Lions and tigers evacuated to Poland

Six lions and six tigers from a shelter for abused animals near Kiev were able to be evacuated to Poland and arrived this Thursday evening in Poznan, announced the spokesperson for the zoological garden of this city in the west of the country.

The Ukrainian truck, which covered nearly 1,000 kilometers from Kiev to bypass the Zhitomir region, bombarded by Russian forces, to arrive at the Polish border, also transported two caracals and a wild dog, said Malgorzata Chodyla.

Fundraising launched

At one place, the truck, which left on Tuesday, had to stop and park all night, finding itself facing Russian tanks. The driver took refuge under his vehicle, while the owner of the refuge, Natalia Popova, joined the convoy to distribute the food to the beasts, because the members of the escort did not know how to do it, she said. . At the border, the animals were transferred to a Polish truck, while the Ukrainian driver immediately turned around, explaining that he had to join his children.

In the immediate future, the beasts will be housed and cared for by the Poznan Zoo. But contacts have been made with several Western organizations that would like to welcome the animals. The zoo, a municipal establishment, has also launched a fundraiser, as the city of Poznan does not have a budget for this kind of action.

Natalia Popova has returned to her shelter to take care of 70 wards – including former circus animals and animals who have suffered abuse – who are still there, while food supplies are dwindling. His Polish partner, Ewa Zgrabczynska, is a strong personality known for her actions in favor of circus animals and private zoos. Two years ago, she organized the rescue of nine tigers who escaped death when, destined for a zoo in Russia, they had remained stranded in an Italian truck on the Polish-Belarusian border.