Captivity Under Scrutiny: Reports of Neglect and Rescue in Zoos Across the Middle East and North Africa

Across the Middle East and North Africa, zoos and circuses have long been presented as places of leisure, education, or cultural tradition. From Gaza’s Rafah Zoo to Egypt’s Giza Zoo, from Lebanon’s roadside collections to Riyadh Zoo in Saudi Arabia, and from Al Ain Zoo in the UAE to Rabat Zoo in Morocco, these institutions are part of the region’s history. Yet recent rescues and investigations reveal a different reality: lions starving in Gaza, cubs like Sara suffering neglect in Lebanon, fatal attacks in Egyptian zoos and circuses, and disturbing reports during Giza Zoo’s 2026 reopening. These cases show that captivity itself creates harm, regardless of modernization or welfare claims, and that rescue remains the only meaningful response.