Target: Deputy Steve Luce, Minister for the Environment, Government of Jersey, St. Helier, Jersey
Goal: Launch an independent investigation and seek the maximum lawful penalties for any parties responsible for reported animal neglect—including repeated deaths of endangered bats, euthanised primates, and a mauled capybara—at a prominent conservation zoo.
Reports from a renowned conservation facility long celebrated for protecting lesser-known species now portray a deeply troubling picture. Critics and former insiders have allegedly documented deteriorating enclosures, ripped roofing, and overgrown foliage, alongside greenish water and structural disrepair said to risk animal well-being. In this context, rare Livingstone’s fruit bats reportedly suffered a surge in deaths across recent months, while other animals—including critically endangered tamarins—were reportedly lost or euthanised “on welfare grounds.” One capybara was purportedly mauled to death by a companion, and a sloth was reportedly housed in an area not designed for animals. These accounts, if accurate, suggest preventable suffering that demands immediate scrutiny.
Volunteers and advocates further allege a pattern of mismanagement and “Disneyfying” priorities overshadowing conservation, with whistleblowers sidelined rather than heard. They claim basic checks were ignored or delayed while density and disease purportedly worsened outcomes. Management statements acknowledge disease and “historic” issues, yet the volume and nature of the reported incidents—including repeated bat mortalities and husbandry concerns—point to systemic failures, not isolated mistakes.
When rare, sentient animals reportedly endure squalor, unsafe pairings, or prolonged distress, the response cannot be internal assurances alone. Robust and independent oversight is essential. Sign below to demand the responsible authority order an immediate probe, publicly release its findings, and, where violations are substantiated, impose fines, restrict or suspend licenses, and refer culpable individuals for prosecution. Mandatory improvements—independent veterinary supervision, enforceable space and pairing standards, 24/7 CCTV in sensitive areas, transparent mortality/morbidity reporting, and rapid-repair protocols—should follow without delay.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Luce,
We are gravely concerned by reports alleging severe animal-welfare lapses at a prominent conservation zoo associated with safeguarding rare species. Accounts describe deteriorating facilities, unsafe housing, and inadequate monitoring that reportedly coincided with repeated deaths of endangered Livingstone’s fruit bats, the euthanasia of vulnerable primates on welfare grounds, and the mauling death of a capybara. Additional claims reference greenish, poorly maintained water and enclosures unfit for the animals within them.
While disease and aging can contribute to losses, the pattern and specifics reported—ripped roofing, overgrown foliage, density-driven spread of illness, questionable husbandry decisions, and animals purportedly kept in unsuitable public-facing spaces—appear to reflect systemic issues rather than isolated events. Volunteers and advocates also reportedly faced exclusion when raising concerns, further undermining confidence in internal oversight.
We respectfully urge your office to initiate a swift, independent investigation with full public transparency. If statutory or licensing breaches are confirmed, please pursue the maximum lawful penalties and impose enforceable corrective actions, including independent veterinary governance, continuous monitoring in high-risk areas, strict pairing and enclosure standards, and routine publication of welfare metrics. Endangered animals deserve exemplary care; neglect and preventable suffering must never be tolerated.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Larisa Bishop-Boros
