Photo credit: Lions at the Camagüey Zoo Facebook/Yanaris Alvarez

As severe economic instability in Cuba continues, a worsening animal welfare crisis is emerging within its zoos, raising urgent concerns that can no longer be ignored.

Recent reports from April 2026 paint a deeply troubling picture. At the Casino Campestre Zoo, images and eyewitness accounts have sparked international concern, showing lions in visibly emaciated condition. They appear weak, severely malnourished, and described as skeletal in appearance, struggling to survive. These reports have prompted urgent calls for immediate intervention.

But this may not be an isolated case.

Across the country, multiple facilities are reportedly facing similar challenges as Cuba’s ongoing shortages of food, fuel, and basic resources take a devastating toll not only on people, but also on animals entirely dependent on human care.

Zoos are increasingly struggling to meet even the most basic standards of animal welfare. Caretakers, often working under extremely difficult conditions, are constrained by a lack of supplies, limiting their ability to provide consistent nutrition and adequate care.

Facilities such as the National Zoo of Cuba are not immune to the country’s broader economic crisis, raising serious questions about long term sustainability and animal welfare.

Meanwhile, attractions such as the Acuario Nacional de Cuba and the Delfinario de Cienfuegos continue to operate, though visitor experiences vary widely and growing ethical concerns are being raised about conditions and consistency of care.

This crisis raises a broader and urgent question: what happens to captive wildlife when the systems meant to protect them begin to fail?

Without immediate attention, resources, and international support, the suffering of these animals risks deepening further, hidden in plain sight behind bars that were never meant to become cages of neglect.

The global community cannot look away. Greater transparency, independent monitoring, and urgent intervention from Cuban authorities are needed to address these conditions and prevent further suffering.

Take action by contacting the Cuban government, along with international animal welfare and public authorities, to urge immediate intervention to protect the lions and other animals at the Casino Campestre Zoo, as well as at zoos and facilities across Cuba.

Government of Cuba – Official Contacts:

Presidency / Government of Cuba

Address: Palacio de la Revolución
Ave Paseo #1040 B e/ Carlos Manuel de Céspedes e Independencia, Plaza de La Revolución, La Habana, Cuba.

Email: [email protected]
Website:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX)

Phone: +53 7 836 4434 | +53 7 836 8494 | +53 7 836 8496

Email: [email protected]
Website:

United States Embassy – Havana, Cuba

Address: Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana, Cuba

Phone (Local): +(53)(7) 839-4100
Website:

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)

Address: 12, rue de Prony
75017 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 44 15 18 88
Fax: +33 (0)1 42 67 09 87
Email (General): [email protected]
Email (Press): [email protected]
Website: