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Taman Safari's response to video of allegedly drugged lion
Lions are more active during the night, and they usually rest during the daytime.
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A zookeeper feeds a young lion in Taman Safari Indonesia in Bogor, West Java. (Shutterstock/File)
A video of a sleepy lion during a photo session in Taman Safari Indonesia, Bogor, West Java, was posted on Wednesday.
such shameful exploitation of wild #animals is not uncommon The assumption that it's acceptable to keep this wild and beautiful creature drugged so that people can have their photograph taken next to him is mind boggling.What arrogance! What nerve! don't support this atrocities pic.twitter.com/gog97ztCPo
— DavidⓋ (@davidsting414) August 28, 2018
Twitter user @davisting414, who uploaded the video, accused the zoo of drugging the animal.
“The assumption that it's acceptable to keep this wild and beautiful creature drugged so that people can have their photograph taken next to him is mind boggling,” he said.
Although it was not stated where the video was taken, a logo in the background indicates that the incident took place in Taman Safari Indonesia.
At the time of writing, the video has been retweeted 2,582 times.
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In their response to the video, Taman Safari Indonesia Cisarua public relations Yulius denied the netizens' accusation.
“Surely, Taman Safari Indonesia had never drugged [animals]. And lions sleep for a long time; it can be 12 to 14 hours per day,” Yulius told kompas.com.
Yulius also explained that lions are carnivores, making them more active during the evening. Meanwhile, during the day, lions usually rest or sleep.
Yulius stressed that the zoo never forced resting animals to take photographs with visitors.
“There is a written sign informing visitors when the animals are resting [hence visitors cannot take a photo with them],” he said. (jes/kes)
