Dublin Zoo is to receive no sanction after an investigation into a whistle-blower’s allegations of animal mistreatment found most to have “no substance”.
Labour Senator Annie Hoey read a detailed account of allegations raised by a whistleblower via protected disclosure in the Seanad last July.
A complaint was made to the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), which is the representative body for zoos, covering the issues, which ranged from staff shortages and delays in completing maintenance work to the death of animals.
BIAZA wrote to the director of Dublin Zoo Christoph Schwitzer on Wednesday to inform him that 22 of the 26 allegations made were found to have “no substance” while one was a technical breach of European guidelines, but not BIAZA standards.
Among the claims that were substantiated was that poor quality fish was fed to sealions between 2019 and 2020; the death of a sea lion in 2020, which occurred due to keeper error; and macaque escapes from their island habitat.
However, BIAZA said it was satisfied the sea lion death was an isolated incident rather than a reflection of the general level of care provided and that the first two of these issues have been fully resolved.
“Indeed, the BIAZA board commend you on the improvements made since you took up your role in July 2020,” the letter to the zoo stated.
“We acknowledge that considerable efforts to rectify the macaque escapes have been made. However, it is not yet fully resolved and you...
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