NATIONAL PARK AND ZOO ABUJA: MY EXPERIENCE AND THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
The tittle of this post is meant to come off as sarcastic but I think I failed. During my blogcation, I made it a point to do stuffs and visit places I'd never been in Abuja before. At the top of my list was the zoo in Abuja. It seemed everyone I know had been. Only me. Hai! I don't even know how comes I was always passing it.
My mom told me I would love it, "you'd see giraffes and antelopes and a tortoise as big as a table" I was ecstatic! I could not wait to go. When I told my friends I'd be going and asked if they would like to come with, they tried to cramp my style saying things like "oh, that place is dead, there is nothing there" I ignored them. On Sunday, I got dressed, jumped into the car and started my journey to the amazing zoo in Abuja. My younger brother insisted on coming with so we went together. On getting there, we bought our tickets, 200 for him and 400 for me. Initially, I was too excited to take photos, I could not wait to see the amazing animals busting with life and zoo enjoyment.
It's safe to say, my friends were right. The place was in a sorry state. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.
The park was a park and zoo. There was a beautiful lake which reeked with neglect, it promised boat rides but there was no boat in sight, there was a playground for children, which playhouses and swings and sea saws but everything was old and dirty and rusted it made weird creaking noises when touched. I did not let my brother play on them for fear something would snap under his weight and I would see him on the ground.
Everything was a mess, to be honest, the only thing that seemed to be in good shape were the grasses. There weren't any impressive animals to be seen, and the few species they had looked like they could die any moment. The crocodile pen was a sore sight, the python was thin and didn't even bother to move in his pit, the horses where so thin and hungry and the camel looked just about to drop any moment, the only lively animal in the whole park were the monkeys and baboons.
After a while of walking around, I got tired and bored and I even started to feel sorry for the animals, I almost wished they would set them all free and let them live the rest of their lives in freedom and peace.
This goat really wanted to be in my pictures lol so here he or she is. I dunno
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A WELL MANAGED ZOO IN NIGERIA? WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE?
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED BY SOMETHING OR SOMEWHERE YOU HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR?
The zoo is so poorly managed. Check out my experience with the lion at the zoo https://www.instagram.com/p/B1fnwbWHC3v/?igshid=1nac1mn1rw1v2
It's such a shame. The giant of Africa.
I feel so sorry for the animals...especially the camels...they look so hungry. I think all Nigerian zoos are like that..dead and nothing to write home about.
Thanks girl. Will check it out!
This zoo has been dead for as long as I can remember, last time I was there was in 2004 or so. There's this garden in Wuse that has a really cool ambience and the animals there actually look alive and well taken care of, it's called BMT garden. You should totally visit it.