Zagreb City Council urged to stop public funding of lion breeding after death of lioness Tayri

Following the death of lioness Tayri, the animal‑rights group Prijatelji životinja submitted a formal request to the City of Zagreb demanding an end to breeding, acquisition and exchange of animals at the Zagreb Zoo. The group says the zoo’s operating costs are about 75 % covered by the city budget, with only a small portion funded by ticket sales, meaning all Zagreb residents subsidise a facility they may never visit.

Prijatelji životinja argues that captive breeding treats animals as interchangeable parts of a collection, does not contribute to wild‑population conservation, and that the funds could be redirected to genuine wildlife protection. They propose ending public subsidies for breeding programmes, having visitors pay full ticket prices, and transforming the zoo into a modern educational and scientific centre without captive animals. As they put it, “Građani ne žele plaćati kaveze i životinje koje u njima pate!”