IN OPINION OF EXPERT IAN REDMOND, CONDITIONS IN YEREVAN ZOO ARE NOT SATISFACATORY FOR KEEPING ELEPHANTS
Noyan Tapan
Jan 17 2007
YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The Yerevan zoo does not meet the
requirements for a 21st century zoo, and its conditions do not allow
to keep yet another elephant there. Biologist Ian Redmond, advisor
of UN environmental programs, who has come to Armenia as an expert
to assess the possibilities of the Yerevan zoo, stated this at the
January 16 press conference. Accoridng to him, even after repairs of
the zoo, the conditions will be satisfactory only for two elephants –
Grandy and Masha that currently live there. In the expert’s opinion,
the climatic conditions of Armenia are not suitable for elephants.
The zoo director Arshak Abovian said that an elephant will be
brought to Armenia from Sri Lanka in the spring under a program on
interstate cooperation. In his words, the repair work will start
at this time, for which about 3 million dollars has been allocated
from the state budget. A special building for elephants will be
constructed. S. Abovian said that the conditions to be created will
be good for keeping another elephant.