Outrage as zebra filmed eating own faeces 'due to lack of food' at zoo

A zoo has been blasted after video emerged of a zebra appearing to eat its own faeces in the enclousre.

The disturbing scenes were reportedly recorded at the San Juan de Aragon zoo, in the city of Mexico City, the Mexican capital and were shared by the organisation Peludos Al Aire En Sintonia Por Los Que No Tienen Voz.

Footage shared on social media shows the zebra, known as Karo by local reports, being locked in a small room and eating what it appears to be its own excrements.

The animal rights group claimed animals in the zoo are suffering from a lack of food.

The zebra was locked up in a room eating its own faeces (CEN/@peludosalairelaguna)

They posted on Twitter : "There is not much time, they are dying of starvation, what part don't you understand?

"It is important to get rid of incompetent workers and for the animals to be attended."

The activists claimed the zebra in the video is suffering from a skin condition.

They added that a wildebeest died in the zoo last week.

No keepers were seen attending the enclosure to feed the zebra (CEN/@peludosalaire)

Claudia Sheinbaum, mayor for Mexico City, reportedly admitted that the last time the government had invested in the zoo was during the first half of the 2000-2006 administration.

She claimed there are specialists working in the zoo in order to avoid the animals being abused and to check up on their living conditions.

She mentioned that there will be an investment in the zoo next year after the local government announced a cut in the funding for zoos earlier this year.

The animal was found to have injuries around its neck (CEN/@peludosalaire)

San Juan de Aragon zoo is said to have suffered several budget cuts this year under the local government's austerity programme.

The zoo has not released any statement regarding the zebra's conditions.

But a Twitter account known as ' Mexico City Zoos ' posted an update of a rescue elephant in the San Juan de Aragon zoo.

The post read: "Since their rescue, day-by-day caregivers are in charge of a routine check-up for operant conditioning by protected contact to provide timely monitoring of their state of health and well-being."

The San Juan de Aragon zoo joined the General Directorate of Zoo and Wildlife in 1999 which is run by the Ministry of Social Development of the Government of Mexico City.