Manila government defends keeping lion cub Isla

MANILA, Philippines — The management of the Manila Zoo will take care of Isla, its new lioness cub, which can no longer survive in the wild, according to the Manila City government.

Previously, animals’ rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals “condemn(ed) Manila Zoo’s decision to imprison yet another innocent animal. Isla, a baby lion, is the latest victim of the zoo’s collection of suffering, living beings.”  

However, city hall officials asserted keeping Isla in the 65-year-old Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, home to the late Sri Lankan elephant Mali, was reasonable.

Veterinarian Vanessa Ong, acting head of the zoo’s animal health and welfare unit, said the management assigned two keepers working on shifts to look after Isla.

The cub, now 10 months old, enjoys a huge space of its own, so it could “freely choose to play or rest in the shade,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News. 

Ong pointed out that while it was known as a wild animal, Isla was “born in captivity,” and that the pride – or social group of lions – that it grew up with were humans taking care of its needs. 

“She would no longer survive in the wild. She is no longer capable of hunting her own food because she got used to being (with humans),” she said.

Isla is still being isolated from the other animals in the zoo, and would await the time for her to be shown to visitors. 

Manila Public Recreations Bureau acting head Olan Marino told ABS-CBN News the Manila Zoo vowed to take care of Isla and provide for its needs.