An urgent rescue mission is underway to save dozens of lions, tigers, bears and other zoo animals from Russian shelling in Ukraine.
Without rescuing the animals, Zookeepers were about to be left with the agonising decision to put down most of the terrified animals which have been under fire since the end of February.
During the attacks on Kharkiv, a number of animals were tragically killed, with some having managed to escape when their cages were damaged during the horrendous attacks.
However, after the constant Russian attacks, owner of Feldman Ecopark, Alexander Feldman, and his staff managed to stage a last minute escape bid, with the plan now to move them to Odessa where they will hopefully be safer.
The zoo, along with volunteers, have worked tirelessly to put the animals in transport cages for the 500-mile journey through the war-raved country, the once-thriving zoo came under fire from Vladimir Putin ’s forces, according to the keepers.
After successfully moving the animals away from danger, Mr Feldman hailed “another successful day for our team”.
He said: “Today we managed to take five big lions out of Ecopark. We took two more small felines out, a jaguar and a lion cub, along with birds, a silver fox, and Arctic foxes.”
“By the end [of the day] some serious shooting began, and we had to leave.”
However, he hit back at online posts alleging that some of the hundreds of animals would be left behind to die.
He added: “Don't believe cruel information about animals being abandoned or not needed.
“No animal will be left behind, whether a piglet, tiger or bear.”
Desperate staff feared over a week over they would have to put down their lions, tigers and bears.
Their cages were holed by weeks of shelling in the hellish war zone and there was a real danger they would escape and could then attack people.
With their evacuation plan, Feldman has helped move dozens of animals in danger to a much safer place.
Mr Feldman has praised the kind-spirited Ukrainians and foreigners who helped to make the evacuation possible through financial donations.
He said: “Over the past week, almost 4,000 people have provided assistance for the evacuation, treatment and food supply of Feldman Ecopark animals.
“This is almost as many as the entire number of people who have supported us in a previous period since the beginning of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
“Donations come from all regions of Ukraine, as well as from a number of other countries.”
