BAGHDAD: A pair of Siberian tigers pant incessantly beside a pond at their zoo enclosure in the scorching summer heat of the Iraqi capital.

Temperatures on Monday breached 50 degrees Celsius in Baghdad for the second day in a row — making life outdoors unbearable for both humans and animals.

The orange, striped felines from far-eastern Russia are more suited to living “where temperatures drop to as low as minus 20 degrees” than in one of the hottest cities in the world, said Wassim Sarih, the veterinarian at Baghdad’s only zoo.

Underfunded and run down by years of unrest and mismanagement, the zoo’s dilapidated facilities make matters worse for its roughly 900 animals, including lions, exotic birds, bears and monkeys.

Most of the enclosures are open air and “suit animals that live in hot climates”, said Sarih. “We don’t have ones for animals accustomed to the cold.” In an attempt to lower the temperature, air coolers have been installed in front of the lion cages, and pools are provided for the bears and tigers.

Iraq is unable to provide sufficient electricity to meet domestic needs and is consequently plagued by power cuts that can last up to 10 hours a day.

Baghdad Zoo hasn’t seen major renovations since the 1970s, said its director Haider al-Zamili, who is forced to make do with the meagre funds the authorities allocate.

Under such conditions, Sarih said “the lifespan of our animals is shorter compared to other zoos”.

The zoo’s Siberian tigers live for 17 or 18 years while their counterparts in other zoos have a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years, with the heat making the difference, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2023