ukraine animal

Feldman Ecopark, a zoo in Kharviv, Ukraine, said it might have to euthanize several of its animals due to damage to the park caused by Russia's attacks on Ukraine.

According to CBS News, Russian shelling in Kharviv — which occurred as Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its second month — destroyed enclosures at the zoo.

Feldman Ecopark is working to move the animals still living at the zoo to safe locations but said it is planning to euthanize the remaining animals if new homes and transport for the animals aren't found, the news outlet added.

On April 5, the zoo's founder, Alexander Feldman, shared a statement on the current state of the zoo in which he acknowledged Feldman Ecopark "doesn't exist anymore," because of the damaged it has sustained. Feldman added in the statement that several large predators "miraculously" survived the shellings but will be put to sleep without transport and temporary housing. According to Feldman's statement, the zoo is considering this "unimaginably painful" decision because there is concern that the animals will escape into Kharviv if the enclosures take more damage.

In a separate April 5 statement, the zoo shared that moving large predators like the tigers, lions, and bears left at the zoo is difficult because a "special transport" is needed, which requires "the participation of a fairly large number of people." The zoo added in the same statement that "a large number of people and organizations" had reached out, which offered hope for the animals.

By April 6, the zoo had several positive updates to share. "The difficult situation we have, which seemed almost hopeless, has caused an incredible response in Ukraine and abroad!" read one of the April 6 updates.

"Transport is already coming to us, the necessary cages are coming, people are coming who are not afraid to take animals out of the shelled zone, our pets are ready to receive in many places," the statement added.