The Forestry Commission has shut the Accra Zoo following the death of a middle-aged intruder.
According to the police, the victim, who is yet to be identified, was found dead in the zoo’s lion enclosure on Sunday, 28 August 2022.
The closure is to enable police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the man.
“A staff of the Accra Zoo was going round yesterday and noticed a lifeless body in the lion’s cage. He quickly drew closer to assess the situation. They quickly called in the Achimota police, after which the body was conveyed to the mortuary.
“After a closer look, we realized that the deceased intruded. He did not use the right means to enter the zoo. The zoo is situated in the Achimota Forest. Whenever we get tourists, we assign tour guides to them. The cages of the lions are a bit far away from where the rest of the animals are. The idea is to give the lions something close to their natural habitat.
“The place has been properly secured. It has an outer and inner lock. The inner wall is 20 ft high. It is evident that the man tampered with the cage. We all suspect that he went in through there.” Head of Corporate Affairs and Media Relations at the Forestry Commission, Joyce Ofori Kwafo, told Citi FM.
The Forestry Commission, on Sunday, 28 August 2022, announced the death of the middle-aged man at the zoo after he reportedly scaled the fence and entered the lions’ cage.
In a statement issued by the Forestry Commission, authorities disclosed that the intruder was attacked and injured within the inner fencing of the enclosure’.
The lion, lioness, and their two cubs are said to be fine.
