Skopje Zoo Turns 100 and Gets White Peacocks and Swans, but the Questions About Animal Welfare Remain

Skopje Zoo got a present for its 100th birthday: Patagonian maras, rheas, Cape Barren geese, white peacocks and swans. The new residents are in mandatory quarantine under veterinary supervision for now, and visitors will be able to see them soon. At the same time, Bitola Zoo also got five new animals - a sacred ibis, an African serval cat, an owl, a Barbary sheep and an American raccoon, donated by Belgrade Zoo, which Bitola has been working with for decades.

Marking the anniversary, Skopje Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski says that in less than a year in office the zoo's animal collection has grown and "significant modernisation works" have begun: renovating and building enclosures, new roofs, a new play park for children. "Every living being deserves care, respect and a dignified life. That must be the yardstick for every investment we make," he said.

A hundred years of memories and old problems

The story began in 1926, when a commission led by biologist Dr. Stanko Karaman laid the foundations on just four hectares. After the 1963 earthquake, the city decided on a new layout, and over time the grounds grew to around 12 hectares. Today some 500 animals from around a hundred species live there. For many generations of Skopje residents, their first encounter with a lion or a giraffe happened right here.

But a hundred-year history isn't just childhood memories. In June this year, the animal protection association "Anima Mundi" demanded the urgent closure of Skopje Zoo and a detailed inspection of every enclosure. In September a new row broke out over posts about allegedly poor conditions and empty cages, and the management rejected claims that the animals were hungry and neglected, saying a complete overhaul was under way.

New peacocks and swans make nice news for a weekend stroll. But a zoo isn't measured by the number of new species or new fences - it's measured by how the animals already there are living. When will we hear more about veterinary care, feeding and the space inside the enclosures, rather than just how many new residents have arrived?