A video has surfaced of a 46-year-old elephant named Ruperta in an emancipated state, her ribs clearly visible through loose and sagging skin. The elephant lives at the Curicuao Zoo in Caracas, Venezuela, which states that it cannot afford to feed her properly. Elephants need a diet that consists of vegetables, fruits, grass, and bamboo leaves and can eat up to 330 pounds of food per day.
Currently, Ruperta is only being fed pumpkins and papaya, which fail to cover her basic needs. In response, concerned members of the public and activists attempted to donate food to her, but were turned away due to fear of those with bad intentions and also as a caution against sanitary issues. But that’s not all – there are reports claiming that there is a general lack of food for all animals in the Curicuao Zoo, as well as little necessary cleaning supplies.
Take a look at this video
https://youtu.be/kKhvNNzEBSI
A mass of further uncomfirmed reports add that the zoo has lost at least 50 other animals due to starvation. There are also fears that some animals are being used as food. President Nicolas Maduro denies that this is the case, insisting that the elephant is not starving despite its weighing just slightly more than half of its healthy weight. He adds that this is a conspiracy theory created by the country’s enemies.
[h/t Pet Rescue Report]