BAGHDAD, Oct 13, 2007 (AFP) - War-weary Baghdadis determined to forget daily violence and economic hardships on the Eid al-Fitr holiday flocked Saturday for a day of picnicking and recreation at the zoo, despite its dearth of animals.

With entrance free for Eid, long queues formed outside Al-Zawraa zoo in central Baghdad for much of the day as people waited to pass through gates strictly secured by police in a road patrolled by US and Iraqi troops.

COLOMBO, Oct 10, 2007 (AFP) - Sri Lanka Lanka's main zoo was briefly closed to the public Wednesday after a dispute between animal-keepers and administrators over pay and welfare descended into violence.

Police said several staff were injured in the fighting at the National Zoo in the Colombo suburb of Dehiwala, including a senior manager who was beaten so badly he needed to be taken to hospital.

SEOUL, Aug 27, 2007 (AFP) - After almost a decade of the good life, tubby animals in a South Korean zoo are to go on a diet.

Seoul Grand Park zoo, which had been feeding its charges according to 1998 guidelines, has decided to go back closer to nature, the JoongAng Daily reported Monday.

'Feeding the animals according to the 1998 guidelines made the animals overweight,' Park Seon-Deok, a member of the animal management team, was quoted as saying.