In March 2010, three years after the Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) investigated conditions at the Jungle Zoo, local campaigners returned to assess the situation and found that nothing has changed.
Animal housing
Animal enclosures are typified by a lack of space and stimulation for the animals, and amateur workmanship undertaken seemingly without much consideration of the individual needs of particular species.
Most birds are housed in small enclosures, allowing them no opportunity to fly. Behavioural problems are suggested by the evidence of feather-plucking among some parrots.
Monkeys are caged individually, in contradiction to their nature as social animals. The cages are far too small, have hard concrete floors covered by a scattering of sawdust, and when inspected had very little water. The lemur enclosure was likewise characterised by concrete floors and a lack of water.
The living area for meerkats was very basic, with just a hardened mound of soil, a tree stump and a drainage pipe for enrichment. Similarly, goats were expected to graze on a narrow piece of eroded earth.
Health and safety
In 2007 CAPS noted that virtually all enclosures were without stand-off barriers, required to prevent injury to people and animals by unauthorised contact. This situation has not been remedied, and in this investigation adults and children were still seen putting their fingers through the cages.
At the capuchin monkey enclosures, stand-off barriers were in place. However, members of the public were still able to feed the animals, in violation of the clearly visible signs, and one parent held his child over the barrier so he could touch the monkey through the bars of the cage.
One of the larger lizards was taken from its enclosure and allowed to walk around the public, who were encouraged by staff to touch it.
