Rescued from the war — condition of animals in the Odessa Zoo today

October 4 is World Animal Protection Day. It became especially relevant during the period of Russian full-scale invasion. After all, thousands of animals suffer from explosions, die from injuries and are forced to leave their places of residence. The Odesa Zoo became a kind of hub where pets and injured animals left during the evacuation were brought. In addition, the former residents of other zoos in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv were brought here.

The journalists of Novyny.LIVE found out how the rescued animals are feeling today and what the life of the Odessa Zoo is now.

What is the life in the zoo

Zoos find a new meaning in the modern world. Today it is not just an exhibition of exotic animal species, but a chance for some populations to be saved. According to the director, zoos have a nature conservation mission, because it is becoming more and more dangerous for animals in the wild. In particular, through human activity.

"We breed wild animals and can preserve their gene pool. Because many species are disappearing altogether from our planet, and it is thanks to zoos that they can be preserved. This is how Przewalski's horse and the giant panda were preserved. If there were no zoos, these animals would no longer exist in the world. And its role as Noah's ark, as the last chance for many animals, is constantly growing," says Ihor Bilyakov, director of the Odesa Zoo.

Moreover, zoos instill in children a love for animals and teach them the rules of behavior with them. Because "it is not enough to see them only in a smartphone".

"It is very important to come to the zoo and see the animal. Where else can you see a lion or an elephant? Only in zoos that provide them with a happy and comfortable existence," Bilyakov adds.

Today, the Odessa Zoo also helps in reviving the population of some species. Currently, there is a program for the revival of owls. A lot of effort is being made just to ensure that this species does not disappear completely. Here, not only knowledge is important, but also experience.

"We breed these chicks and then release them into the Dunai and Dnister deltas. Therefore, we restore the natural populations of the owl in Ukraine," the expert says.

How they helped animals in trouble

In the first days of the war, many people left Odessa because they did not know what the situation would be in the city. Because of this, thousands of animals ended up in the zoo. Not only cats and dogs were brought here, but also rarer species such as chinchillas or iguanas.

"We hosted various animals. About a thousand animals were taken in from people who left very quickly. We kept them and then returned half of these animals to their owners. When people started to return in the summer of 2022, they took them back. And the other half were placed with other families. It was such a difficult period, but we managed somehow," the director notes.

It is worth noting that they also rescued animals that suffered from the tragedy at the Kakhovska HPP. Ihor Bilyakov remembers how during the first days after the disaster, large floats made of garbage and reeds, on which there were a lot of small animals, were washed up on the Odesa coast.

  Lions evacuated from Kharkiv

The war made adjustments to the lives of people and animals. Kharkiv was one of the cities that suffered greatly from the first days of the war, where the Russians attacked a well-known eco-park with almost a hundred animals. Then a pair of white lions, which are still in the south, were evacuated to Odessa.

"We took them from Kharkiv in April 2022. They recovered very quickly in a few months, the animals were injured, and most importantly, they were scared. And only here they could feel peace," the zoo director says.

However, an important factor is that these lions were initially afraid of an air alarm, because "they know that after it there may be attacked." But this syndrome passed in a few months.

Animal rehabilitation center

An animal rehabilitation center has been operating in the Odessa Zoo for many years. People bring various species there that are in trouble. The director says that there were bats, hedgehogs, martens and even raccoon-like dogs. But the birds were brought in greater numbers.

"Several different birds were brought every day: crows, pigeons, and many predators, such as hawks and falcons. We treat, rehabilitate and release them. The main goal of this work is to provide help and then release. It happens that, for example, a bird is without wing, we had to amputate it. Then this bird stays with us. But we manage to cure the lion's share of these animals and then give them the opportunity to live in nature," Igor Bilyakov emphasizes.

How many animals are in the zoo

Today, the Odessa Zoo is home to many different animals, 248 species exactly. As its head says, these are only "guests", which number more than one and a half thousand specimen. Rescued animals have a separate doctor who is constantly changing. But despite the large number of people, there is enough food for everyone.

"Everyone, of course, needs to be fed. But they should be fed correctly. By the way, each species, even each animal, has its own diet. And we have had no problems with food for many years, there were no problems even with the beginning of the war. In the first year, there was even more food than needed, because we had a lot of humanitarian aid," Mr. Bilyakov emphasizes.

At the same time, he adds that the visitors themselves contribute to the food problems when they "feel sorry for" the animal and want to give something tasty. However, it is absolutely impossible to do this, and people are constantly reminded of this. Because nutrition is handled by special people who know what this or that animal needs right now.

"It's such a tradition, a very ancient tradition, it's very harmful to come to the zoo and feed animals. It harms health and affects psychology. An animal that is constantly fed turns into a beggar who constantly asks for treats," the animal specialist adds.

Picky pets

It's no secret that the zoo also has animals that are used to different climatic conditions. And you need to adapt to each one, because, as the director of the zoo says, it is a matter of survival for them. He adds that the most difficult situation belongs to the birds of prey.

"They don't like neighbors at all, so ornithologists work with them separately. Besides, they always need to be warm, just like monkeys. But most of our animals are very cold-resistant, we don't warm them at all. Everyone needs to have a roof over their heads so that they are protected from rain, snow, and wind," Bilyakov notes.

The future of the zoo

Odessa Zoo is one of the largest in Ukraine, its area is 6.5 hectares. So the director says there are no plans to expand. One of the main problems is still the lack of money, which makes it impossible to carry out a complete reconstruction of the menagerie.

"We have already started the reconstruction and have done something. But we need a lot of money to complete it. The war started, everything stopped, of course, because it is not prime necessity. So we will continue all the projects after the victory. We need a bulldozer to carry on. And when we finish everything planned, the zoo will be very comfortable for visitors. It will be the most beautiful in Ukraine," Ihor Bilyakov concludes.

It is difficult to imagine how many animals have suffered from the consequences of hostilities and human activities. But it is known for certain that this world is not doomed as long as there are those who help our smaller brothers who can live their happy and long lives in warmth and love.