Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the Covid-19 pandemic had caused zoos to fork out more money to keep their animals alive and well.

He said the lockdowns had also affected zoos, which depend largely on gate collections and financial aid from sponsors and visitors.

“The annual operational cost of keeping the two giant pandas from China was RM2.25 million in 2015, excluding the cost of maintaining about 5,000 different animal species,” he said in a statement today.

Mohideen said that leaving animals in cages would cause them stress, leading them to be unable to metabolise toxic substances, resist infections and reproduce.

He also said it was cruel to allow animal performances in zoos, theme parks and marine parks.

“If scientists want to study wildlife, they can now track wildlife electronically with devices such as geo-positioning system (GPS) trackers, tracking collars, and remote cameras.

“Scientists do not need to keep them in a zoo to observe them,” he said.

Mohideen urged the authorities to avoid archaic concepts of zoos, saying they were “relics of past cruel attitudes to wildlife”.

“What is the purpose of protecting and conserving wildlife in zoos when their natural habitat is being raped and exploited?

“Therefore, we wish to reiterate our stand that it is time for zoos to be phased out,” he said.