Gaza zoo displays carcasses, sells starving animals as war kills the wild

An array of stuffed wild animals is on display at a zoo in southern Gaza Strip after they died of starvation. The zoo is even selling its starving animals as the owner is unable to arrange food for them.

"I have to sell them in order to save them," zookeeper Mohammad Oweida told Reuters, adding the animals started to starve since a conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in 2014 prevented him from arranging enough food for them.

As many as 200 animals at his zoo have already starved to death. The zoo, located in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern part of Palestine territory about 4km east of the Mediterranean Sea coast, depicts how war and economic hardships in the region have taken a toll on the lives of animals as well as humans.

Only 15 skinny animals are left in the zoo. Among them is a hungry tiger, which Oweida is selling for around $23,000 (£16,250 approximately). Oweida said he was in negotiations for the tiger with a Gaza resident who used to raise lion cubs. An ostrich, a turtle and a pelican are also available for sale.

Many of the animals in the zoo were smuggled from Egypt when it opened in 2007. Oweida, 24, said he stuffed 15 of the animals that died of starvation. These include a lion, tiger and a chimpanzee, now put on display at the zoo for children.

However, the number of visitors has declined at the zoo where once school outings were hosted, he said.