Kyiv, Ukraine (NewsNation) — As thousands of civilians flee Ukraine, around 50 zookeepers and their families now live in a zoo in Kyiv to protect the animals from invading Russian troops.
Zoo keepers in Kyiv call themselves the “Zoo Military Commune” because they care for nearly 4,000 animals representing 200 species, according to Reuters.
This is especially difficult for larger animals as there are no underground spaces large enough to protect them.
The elephants are so stressed they need to be sedated, and these zookeepers sleep next to them to calm them down.
“These keepers are absolute heroes. You can tell by these actions alone that if any harm should happen to these animals, it will happen to the keepers first. They are like children. Keepers have dedicated their lives to caring for these animals,” zoologist Jarod Miller said in an exclusive interview Tuesday on “Banfield.”
Kyiv Zoo Facebook page posted several pictures Saturday which showed heroic zookeepers caring for the animals.
On Friday, 80 animals, including lions and tigers, were able to escape safely from Kyiv, and they are now safe in Poznań Zoo in Poland.
Poznań Zoo director Ewa Zgrabczyńska spoke with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield about how the rescued animals are now coping in their new habitat.
“It was an absolutely shocking situation because they are all very traumatized. Can you imagine the panic, the stress during the shelling? Animals have very sensitive senses, more sensitive than ours,” said Ewa Zgrabczyńska on “Banfield “.
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