Hundreds Of Animals In Danger At Crimean Zoo

After Russia's annexation of Crimea in March and the turmoil that ensued, dozens of zoo animals may be suffering for it. The animals at a Crimean zoo are in dire straits right now, in the wake of economic restrictions placed on Ukrainian bank accounts which may prevent the park's owners from feeding them.

Taigan park, 30 miles from the Crimean capital of Simferopol, owns 50 lions, a pride of tigers, giraffes, miniature zebras, parrots, Australian ostriches, bald eagles, Himalayan bears, monkeys and kangaroos, Reuters reports. But the owners fear the animals won't have enough to eat very soon.

"(The situation) is very serious because, like all other companies, we stored our money in a Ukrainian bank," the park's director Oleg Zubkov said. "There is only enough meat in the park for a few days. We will have to come up with something."

"It is impossible to explain to tigers that they have become victims of somebody's political ambitions or a revolution," he added.

Other zoos in the area have felt the pressure of the upheaval, too -- the animals at 0usted Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych's private zoo are being cared for by a team of volunteers, while Kharkiv Zoo in received an outpouring of support from the public to help feed its animals.