Egypt’s historic Giza Zoo will close its doors for a year to undergo improvements, according to an official announcement. Situations such as elephants locked up in tight spaces and monkeys provoked by children have attracted negative attention lately. The zoo has also lost its license from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Waza) for a very long time. Some supporters of animal rights, however, are concerned. They criticize the zoo’s plans for not being transparent and for having little regard for the welfare of the animals housed there, some of which are endangered species. Ismail Pasha, the former ruler of Egypt, began construction on the Giza Zoo in 1891. He once said that he wanted Egypt to be a part of both Africa and Europe. It included rare flowers and animals, as well as priceless architectural features like a scaled-down suspension bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel ten years before the building of his famous Eiffel Tower.