Cry the beloved animals
Zululanders join an extraordinary animal rescue mission to save animals from starvation in Ukraine.
THROUGH the help of Zululanders and donors across the world, about 8 000 zoo animals in politically-torn Ukraine are being cared for and fed daily.
The legacy of late Zululand conservationist, Lawrence Anthony, lives on in the European country as an extraordinary animal rescue mission to save animals from starvation gains momentum.
Just as Lawrence embarked on a selfless animal rescue mission at the Baghdad Zoo at the onset of the Iraqi war, an entrepreneurial animal-loving, bush war veteran from South Africa, now Ukraine resident – Lionel de Lange is following suit.
Taking on the unique cause with the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation (LAEO), De Lange is helping zoos in dire straits as government funding for food has dried up, leaving animals to starve if aid is not provided.
This has been brought on by the economic and political strife in the region following Russia’s annexation of the Crimea.
LAEO Executive Director Yvette Taylor told the Zululand Observer on Tuesday that despite being an expensive operation, they were able to feed 60 lions, running out of food in Crimea.
LAEO’s first rescue target was Ukraine’s 114-year-old Nikolaev Zoo which has survived two world wars.
It currently houses 5 735 animals, including big cats, wolves, bears, bison, fox, monkeys, crocodiles, boas, deer, and a wide variety of birds and fish.
‘We are caring for 3 000 animals including a number of exotic species at the presidential palace of former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych.
‘We are also feeding animals in Crimea and Mezhgorye. But we cannot just feed animals in shockingly poor conditions.
‘In some zoos, we had to conduct improvements to cages. A bear in one of the zoos had been in a cage (6m x 4m) for 23 years. We needed to provide a more humane habitat for the bear,’ said Taylor.
After receiving several pleading calls from individuals about the plight of zoo animals, LAEO’s International President, Barbara Wiseman was contacted by de Lange.
She then appointed him as Director of a newly formed Ukrainian Chapter dedicated to the zoo crisis. Wiseman is due to meet with the South African Ambassador in Ukraine this week to strengthen relations and look at setting up more long-term solutions
For more information, check out www.LAEOUkraine.org
