As a gift from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Korean people, Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov donated more than 70 animals from the Moscow Zoo to the Pyongyang Central Zoo. This was reported by the press service of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources on the Telegram channel.
“For the first time we gave Pyongyang mammals: a lioness, bears and yaks. Now they are all in quarantine; They will be moved to enclosures as soon as their acclimatization is complete. I am sure that the animals and birds will be well maintained. “They won’t get sick and they will get used to the new place very quickly.” – said Kozlov.
After the quarantine, an African lion, two brown bears, two domestic yaks, five white cockatoos, twenty-five pheasants of various species and forty mandarin ducks brought from Russia will live in the North Korean zoo. The animals were transported to the DPRK by plane and accompanied by veterinarians along the way.
In addition, a delegation from the Moscow Zoo is currently in Pyongyang. This is the second visit of specialists to the DPRK this year.
“The sending of animals to the capital of the DPRK was a continuation of the previously established vector for the development of bilateral cooperation between the Moscow Zoo and the Pyongyang Central Zoo. “With the support of the Moscow Government, we plan to expand interaction with our North Korean colleagues.” — noted the general director of the Moscow Zoo Svetlana Akulova.
The Pyongyang Central Zoo has been operating since 1959. It is home to both familiar Korean animal species and exotic species. For example, elephants, hippos and giraffes. The transfer of animals from Russia was made possible thanks to the entry of the Pyongyang Zoo into the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA).
Recall that in April this year, within the framework of the first visit to the DPRK, the Moscow and Pyongyang zoos signed a memorandum of understanding. It includes the exchange of information and experiences in the field of environmental protection, research and recreation. At the same time, more than forty animals were transferred to the North Korean zoo, including eagles, golden eagles, cranes, parrots, pythons and others. Animals from Russia are now safely displayed at the Pyongyang Zoo.
