The veterinary mission that the international NGO Four Paws carries out on the property of the former Luján Zoo advances with a forceful balance of medical interventions, surgeries and emergency treatments on animals that remained in critical conditions for years.
Since the beginning of the evaluations, on October 23, the team managed to stabilize dozens of big cats and two bearsin what is already considered the most important operation of this type carried out in such a short period in Latin America, reported El Civismo.com.ar.
“The war veterinarian” in the former Luján zoo
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The initial veterinary evaluations, led by Dr. Amir Khalil – an Egyptian doctor known as “The War Veterinarian”-, presented an alarming clinical picture. Severe dental fractures, ingrown claws that pierced the animals’ own legs and serious conditions in internal organs were detected.
In several cases it was found that the specimens had been declawed —an amputation of the last phalanx to remove the nails—, which caused chronic deformities in their extremities.
Four-legged patients
Zoo on June 4
The two bears also underwent surgeries.
Four Paws
The severity of infections forced highly complex surgeries to be performed. Two lions had to undergo partial amputations of their tails to stop advanced infectious processes, while other animals underwent emergency surgery to avoid a similar outcome.
“It is one of the largest veterinary operations in history. Our work involves the veterinary check-up of 62 big cats and two bears,” he said. Luciana D’Abramo, Program Director and member of the Four Paws Executive Council.
Furthermore, he explained that “these animals do not know nature. Once they spend this time in captivity, then nature is no longer an option and sanctuaries become the only option. “They do not have survival instincts, they could not survive in nature, they could be an enormous danger due to risks of zoonoses or disease transmission.”
Looking for a better future
Zoo Lujan 5
In these two months, dozens of operations were carried out.
Four Paws
“We have space in some of our sanctuaries,” he said, while announcing that “We are not going to leave until all the animals are in appropriate conditions for their species.”. “Some of the other animals that we are not directly responsible for at this time, we will also be connecting with other organizations so that solutions can be found.”
Among the medical milestones stands out the reconstructive surgery of the tigress Florawho had splintered fragments of a leg removed, achieving an immediate improvement in his quality of life. In another critical case, the tigress known as Medioloca was able to keep her tail thanks to an operation that stopped a rapidly progressing infection.
Luján Zoo 3
The bears before the sanctuary
Meanwhile, Brown bears Gordo and Florencia have not been able to hibernate for years due to the inappropriate conditions of the place, which aggravated his general state of health. In these cases, the organization reported that they arrived at the then Luján Zoo when they were cubs and spent practically their entire lives there. Both They will go to the Bear Sanctuary Belitsa, in Bulgariaalthough the transfer requires complex logistical and administrative procedures that are still ongoing.
“There were five years in which many animals died. What we did with the Zorba Foundation was to coordinate the government, Four Paws and the former zoo so that Four Paws could start working,” said Isabel de Estrada, founder of Zorba Foundation.
This foundation is part of the coordination with Four Paws and the national government to carry out the intervention. Since the closure of the property in 2020, many animals have died and the survivors were kept alive by former zoo staff. Within the framework of this mission, the animals are being assisted, vaccinated, dewormed and castrated, in line with the organization’s policy of avoiding the reproduction of wild animals in captivity.
The Four Paws Word
Luján Zoo
As a balance, the NGO summarized its two-month task at the former Luján zoo:
“The former zoo was closed for animal welfare reasons, and our assessment raised serious concerns about the safety, health and welfare of more than 60 big cats and two bears still living there.
Therefore, on September 1, 2025, we agree to take full responsibility for the care of the animalsincluding care management, veterinary care and associated running costs. By taking this step, we have undertaken one of our largest and most complex emergency missions to date. The situation is heartbreakingas these animals have gone years without proper care, space or enrichment. “We have ensured their basic needs are met by feeding them and keeping them safe while we plan for their long-term solutions.”
Source DIB Agency
