Nearly 300 animals died in Dublin Zoo, Tayto Park and Fota Island during past two years

These included eight cheetahs, seven bison, two giraffes and a scimitar-horned oryx, which is extinct in the wild. Two of the zoo’s three critically endangered mountain chicken frogs also died in 2020.

Even more concerning, perhaps, is that more than half of Fota’s 38 Humboldt penguins perished last year, along with two endangered ring-tailed lemurs, an endangered Francois langur monkey, and a critically endangered axolotl.

In Dublin Zoo, two California sea lions, a giraffe, a zebra, four out of five ostriches, and an endangered chimpanzee were among the 92 animals that died in 2020 and 2021.

They also included seven critically endangered Sulawesi macaques and two of the zoo’s six endangered African-painted dogs. And out of 21 endangered Waldrapp ibis birds born at Dublin Zoo during the two-year period, 11 died within 20 days.

As for Tayto Park in Co. Meath, figures show that a total 59 animals died there during 2020 and 2021. Details of these were not available, but statistics show that 10 animals that died between November 1, 2021, and May 9, 2022, included the zoo’s only reindeer, a raccoon, an endangered ring-tailed lemur, and one of its two leopards.

'Death is a part of life'

Speaking about the figures, which the public may find concerning, a spokeswoman for Tayto Park explains:

Sadly, death is very much part of life and, despite our best efforts, it is not always possible to extend an animal’s life irrespective of intervention or the quality of care provided."

The spokeswoman also confirmed that a new companion for the remaining leopard would be arriving in the near future.

In the capital, a spokesman for Dublin Zoo said that the “vast majority” of animal deaths were the result of common issues associated with the animals’ age, and the numbers were in line with mortality rates in the wild.

“The physical and psychological wellbeing of the animals in our care is paramount to Dublin Zoo. However, as in the wild, animals also die. In every such situation, the best of veterinary care and attention is given. We mourn the loss of every animal,” he said.

However, Fota Wildlife Park did not respond to the Irish Examiner's request for comment.

Labour Party senator Annie Hoey, who used parliamentary privilege in July to reveal a whistleblower’s allegations of animal welfare breaches at Dublin Zoo, described the details of deaths at the country’s largest zoos as “deeply concerning”.

The people I have spoken to care deeply about the wild animals [in zoos] and want to see the highest standard of care and welfare for them, Hoey reveals, and confirms she will be returning to the issue of animal welfare in zoos when the Seanad reconvenes this week. "This is what I believe the public also expects from Dublin Zoo, so I will continue to utilise all the parliamentary avenues open to me to pursue this issue to a satisfactory conclusion."