Hitherto, Gombe State University’s zoo was a cynosure for lovers of wildlife and tourists who troop into the citadel to feed their eyes and have a nice time with the wild lives. But the zoo has turned into a shadow of itself.
Visitors are left to themselves as the zoo guide does not bother taking one around as expected. He just waves you in, motioning you to go ahead.
WikkiTimes’s visit to the zoo only reveals empty cages that used to shelter daring lions, towering giraffes, healthy ostriches and other interesting things.
THE ZOO AND STRANGE DEATHS OF ANIMALS
The Gombe State University’s zoo was established in 2006 under the Vice Chancellorship of the Late Professor Abdullahi Mahadi, a renowned historian and educationist.
According to the zoo caretaker, Mallam Muhammad Salihu, ever since Mahadi’s tenure ended, the zoo gradually depreciated to what it is today.
“Late Mahadi used to take care of the animals very well because he was passionate about them. He always brought more animals to the zoo despite the pricing,” Salihu told WikkiTimes. “In fact, the zoo affairs used to be under the VC’s office but now it has been moved to the university Centre for Entrepreneurship Development Studies since he left.”
“We used to have a lot of visitors and tourists before but not anymore because most of the animals have died as a result of one sickness or the other,” he added.
Salihu said the animals are not being replaced anymore because the school finds it expensive and the hunters who used to bring the animals for sale hardly come around these days.
“The animals were captured from Sambisa forest in Borno State, but due to the insurgency, the hunters don’t go there anymore. That is why the few wild animals that are brought here for sale are very expensive.
“The first set of lion cubs we brought to this zoo from Maiduguri cost us only about N1,200,000. But now you can only get them for about N12,000,000,” Salihu continued. “So the school can’t afford them like before. Hence, the zoo is becoming emptier.”
Reminiscing the olden days when the zoo used to be gagged with many visitors, Mallam Salihu said they made a lot of money, especially during festive seasons when people were only allowed to enter by batch as a result of a large number of people who wanted to access the zoo.
“These days, the highest we can make is about a thousand naira as opposed to the hay days when we used to make a minimum of N5,000 daily,” he stated.
Calling on the school authorities to revive the zoo, Salihu also urged them to take good care of the few ones remaining to help preserve the wildlife.
“It is our duty to cater for these animals, especially because they are sheltered, therefore they entirely depend on us for their survival. The school needs to put more effort into reviving the zoo,” Salishu appealed.
MANAGEMENT SHIFTS BLAME
Dr Nasiru Moddibo Idris, the school’s Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship Development Studies, believes most of the animals died as a result of poisoning. According to him, the hunters who sold the animals to the university had either poisoned or harassed them which resulted in their early death.
“Many animals died, including the Zebras, Lions and Antelopes but the ruminant ones died because they ate from poisonous plants meant to control erosion in the zoo area and it was realized too late,” said Idris, adding the school later constructed a standard drainage to avoid future occurrence.
Further, Nasir said that the university had forged a collaboration with other zoos including Maiduguri Zoo and Yankari Games Reserve for the delivery of healthy animals.
Babangida Muhammad Musa, Managing Director of Gombe State University’s Consultancy Services, revealed that the university is not financially buoyant enough to keep up with the zoo expenses at the moment.
According to him, the management had resolved to commercialize the zoo and turned it into a recreational centre. This, he said, would enable the zoo to generate enough income to run the place without financial glitches.
Speaking on the financial constraints affecting the zoo, he said: “It is difficult to afford grown-up animals because of their prices. One Lion is about N20,000,000. A young Giraffe costs up to N17,000,000. So we are reaching out to the state government to assist us.”
Change in political settings is another challenge crippling the zoo, Musa disclosed. “Previously, we paid for some animals in Yankari Games Reserve in Bauchi. But the change of government administration affected our transaction so we had to rekindle the whole process,” he said. “These kinds of investments require interest on the part of the government because it is a long-term social investment. It will take time for the university to do it on its own.”
The Director further called on relevant and interested bodies willing to invest and partner with the university’s zoo to bring it back to life, saying the institution cannot afford to do it on its own.
“The Vice-Chancellor is serious about reclaiming this place but the huge amount of money is what is impeding us,” Musa stated. “We are open to partnership with other bodies including game reserves home and abroad. Let them come and invest. We are confident of benefitting from commercializing it because people visit Gombe a lot and the zoo is one of the tourist attractions in the state.”
