Russians take exotic animals from the reserve “Askania-Nova” to private collections

12 rare Chapman’s zebras have already been taken out of the reserve. Seven of them settled in a private zoo.

The Russians are taking animals from the territory of the Askania-Nova biosphere reserve to the territory of the aggressor country and the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula. The Deputy Chairman of the Kherson Regional Council Yuriy Sobolevskyi told “Espresso” about this.

According to him, the representative of the Russian Federation Oleg Zubkov came to the reserve “Askania-Nova” to control the export of animals to Crimea and the territory of the Russian Federation.

“Russians call it fund exchange,” Sobolevsky said.

According to the deputy of the regional council, Ukraine has no confirmation of the information that the Russians imported any animals to “Askania-Nova”. On the other hand, there are facts that the Russians are “looting” by taking the wards out of the reserve.

On Thursday, June 27, Russian propaganda media reported that 7 Chapman’s zebras were brought to Crimea from the Kherson region.

The legal director of the reserve, Viktor Shapoval, said that the Russians illegally took 12 Chapman’s zebras from “Ascania-Nova” in the Kherson region, and 7 of them have already been delivered to the annexed Crimea.

The legal director said that these are exotic animals and quite expensive. That is why they are of interest to the businessman, director of the Taigan Lion Park Oleg Zubkov, who is transporting them to his private collection.

We will remind, in April, 10 rare animals were taken out of “Askania-Nova”, including Przewalski’s horses, Chapman’s zebras, American bison, David’s deer, one of which died during the move. At the same time, male kanna antelopes, two-humped camels, male guanacos, female yaks and camori goats, Vietnamese pigs, pygmy rams, pelicans, and thrushes were brought to the Askanian zoo.