Following Kivú's death, many people turned to FUNDAZOO’s facebook profile blaming the organization for keeping the lion in his metal cage during most of his life.
Environment Minister Édgar Gutiérrez confirmed that the government has received three requests from organizations willing to provide Kivú with a new home and finally get him out of his cage for good.
Officials of the Fundación Pro Zoológicos, the administrator of the Simón Bolívar Zoo, announced that they will launch a fundraiser to build a new space for Kivú the lion at his current home in downtown San José.
A report from a recent inspection ordered the lion to be moved to a new, bigger space that should resemble an African Savannah with trees, plants, a pond and trails.
In the spirit of setting the record straight, we at The Tico Times are starting a new occasional column called “For the record.” In this first column, we take apart the false news recently reported in online and international media that Costa Rica is closing its zoos.
Two weeks ago, before leaving on a trip to the country's distant Isla del Coco, Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla stood before the press at the Caldera Coast Guard base in the country's central Pacific and discussed her legacy in marine conservation.
