More than one
month ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a
violent invasion of Ukraine, an innocent neighboring
country. And it's not only people who are paying
the price, but helpless zoo animals, too.
In total,
more than 10,000 animals are in danger
at zoos and reserves in Ukraine right now. These include
rare and endangered species like polar
bears, tigers, wolves, black leopards, and
giraffes. Staff at multiple
nature reserves and zoos in the country, especially in
the cities of Mariupol, Odessa, and Kyiv, are terrified
their animals will die — and indeed, some have
already begun to perish.
Despite
everything, staff and volunteers have been
fighting to provide for these captive zoo
creatures. But these heroic efforts can only
achieve so much in the midst of a war. Receiving
shipments of the food they require is nearly impossible
right now. Additionally, many utilities have been bombed
out of commission, thrusting zoos into darkness and
cold. That's not to mention the stress and fear the
creatures endure when hearing explosions going off all
around them. At the Park XII Months Zoo
near Kyiv, officials say a number of animals there have
already died due to cold and hunger. There
is only one person responsible for whether or not these
helpless, captive animals live or die: Putin. He must
end this brutal, senseless bombardment — and if he will
not do it, his advisors must. Sign the petition
to save animals! Demand that Putin and his military
advisors end this campaign of terror in
Ukraine!
