Zoo upgrade ordered or sea lions will be left high and dry

Published on Tuesday 8 December 2009 08:52

THE future of one of Edinburgh Zoo's oldest attractions could be put at risk unless urgent repairs are carried out.

Bosses at the tourist attraction have been told that they have to either revamp the sea lion facilities or get rid of the animals altogether.

They have also been told to upgrade some facilities used by big cats when they are not on show to the public amid health and safety fears.

The repairs are among a series of upgrades that the city council has ordered the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) to complete in order to get its licence renewed in 2012.

Inspectors indicated that a lot of repair work had been put on hold while the company tried to resolve financial issues, which included its plans to build housing on part of the site.

In relation to sea lions, inspectors said: "The accommodation and water management for the sea lions must be brought up to modern standards, so as to include facilities for separation, isolation and restraint of the animals, and a high standard of water treatment and hygiene.

"An alternative strategy would be to cease to keep sea lions. Either way, this must be resolved within the lifetime of the current licence, ie three years."

There have been concerns about the decline in the number of animals at Edinburgh Zoo.

A report published last year showed that, during 2006, there was a reduction of 200 animals as a result of death or transfers to new homes.

Among those to leave recently were two Siberian tigers, Sasha and Yuri, who were moved to the Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie last year. They were joined this year by Mercedes, the UK's only polar bear in captivity.

The sea lion enclosure is one of the oldest at the zoo and houses Sofus, Miranda and Mona, three Patagonian sea lions from Norway.

Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, zoos have to go through a "periodical inspection" midway through the period of their licence. The inspection team included two inspectors appointed by Scottish ministers.

As well as concerns about the sea lion facilities, inspectors also said that the "off-show" areas for big cats, particularly jaguars, have to be upgraded "to ensure staff safety, hygiene and animal welfare are not compromised by further deterioration".

They also called for a "radical refurbishment or complete replacement" of the food store and veterinary areas of the zoo.

Overall, inspectors said that the zoo should be commended for "excellent new developments" like the Budongo Trail and said it continues to achieve "very high standards" in conservation, education, research and animal welfare.

Mark Turley, director of the city council's services for communities department, said: "The zoo has indicated that the matters giving rise to the recommended additional conditions can be complied with within the time period recommended by the inspectors."

No-one from the zoo was available for comment.