When Russia launched an aggressive and unlawful invasion of Ukraine, the apparent worry and focus was on evacuating individuals living in the targeted areas. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and loved ones as the invasion continues, with an estimated 46,000 people killed and 14 million displaced.
Captive animals in rescues and zoological parks were not fully regarded till recently. Large carnivorous predators, such as lions, tigers, and bears, in particular (oh my).
According to CBS News, Russian shelling in Kharkov demolished cages at Feldman Eco park, a zoo in Kharkov, Ukraine, as the invasion of Ukraine reached its second month. The zookeepers and owners were forced to ponder the unthinkable: euthanasia.
While Feldman Eco park has been working feverishly between shillings to relocate the surviving animals at the zoo to safe locales, they have announced that if new homes and transportation for the animals are not found, they will be euthanized.
Due to the devastation caused by the Russian attacks, Alexander Feldman, the creator of Eco park, sent a message on the Eco park website with an update on the current situation of the zoo, in which he regrettably admitted that Feldman Eco park "doesn't exist anymore." Feldman also stated in the statement that some huge predators "miraculously" escaped the shillings, but that they would have to be put to sleep if transportation and temporary shelter could not be found.
Feldman claims that the zoo was pondering a "unimaginably painful" move because it was worried that the animals would flee into Kharkov if the fences were damaged any more. Those who live in Kharkiv and the neighboring villages already have enough to cope with without the addition of huge predators that are "frightened."
Thankfully, the narrative does not finish here. Continue scrolling to learn more and watch photos and videos from Eco park as their efforts progress.
Before the Russian invasion, lionesses at Eco park
While there are plenty of institutions that could receive these animals, the practicalities of moving them out of Kharkov were the difficulty. "Such an operation necessitates the presence of special transportation and the participation of a very big number of personnel," Feldman said.
Feldman warned individuals outside the park that by assembling in large numbers, they risk attracting the notice of Russian military, who "usually responds to action on the Eco park's grounds with firing."
One of the six tigers who call Eco park home.
Feldman's bleak report sparked a worldwide response, giving hope to a situation that had previously seemed hopeless.
"A significant number of Kharkov, Kiev, Odessa, Dnipro people, representatives of many other towns and countries offered their support - it is just impossible to mention them all," Feldman Eco park wrote in one of his numerous Facebook updates.
This beautiful lion waits for a truck to transport him to a safer location.
Despite the severe conditions, all of the animals at Eco park are being evacuated. Since Feldman mentioned the prospect of euthanizing their predators, more than 80 animals had been securely transferred.
How can we save animal from War
Here some past example
8 Ways Animals Have Helped The War Effort
Animals have long accompanied humans into war as means of transportation and communication, as well as protectors and companions. They've done everything in Afghanistan, from moving soldiers and ammo to evacuating the wounded, from guard and sentry duties to search and rescue missions, from detecting gas in trenches to identifying improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Animals have participated in the military effort in a number of ways from the First World War to the present.
1 Cavalry and infantry mounted on horses
Both sides possessed considerable cavalry forces when the First World War broke out in 1914. Horse and camel-mounted forces were deployed throughout the war, notably in the desert wars, but as the combat became stagnant and trench warfare took dominance on the Western Front, cavalry attacks became increasingly impossible. As battle became more mechanized during the twentieth century, the role of cavalry continued to evolve.
2 Mascots and pets
Animals are employed for more than just employment. Animals such as dogs, cats, pigs, and goats, as well as more odd animals such as monkeys, bears, and lions, were maintained as pets and mascots to boost morale and give comfort throughout the war. Mascots were considered to bring good luck to troops, hence superstition played a role.
3 Pest management
Infestations of disease-spreading vermin, notably rats drawn to food, garbage, and dead bodies, might occur in the trenches. Cats and dogs were occasionally trained to hunt these pests and aid with trench cleanliness. The Middlesex Regiment's pet dog, photographed in a trench on the Western Front during the First World War with its haul of rats. Cats have long been maintained on board Royal Navy and trade ships to fight pests and safeguard food stockpiles from rodents.
4 detection of gas
This shot was taken on 31 January 1918 at Loos, France, and shows rescue equipment used by the 3rd Australian Tunneling Company during World War I. The cages in the front were used to transport mice or canaries that were used to detect toxic gas.
5 Detection of mines
Throughout the twentieth century, the military has used dogs' exceptional sense of smell to identify mines and hidden IEDs (improvised explosive devices). A military working dog completes a practice in the Camp Bastion EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and Search Task Force, 33 Engineering Regiment training area in this image shot in August 2012. Camp Bastion was the main British garrison in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.
6 Scouts and guard dogs
Dogs are well-suited for detecting work because of their acute hearing and keen sense of smell. Guard dogs are used to keep an eye on militarily significant places such as trains, bridges, defense facilities, and ammunition stockpiles, and to alert authorities if trespassers are present. Scouting dogs may also notify their masters to the presence of enemy forces, but they must do it quietly so as not to reveal the patrol's location.
7 Communication
Pigeons and dogs were trained to convey messages because they could cross battlefields more swiftly and readily than people. When technology failed or other sources of communication were shut off, this duty became even more critical. Because carrier pigeons were so important during WWI, anybody caught 'killing, injuring, or abusing' one may be imprisoned or fined. Fight dogs went to a special training school to get habituated to the sights and sounds of conflict, which helped them keep focused on their objectives even when they were in the middle of a war.
8 Find out and save
With their excellent sense of smell, dogs might track out troops and people who are in difficulty or need aid. During WWI, search and rescue dogs would trek into no man's land in order to discover wounded soldiers. They could lead stretcher parties to wounded troops stuck in no man's land and provide water and medical supplies to personnel who were out of reach of ambulances. During WWII, dogs were also used for search and rescue on the home front, helping to discover persons buried beneath wreckage after German air strikes. Rip, a stray dog rescued by the ARP (Air Raid Precautions) in Poplar, East London, was instrumental in locating casualties following German air strikes during WWII.
