Alexander Feldman, Kharkiv Zoo's boss, said that they are on the point of making a heartbreaking decision - to kill the zoo's lions, tigers, and bears after repeated shelling by the Rusian forces.
Although it is a miracle that none of them has escaped their damaged enclosures, Feldman said that one more shelling and the big predators might be free and go towards nearby villages.
An employee interacts with a Bengal tiger named Shere Khan through the glass wall of an enclosure at a private zoo "Twelve Months", which is temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, on the outskirts of the small village of Demydiv, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Kiev, on May 5, 2020.
Over 6,000 Animals in Ukraine Zoo Affected by Russian Shelling
The 22-hectare zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals, has been bombarded by the Russian forces for five weeks, destroying the animals' cages. Feldman recently broke the sad news of the possibility of putting large predators to sleep as rescue becomes unlikely.
"Animal cages have been destroyed, all the infrastructure has been destroyed, but tigers and lions have miraculously survived. Their cages have been badly damaged, and they can go outside at any moment," the Daily Mirror quoted Feldman. He added that there was no more Ecopark and the last shelling had almost completedly destroyed the zoo.
The enclosures of bears were in a dreadful condition and the zoo might be forced to either "kill them, put them to sleep or move them." The zoo added that there is nowhere they could bring some of the animals to safety even though they hope to save them. Since these animals can neither be rescued nor re-homed, it is more likely that they would have to put adult animals to sleep.
Furthermore, the zoo officials said they are considering equipping some of the animals with temporary shelter in Chulovo in Ukraine's Poltava region. A statement from the Feldman Ecopark website said that some of the lions nearly ended up outside their enclosure after the last round of Russian shelling.
Now, they are negotiating with a large number of people and organizations who can accept the animals in Ukraine and abroad, emphasizing that euthanasia is an extreme measure that they hope not to take.
Devastating Effects of War on Animals
Wars have a devastating effect not only on people but also on animals. As war ravages and destabilizes countries, both wildlife and captive animals can get in the cross-hairs.
Earth.com reported that the effects of wars on animals represent an urgent threat to many threatened species as wars are not often discussed in wildlife conservation. The impacts could be direct and indirect since some soldiers may exploit wild animals for bushmeat, or their parts will be sold.
It exacerbates local poverty and causes communities to turn into poaching and the bushmeat trade to survive the war. Also, many people who flee the country as refugees need to travel through wildlife habitats to avoid detection.
But perhaps the most vulnerable animals during the war are those in war zones and zoos who have no way to escape. Zoo animals may be left to fend for themselves and become victims of the war.
Nonetheless, whether animals are in captivity or the wild, wars have the power to adversely affect the welfare and conservation of animals. This often becomes one of the profound effects of war after the conflict has ceased, as people could remain impoverished and continue to rely on wildlife for income. Governments will also see animal conservation as the least priority to rebuild their country.
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