Masha and Misha – the two bears from the Gyumri Zoo will be moved to Romania with the help of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. The bears had been at the Yerevan Zoo from January 22 for treatment and rehabilitation. The three lions are now at the Urtsadzor rehabilitation center.
President of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) Ruben Khachatryan says the condition of the lions is satisfactory.
The noise around the Gyumri Zoo has brought forward the issue of animal welfare in Armenia. A task force has been established to develop amendments to the government decision on the rules of the content of wild animals, and animals included in the Armenian Red Book in captivity and semi-free conditions, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection Khachik Hakobyan told reporters today.
“The legal regulations and the government support are important, but not enough for solving the issue,” said Elodie Jerome of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. According to her, such issues are nearly “unsolvable” without public support and active participation of the civil society.