This photo taken on May 17, 2025 shows a wolf at Kabul Zoo in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)
KABUL, May 20 (Xinhua) -- "If treated kindly and provided with food and water, even lions and bears can become friendly to humans. Animals understand when you speak to them," said 45-year-old Qurban Ali, caretaker of the lion and bear enclosure at Kabul Zoo, in a reflective moment on the International Day for Biological Diversity.
Ali began working at Kabul Zoo 25 years ago out of a deep passion for animals. Since then, he has diligently fed and cared for lions and bears every day. "Where animals live, the air is fresh. They deserve peace and should not be disturbed," he said softly.
Established in 1967, Kabul Zoo is Afghanistan's only state-run zoological park. It attracts hundreds of daily visitors who come to observe a variety of animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish. However, Ali laments the lack of public awareness regarding animal welfare.
"People come here, eat junk food, throw soda cans into the enclosures, pelt animals with rocks, and harass them," he said.
Ali believes such irresponsible behavior, coupled with environmental degradation, contributes to disease outbreaks and the gradual extinction of wildlife.
Afghanistan's biodiversity is under severe threat due to global warming, decades of insecurity, illegal and unregulated hunting, deforestation, and widespread ignorance about the value of biological diversity.
Yousef, a young visitor fascinated by wildlife, comes to the zoo two to three times a year with friends. "I like lions because they are the kings of the jungle and look majestic," he said.
He emphasized the need to curb illegal hunting to protect the environment. "Poaching is harmful. If people come across a leopard, an eagle, or any wild animal, they should hand it over to the zoo, where it can be properly protected and cared for," he added.
Abdulrahman Miwand, director of veterinary services at Kabul Zoo, warned that Afghanistan's biodiversity is at critical risk due to its geographical vulnerability and shifting climate patterns. "Approximately 149 species, including birds, reptiles, fish, and native plants, are listed as endangered in Afghanistan, with 60 bird species at risk of extinction," he said.
"Birds like pelicans and cranes, and animals such as the Caspian tiger and wild peafowl, have already disappeared from Afghanistan in recent years," he said.
According to Miwand, widespread extinction and unrestrained hunting could intensify Afghanistan's challenges, ranging from climate stress and drought to cultural loss and economic instability. He urged investment in conservation, public education, and strict enforcement against wildlife trafficking and cruelty.
"At Kabul Zoo, we are currently breeding wolf cubs, Capra falconeri (markhor), leopards, jackals, and various birds, including eagles. We are reintroducing these animals into the wild to help restore Afghanistan's ecological balance," he noted.
Afghanistan ranks among the seven countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative. The ongoing environmental crisis is devastating agriculture, threatening livestock, and displacing large numbers of people.
Meanwhile, Professor Dawood Shirzad from the Department of Environment at Kabul University said the extinction of certain mammal and bird species has disrupted Afghanistan's terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
"Species such as the snow leopard, Marco Polo sheep, and various goose populations are nearing extinction, severely affecting the mountainous habitats they support," he said. Shirzad pointed to climate change and illegal hunting as primary drivers of these ecological shifts.
Afghanistan's environmental authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to combating illegal wildlife trade and halting poaching.
Hamed Safi, head of the Natural Heritage Department of the National Environmental Protection Agency, said that in the past year alone, officials have intercepted the trafficking of over 26,000 animals, which have since been released back into the wild. ■
This photo taken on May 17, 2025 shows a lion at Kabul Zoo in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)
This photo taken on May 17, 2025 shows a pair of camels at Kabul Zoo in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)