A man wearing a face mask feeds a camel at Giza Zoo in Giza, Egypt, on June 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
by Mahmoud Fouly
CAIRO, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Animals look gloomy and lonely in Egypt's largest and most famous Giza Zoo on the west bank of the Nile River to the southwest the capital Cairo, after about 80 days of closure of the zoological garden as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
As the only giraffe in the zoo, she moves languidly while being surrounded by several little deer at her yard. The bears and the chimpanzees look sad and even confused as if they are missing visitors and wondering where they are.
Giza Zoo, a main destination for Egyptian families with their children on holidays, has been closed since March 17 as part of the efforts to curb the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Egypt, which has so far registered 32,612 cases, including 1,198 deaths and 8,538 recoveries.
"We have established a program to prevent depression of sensitive animals like chimpanzees and orangutans and keep them in a good mood," Mohamed Ragaei, head of Egypt's Central Administration for Zoos, told Xinhua.
The program focuses on good nutrition to keep animals healthy, providing them with their favorite types of food, as well as the necessary medical care to maintain their cleanliness and increase their immunity, according to the official.
Ragaei noted that the homes and cages of animals are disinfected and washed with soap and water on a daily basis, besides the disinfection of the zoo floors and walkways.
"We also adopt an environmental enrichment program to entertain the animals, particularly those vulnerable to depression and able to think. For instance, we provide chimpanzees with toys like balls, papers, colored pens and swings to keep them in a good mood," he noted.
Opened in 1891, Giza Zoo is the largest one in Egypt and the Middle East, covering an area of about 336,000 square meters, and attracts about 3 million visitors annually.
It is the first time in about 130 years for Giza Zoo to be closed during the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday that ended in late May, although it was closed for four months in 2006 over the outbreak of bird flu.
"When the zoo is full of visitors, everyone is happy, including the animals," said Maha Saber, manager of Giza Zoo that accommodates about 5,600 animals and birds.
The zoo already has a preventive program related to diseases that can be transmitted from humans to animals and vice versa, but disinfection has been intensified amid COVID-19, she noted.
"We have a special dressing room for workers to change their clothes and put on their sterilized uniforms," the zoo manager told Xinhua.
"Everything is fine so far and we have no infections," she said.
Saber explained that they distributed face masks, gloves and disinfectants to all workers and employees, noting whoever of them feels sick is not allowed to come to the zoo.
During the closure, Giza Zoo has brought a new type of small camels from Latin America and is expecting new animals in the near future such as giraffes, seals and zebras.
The last elephant in the zoo died in October 2019 after living there for 36 years. The manager said they will prepare a new elephant home with international standards before introducing a new elephant to the zoo.
Wahid Mohamed, 49, has been a keeper of the baboons, chimpanzees and orangutans for about 30 years.
The man was using some apples and lettuces to encourage Koko, a 24-year-old monkey, to smile and make some funny movements inside his cage.
"Monkeys love visitors and visitors love them. They used to be restless, but now they are idle because they don't see visitors as usual," Mohamed said.
"Some visitors used to come every week to the point that the chimpanzees could recognize them and make joyful movements when they see them," he added.
