The director of the Askania-Nova Nature Reserve denied information about the removal of animals from the territory of Kherson by the invaders.
The threat of exporting animals from the Askania-Nova nature reserve, located in the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, is quite real. However, such actions have not been observed. This was said by the director of the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve named Falz-Fein NAAN, Viktor Shapoval, on Facebook on November 7.
“Official comment on the widespread information about the export of animals from the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve named after Falz-Fein by the work administration. First of all, the information is false!” – he wrote.
At the same time, Shapoval noted that the fact of signing a “cooperation agreement” with the owner of the Krasnodar Safari Park, Mario Aburmaileh, is taking place. According to the head of the reserve, this is not the first agreement between zoos, environmental institutions and associations of Russia and the temporarily occupied Crimea, which provides for the “exchange of animals.”
So, in August 2023, the work administration also entered into agreements with Rostov Nature Reserve, Wildlife of the Steppe Association and Rostov-on-Don Zoo.
Also in October, self-proclaimed director Meshcheryakov signed an agreement with the Yalta Zoo. This includes the exchange of rare species such as Przewalski’s horse, saiga antelope and Turkmen kulan. This is a violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
At the same time, Shapoval said that “the actual movement of animals from Askania-Nova has not yet occurred.”
“As a result, the situation with the signed agreements is nothing more than a cynical attempt to legitimize the next “exchange” of stolen animals by concluding an official document. But this does not change the essence of the problem and the status of the animals – they remain stolen. And does not change the criminal status of the signatories. However, based on the facts, it is necessary to prepare with a cold mind for the losses and the need for the subsequent restoration of infrastructure and collections,” said the director.
According to him, the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, the National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and law enforcement agencies were informed about this situation. .
In addition, proposals were made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the mandate of the UNESCO monitoring mission for access and control of occupied environmental areas.
We remind you that on November 6, the Center for National Resistance published information about the removal of animals from Askania-Novaya to the Krasnodar Safari Park. They noted that this is happening within the framework of the so-called “cooperation agreement” with the occupation administration.
Source: korrespondent
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