Auction Cancelled.

After much condemnation and protest, the Lahore Safari Zoo has thankfully called off plans to auction 12 lions from its ever-growing pride to private buyers. The auction was planned for Thursday this week and had drawn condemnation from the WWF, which urged authorities to instead rehome them with other government wildlife facilities. Reports reveal that now the zoo has decided to speed up work to build two new enclosures for the lions.

The Lahore Zoo is currently home to 29 lions, six resident tigers and two jaguars. The deputy director of the zoo continues to maintain that the main reason for holding the auction was a lack of space; but that is not a justification that holds any weight. While it is good to see that the auction will not be taking place anymore, it is unfortunate to see how some are still unable to grasp why something of this sort is unethical. The deputy director of the zoo has clarified that the auction was not cancelled because of growing criticism, and added that the zoo can always hold another auction if the lions breed more and they...