What Can Be Done to Improve Cage Housing for Zoo Animals?

EcoLur

The fate of animals at Yerevan Zoo confined in cages concerned the society. The fuss raised in the press around the death of certain black swans showed the problems at Yerevan Zoo are not new ones, but they have been accumulating for a long time and need urgent solution. A wild animal in captivity is nonsense.

What can they do on the concrete ground of several meters? It’s clear under these conditions animals will get ill an die not from poacher’s bullets and don’t become a hunter’s trophy, but die from obesity and stresses. The civilized world applied humane approaches and tries to keep wild animals in conditions near to natural.

What to start from?  We asked Yerevan Zoo Director Ruben Khachatryan, Mamikon Ghasabyan  - the Chairman of the Society for Birds Protection, PhD in Biological Sciences  and WWF Armenia Head Karen Manvelyan, PhD in Biological Sciences, to comment this situation.

“First of all, we need to determine in which way to develop the zoo,” Mamikon Ghasabyan thinks. Under him, the problem will be solved if to focus on the housing of those species which can be introduced into nature. “We deal with the issues of preserving predatory species of birds and collaborate with zoos. Zoos can become the base which helps to preserve or increase their population,” Ghasabyan said.

At the same time, he thinks one shouldn’t completely reject demonstrative, i.e.  exotic species, but their number should be consistent with the conditions, “The Zoo must attract visitors, otherwise no funds will be sufficient,” he thinks.

WWF Armenia Head Karen Manvelyan, PhD in Biological Sciences, thinks that Yerevan Zoo should become a biopark, and its main goal should be housing and reproduction of rare and disappearing animal species under the conditions maximally near to natural ones. He reminded that in 1994-2001 the Center for Biodiversity Preservation was functioning at the Institute of Botany of NAS RA where 10 biotypes were created characteristic for different natural landscapes of Armenia It had 350 plant species (130 – rare and disappearing) and 30 animal species – snakes, turtles, lizards and birds (18 – rare and disappearing). “Each species lived in the landscape which is natural. Even stones were brought from those landscapes where biotypes were reproduced. The atmosphere of such a park promoted both environmental upbringing and environmental education,” Manvelyan said.

According to the list submitted by Karen Manvelyan, animals registered in the Red Book of Armenia can presented in the zoo in three species of mammals – bezoar goat, Armenian moufflon and Persian leopard, 8 birs species and 11 reptile species. Manvelyan thinks some of these animals may be kept with other exotic species, if appropriate conditions are selected. When answering EcoLur’s question about the cost of such a program, Manvelyan said: “We assess it from 30 to 50 million USD taking into consideration that Yerevan Zoo uses only one fifth of its territory (under EcoLur, 7 ha out of 35), and the whole territory must be developed for better housing of  animals.”

Yerevan Zoo Director Ruben Khachatryan said he came to the zoo to make reforms. “There are certain problems that don’t need large investments. They can be solved due to good management and good approach to work. For example, we laid a sewage system from the open-air cage with hippos to ponds. This could have been done earlier,” Khachatryan said. Under the director, it’s banned to sell and purchase animals to private people, what about the issue what kind of species will be kept in the zoo, he thinks it’s necessary to focus on the species usual to given climate conditions and on endemic species.

One of the main questions is where funds needed for reforms can be obtained from and how much. Under Ruben Khachatryan, it’s early to assess the value of the project. “These conclusions can be made only after drawing up the master plan. Investments should be done gradually: to do the first program, to get money for it and then to go further.” Under him, they should get involved in fundraising and attract private donations, funds and state resources. The European Association of Zoos can play a certain role in this where Yerevan Zoo soon will be presented. Khachatryan said there are certain arrangements, for example, with German GIZ organization and German KfW bank.

For our part it should be mentioned that at the meeting of working group on ‘green economy’ in the Armenian branch of German GIZ, Barbara Zibert, Director at Fund for Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (Fund Chairman – Ruben Khachatryan) tabled a proposal to set up an environmental college approved by GIZ Director Detlef Barth. Ruben Khachatryan also spoke about the intention to set up a college and noted the zoo plans include establishing an environmental-education center and creating biotypes in the conditions close to natural.

July 07, 2011 at 12:24