IVORY COAST 2011 One year after the death of five Libyan camels donated by Muammar Gaddafi, Abidjan’s Zoo has recently gone through another major blow. Further to the conflicts in April, in Ivory Coast, between the ex-president Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara , the zoo ran out of food leading to the death of the venue’s three lions. If over 40 animals lost their lives during this months–long conflict (leaving only 112 animals of 25 species); Sea, Simba and Loulou are missed the most, since they were the pride of an animal collection that came all the way from Ethiopia. « There is only one African elephant – the national emblem of Ivory Coast - left in the Zoo » complains Bruno Séka, the administrative manager of the Zoo.

But after a crisis that lead to the death of more than 3000 people and the displacement of tens of thousands, it seems difficult for the Zoo keepers to ask for an advance, « We are fighting for the survival of animals when people are dying of hunger ».