• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Boss Of Ukraine's Oldest Zoo Reveals They Will Have To Euthanise Their Animals Due To Russian Attacks

Home> News

Published 23:53 5 Apr 2022 GMT+1

Boss Of Ukraine's Oldest Zoo Reveals They Will Have To Euthanise Their Animals Due To Russian Attacks

Zoo animals are facing a death sentence in Kharkiviv, as Russian attacks destroy enclosures and make it impossible to evacuate.

Rachel Lang

Rachel Lang

Animals at Ukraine's oldest zoo will be sadly euthanised after Russian missile attacks destroyed enclosures.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, has been badly hit by enemy forces as it sits just 64 kilometres from the Russian border.

The zoo is located on the northern fringe of the city, even closer to Russia.

Advert

MP and founder of the ecopark in Kharkviv, Oleksandr Feldman, said there is no way of rescuing them from the ruined zoo grounds.

As a result, the large animals will be put down as there is no way of rescuing them after damage to the zoo.

"There is no more Ecopark," Feldman said.

"After yesterday's shelling, I can say that the park has been almost completely destroyed.

Advert

"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."

He described the bear enclosure as being in a dreadful condition, with keepers forced to 'kill them, put them to sleep or move them'.

"The building where the bears live is in terrible condition. Today we will have to make a decision. We have until the evening to decide either to kill each one, put them to sleep, or to move them," Feldman said.

The lions survived but are now roaming free as their enclosure was destroyed.
Greg Vaughn / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

The zoo boss revealed they would aim to save some of the younger big cats, but all adult animals 'are likely to be put down' as they could not be rescued or re-homed.

The heartbreaking decision to destroy the animals comes one month after Kyiv zookeepers formed a modern day Noah's Ark to flee the invasion.

The animals came from a rescue shelter in the capital Kyiv and they have safely arrived in Poland following a harrowing six-day trek.

At one point during their journey the animal convoy was surrounded by a fleet of Russian tanks.

Staff at Poznan Zoo in Poland said they had 'lost hope' for the animals, but the convoy of creatures finally arrived after losing contact with the Ukrainian keepers.

Advert

Six lions, six tigers and two caracals were rescued.

If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.

Featured Image Credit: Plamen Nikolov / Alamy Stock Photo. Twitter/ Subodh Kumar.

Topics: Ukraine, Russia, News, Animals

Rachel Lang
Rachel Lang

Rachel Lang is a Digital Journalist at LADbible. During her career, she has interviewed Aussie PM Malcolm Turnbull in the lead up to the 2016 federal election, ran an editorial campaign on the war in Yemen, and reported on homelessness in the lead-up to Harry and Meghan’s wedding in Windsor. She also once wrote a yarn on the cheese and wine version of Fyre Festival.

X

@rlangjournalist

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    Terrifying GoPro footage shows moment great white shark 'nearly eats' diver

    It just swam into view while he was diving

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Scientists have absolutely no idea what 'impossible' radio signals coming from deep inside Antarctica are

    "We still don't actually have an explanation for what those anomalies are"

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Conspiracy theory sparked after China posts video of astronauts in space

    One small glass for man, one giant conspiracy theory for mankind

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Scientists left stunned after discovering man was living normal life with 90% of his brain missing

    I'm often accused of not having a brain, but this is next level

    News
  • Animals Evacuated From Ukraine To Polish Zoo Arrive After Being Surrounded By Russian Tanks
  • Reason why it is unlikely you will have sex today due to surprising problem
  • Captured Russian Soldiers Warn Vladimir Putin They Will 'Rise' Up Against Him
  • Nearly 20,000 People Have Answered Ukraine's Call To Join Their 'Foreign Legion' To Fight Russia