the Municipal Council.
These two proposals present different degrees in terms of the presence of animals in the area, he noted, explaining that in the first consultation the first option was the closure of the Zoo, while the second option was to preserve the Zoo and upgrade it by keeping some selected animals, as well as some domestic species that are easier to maintain in terms of animal welfare.
The new proposal submitted to the current municipal council is updated and provides for the complete removal of animals without negating the goal of protecting biodiversity. The presence and protection of biodiversity remains a central goal, but without hosting animals in the area.
The Party for the Animals speaks of a "black day"
According to the Party for the Animals, the decision of the Limassol Municipal Council to continue the operation of the Zoo is a deeply disappointing development and a regression that refers to perceptions of the 1950s and 1970s.
As it states in a relevant announcement, "it is a decision that ignores modern scientific knowledge about animal welfare, the ethical principles of our time and the ever-increasing social demand to end their captivity for entertainment purposes."
The Party for the Animals of Cyprus, represented by its President, Kyriakos Kyriacou, attended the meeting and attended a discussion that unfortunately did not capture the real stakes.
The question, as he notes, was not simply whether or not the Zoo would close. "The proposal put before the Municipal Council provided for a responsible and modern transition: the gradual and safe relocation of animals with absolute respect for their well-being, the transformation of the space into an educational, environmental and recreational park and the definitive abolition of the outdated concept of the zoo, emphasizing flora, experiential learning and environmental awareness. Unfortunately, by a vote of 14 against and 10 in favour, the proposal was rejected, leading to the continued operation of the Zoo. Among the votes that voted against the proposal was the vote of the Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation, a fact that raises reasonable questions and deep disappointment, especially from a political movement that has always promoted the protection of the environment and animals as its basic principle."
"We are particularly saddened that during the discussion arguments dominated exclusively the history of the Zoo, the emotional connection of previous generations with the site and its preservation as part of the city's history. History, however, cannot be an alibi for the perpetuation of a practice that is now considered obsolete throughout the modern world. Animals are not exhibits, nor are they means of entertainment. They are sentient beings with biological, psychological and ethological needs that no zoo, no matter how upgraded, can satisfy. Captivity remains captivity. Confinement remains confinement. No enrichment of living spaces can replace the natural environment to which animals belong," it added.
"Today's decision is not a blank cheque. We expect the Limassol Municipality to present the next steps with full transparency, while we declare that we will closely monitor every development regarding animal welfare and the future course of the area. We also send a clear message to all political parties, municipal parties and elected officials: society is changing. Citizens demand policies based on science, ethics and respect for all living beings. Animal protection cannot give way in the face of political costs, traditions or customs of the past. Real progress is measured by the way a society treats the weakest and not by the maintenance of outdated institutions," he emphasizes.
The Party for the Animals of Cyprus "expresses its deep disappointment, but is not disappointed by the struggle. On the contrary, today's development makes us even more determined to continue our interventions, actions and initiatives until the captivity of animals at the Limassol Zoo is finally ended. Limassol deserves to be a pioneer as a modern, European city that respects life, nature and animal rights. Today's decision, unfortunately, does not serve this vision. History will judge those who chose to preserve the past instead of paving the way for a more humane and civilized future."
