Although several animals in the Feldman Ecopark survived incessant bombardment by Russian forces for more than five weeks, the facility was destroyed, putting predators at risk of leaving the city. He says the surviving animals can escape at any time and must be destroyed, although he hopes some teenage big cats can be saved and transported elsewhere. “The Feldman Ecopark no longer exists. “The enclosures have been destroyed, the entire infrastructure has been destroyed,” zoo owner Alexander Feldman said in a video posted on Facebook. He warned that the enclosures were severely damaged, which could lead to the entry of animals, including large cats, into the streets. Mr Feldman said it was a “miracle” that tigers and lions were still alive despite their cages being destroyed. “By tonight we will decide whether to put it all down or move it somewhere else … We may save jaguar babies, panther babies, but all adult animals will probably be euthanized,” he said. The zoo team was working in the Chutovo area to find a way to save the animals, the owner said. “If this is not done, the only option we have left is to put the predators to sleep. It is unimaginably painful to talk about it, but the main priority now is people’s lives,” the video caption read. Three crew members were reportedly killed and dozens more were injured while trying to feed the animals. Staff were able to visit chimpanzees and orangutans on March 4 for the first time since the start of the war. The monkeys reportedly fled the Kharkiv Zoo. Earlier on Tuesday, a man rescued the only family of Ukrainian tapirs and eight kangaroos from the Felman Ecopark, which was on fire due to Russian bombing. Meanwhile, more than a month after Russia’s unprovoked invasion, the United States and its allies are preparing to impose new sanctions on Moscow for killing civilians in Bucha. The Independent has a proud campaign history for the rights of the most vulnerable and we first launched our “Welcome Refugees” campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and start this report on In the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we call on the government to move faster and faster to secure aid. To learn more about our Refugee Campaign, click here. To sign the application click here. If you would like to donate, click here for our GoFundMe page.
