There are many opinions on zoos and their place in conservation. Personally, I support them if they have high standards of creature care, habitats, and conservation efforts. I feel that allowing people of all ages around the world to be put face to face with wild animals that they would never see or potentially even learn of is necessary for creating an interest in wildlife preservation. However, there are zoos that are not up to snuff, and I expected I would come across some of them in my journeys. This past week I visited the Central Zoo- Nepal’s only zoo. I’m posting some pictures here with limited comments.

This was the only elephant I could see and it was confined to a small track where it could give rides to tourists. Note the chain around its neck

Its face seemed to have such a human expression of sadness.

Limited space to swim for the semi-aquatic hippo

The rhino pen was very bare.

A baby one-horned rhinoceros looking out through the bars… it had a decently sized wound on its face

Common langur behind bars in a small cage. An evocative pose.

Native jackals in a bare room

Jungle cats (and kittens!) native to Nepal

Beautiful Black-necked Stork native to Nepal and surrounding countries

The ground was often made of rubble