By Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante
13th Public Affairs Detachment
BAGHDAD - After traveling more than 7,000 miles, a pair of Bengal tiger cubs has finally settled into their new home in Iraq. Amid much fanfare and excitement, Hope and Riley were introduced to the world, Aug. 8, 2008, at the Baghdad Zoo.
The tigers were a goodwill gesture from the Conservators' Center, a breeding sanctuary for endangered species in North Carolina. "We are building trust with America," said Dr. Adel Salman Mousa, zoo director. "We're building trust with a society that trusted us to care for these animals."
The cubs are just under two years old and weight more than 150 pounds each. The Bengal tiger is an endangered species, with less than 3,000 worldwide.
"We hope to bring smiles back to the people and the children," said Mousa. "We want to put smiles back on their faces after years of misery. In addition to the enjoyment people will get from watching them, they will present opportunities for students and the public to learn about this and other endangered species."
"This is exemplary of how people in Iraq are taking the lead to improve the circumstances in Iraq," said Capt. Jason Felix, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division [Air Assault].
Felix's unit was in charge of tiger transport following their, Aug. 4, 2008, arrival at Baghdad International Airport on Victory Base Complex. Transporting the tigers from the states cost more than $66,000 and was paid for by the U.S. Embassy.
Concerns have arisen about the safety of the tigers in a combat zone. During the early days of the liberation of Iraq in 2003, the zoo lost many of its animals to injury or starvation, including its tiger which was shot when it began attacking a U.S. Soldier. It was also difficult to maintain the zoo for many years prior to 2003 because of lack of medicine, vaccinations and, often, food, Mousa said.
Since then, coalition forces and the Iraqi people have been working to bring the zoo up to international standards of health and safety, Mousa said. "We currently consider the zoo in very good shape," he added. Mousa also pointed out that the zoo sits in a very safe part of the city and has 24-hour security inside and outside the zoo gates.
The Baghdad Zoo gets approximately 10,000 visitors every Friday and Saturday and 2,000 to 3,000 on the weekdays, Mousa said. This is up 300 percent from 2006 and years prior when zoo visitation was approximately 150 people per day. The zoo features 62 exhibits with 788 animals. There is also an amusement park and swimming pool nearby.