When two employees at the Feldman Ecopark Zoo in the Ukraine went missing in early March, there was hope that they would be found alive.
But zoo officials reported that the bodies of the two workers have been located. They were barricaded in a back room of the zoo and killed.
When the war began, the workers stayed at the zoo to help feed the animals, the zoo said in a statement posted on its website and on social media.
We searched for them for a long time, hooked up law enforcement officers. Until the last, we had been hoping that nothing irremediable had happened, and they were able to survive. But yesterday we received confirmation that their bodies had been found. Our guys were shot by the enemies, and their bodies had been barricaded in the back room.
Earlier this month, Feldman Ecopark said it might have to euthanize several of its animals after Russian shelling damaged enclosures at the zoo. On Wednesday, the zoo shared a positive update on their continued efforts to find temporary homes for the animals still residing at the zoo.
“The process of evacuating our animals continues successfully, despite all the difficulties,” Feldman Ecopark said in a translated statement. “Today we have taken out three gray wolves, which had been confiscated as contraband by the customs and given to us for temporary accommodation, as well as a cassowary and a group of five donkeys.”
“Taking out of the last animals — kind and peaceful as a rule — was difficult, but we managed, all the rescued animals are doing well and are already heading to their temporary homes. To be continued, all animals will definitely be saved,” the zoo added.
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The zoo said it will cherish the memory of the courageous workers who had stayed behind to help the animals.
Sincere condolences to their families and friends. We believe that inhumans who have committed this will definitely be punished!