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Around 15 kinds of wild and domestic animals are kept in dire conditions at Sulaimani's Newroz Zoo, built in 1991.
Some animals have died because of the conditions of their captivity.
"I had three lions in the old zoo. Two of them died because the place is so unsuitable," says zoo manager Newroz Khafaf.
A replacement zoo was being built 3 years ago, offering promise of better conditions for the animals. However, the project was abandoned by the company in charge when only partially complete. The zoo manager has filed a lawsuit against the company, but the case is still under investigation.
Despondent zoo staff say they there is little they can do to improve the animals' situation.
"We all know that the living conditions are unsuitable for these animals because we don’t offer them the right service. We use a disinfectant called Vircon to clean their cages, and we use Dettol in the evenings to clean them [the animals]. Their place is unpleasant. Whatever we do, it will remain unpleasant," says zookeeper Ari Mohammed.
Reporting by Veena Mofaq
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