The Odesa Zoo sheltered more than 200 animals that were washed away by water from the Kherson region: the further fate of the rescued animals

The Odessa Zoo has provided shelter for over 200 animals from flooded areas in the Kherson region. In the facility, animals like frogs, pythons, snakes, turtles, raccoon dogs, and even a deer found their temporary home.

The director of the Odessa Zoo, Igor Bilyakov, spoke about the fate of these unusual evacuees. "The small animals are not in very good condition because they were in saline water for a long time. For example, such an environment is not suitable for frogs. The puppies were also in the water for a long time, so they had gastrointestinal problems. But they've been with us for the second day, and everything has normalized, and they've started eating well," said the zoo director.

The female deer, which was in the worst condition, remains at the facility and is undergoing treatment by military personnel. She was without drinking water for five days, so she is currently undergoing treatment to regain her strength, according to the zoo's administration.

Regarding the future of the rescued animals, the zoo's administration intends to release them back into the wild once they have fully recovered. "No one will stay with us, and if everything goes well, we will return them all to nature. Some will need to be returned to the Kherson region, while others can be released into the wild here. These are wild animals, and the whole point is to save them, release them into the wild, and let them be free," said the director of the Odessa Zoo.

However, there is a possibility that some of the animals, such as the raccoon dog puppies, may stay at the zoo. Igor Bilyakov explained, "Perhaps these raccoon dog puppies will stay. But not because we like them, but because they are very small, and they need to be fed. During the feeding process, if they become excessively accustomed to humans, it will be dangerous to release them into the wild. But we are trying to make sure they become as unaccustomed to humans as possible, retaining their natural instincts so they can live in the wild."

Currently, the zoo has enough space for the new animals, and the staff is ready to accept additional evacuated animals for rehabilitation.

Recall that on June 6, 2023, around 3:00 AM, Russian military forces blew up the dam of the Kakhovska Hydroelectric Station in Kherson. The Kakhovska Hydroelectric Station was completely destroyed and is not subject to restoration. Due to the catastrophe, several thousand animals could not be saved, and the populations of birds in the coastal wetlands were significantly affected.