Animals face starvation in Yanukovich's zoo
- 10 years ago
Exotic animals abandoned by former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich face starvation.
He fled the country -- leaving more than 2,000 animals behind on his nearly 350-acre sprawling estate.
Now, volunteers, including the former curator of the Kiev zoo, are desperate to feed them.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SERHEY GRYHORYEV, FORMER CURATOR OF KIEV ZOO, NOW ONE OF THE HEADS OF STAFF AT YANUKOVICH FACILITY, SAYING:
"The situation's still critical. We can't rely on gifts. We need to provide a stable guarantee of the animals' food supply. We need combined feed. We've temporarily resolved the problem with hay and now we need combined food for all kinds of animals"
In early April, a team from the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization, an international group that rescues zoo animals in conflict zones, arrived on the scene.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LIONEL DE LANGE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE ANTHONY EARTH ORGANIZATION (LAEO), SAYING:
"We need to get funds, we ne
He fled the country -- leaving more than 2,000 animals behind on his nearly 350-acre sprawling estate.
Now, volunteers, including the former curator of the Kiev zoo, are desperate to feed them.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SERHEY GRYHORYEV, FORMER CURATOR OF KIEV ZOO, NOW ONE OF THE HEADS OF STAFF AT YANUKOVICH FACILITY, SAYING:
"The situation's still critical. We can't rely on gifts. We need to provide a stable guarantee of the animals' food supply. We need combined feed. We've temporarily resolved the problem with hay and now we need combined food for all kinds of animals"
In early April, a team from the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization, an international group that rescues zoo animals in conflict zones, arrived on the scene.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LIONEL DE LANGE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE ANTHONY EARTH ORGANIZATION (LAEO), SAYING:
"We need to get funds, we ne