Israel-Palestine conflict claims lives of half the animals at Gaza zoo
More than half the animals at a zoo in the Gaza Strip have died either through shelling or thirst during the latest regional conflict, said a keeper at Bissan Zoo, in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya.
Monkeys, ostriches, deer, llama, storks, porcupines and eagles make up the approximate 25 zoo animals to have perished since Israel's military operation in Gaza began on 8 July. They join the 1,975 Palestinians, 64 Israeli soldiers and three Israeli civilians to have died during the conflict, according to the latest United Nations (UN) report.
Wasef Hamad, a 25-year-old who has has worked at the zoo since it was first opened in 2011, said zookeepers have been unable to reach the animals, except during intermittent ceasefires, as airstrikes have made the area unsafe, meaning the remaining animals – including the zoo’s three lions – are close to starvation.
"I came here one time to have a quick glimpse from afar, but I saw death in my eyes… a bomb from an F-16 hit as close as 200 metres [away]," he told Al Jazeera.
"More than half of the animals were killed, most of them by shrapnel, and I think some birds died of thirst."
According to Hamad, most of the animals at Bissan Zoo – which covers around 2.5 acres of a 60-acre park near the border between Israel and Gaza – were smuggled in from Egypt through underground tunnels. With most of the tunnels now destroyed, Hamad says it will be very difficult to bring in new animals, as well as much-needed supplies for those still alive.
"The lions are also sick and need vaccines that are unavailable here, and we can't bring them from Egypt anymore," he added.
The zoo is one of many attraction worldwide currently at risk due to fierce conflicts. Recent reports from Iraq suggest that much of the country’s religious and cultural heritage is at risk from the radical militant group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is destroying heritage sites up to 1,800 years old. Meanwhile in Lebanon, UNESCO is establishing an observatory to monitor and assess Syria’s buildings, artefacts and intangible cultural heritage, to combat illicit trafficking of items of historical significance
from the war-torn region.
Connection, creativity and nature inspire Arizona’s upcoming desert wellness sanctuary Align
Wellness real estate market booming – forecast to reach $913bn by 2028, reports GWI
UAE’s first Dior Spa debuts in Dubai at Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, The Lana
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
BrunelloCucinelli has madehisfortune from cashmere and has used hiswealthto restoreandrevive theItalian hamlet he callshome. Wefindout more
How Portugal’s biggest brewer enlisted the help of one of the country’s best known architects to turn two historic nature parks into thermal spa and nature destinations
Creating the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York involved meticulous planning. Its director Alice Greenwald tells us more