Care that gives a long and happy life
Modern zoos play a key role in the conservation and study of biodiversity but success of this mission is directly related to providing optimal conditions for the physiological and mental well-being of inhabitants. Therefore development and implementation of individual diets, selection of vitamins and minerals, provision of healthy exercise and environmental enrichment taking into account unique needs and physiological characteristics of each animal become primary tasks and require great dedication and a scientific approach.
Kyiv Zoo creates individual conditions for each animal. On the one hand it is an approach to natural conditions. And on the other hand – health support with the help of modern achievements of zoology, zootechnics and veterinary medicine. This is what helps our residents live long and quality lives. That is why our zoo has such a large number of long-lived animals in good physical condition.
As we wrote earlier our old reticulated giraffe Juto, who was soon to turn 21, was in special care. In the wild from the age of 17 irreversible age-related changes begin in these animals, which, in the absence of care and treatment, often prevent them from reaching their 20th birthday.
Taking into account the difficult heredity and natural aging of the animal, KyivZoo specialists developed a special diet for it provided chondroprotectors, vitamins and mineral supplements. And for constant exercise Juto was fed from six different points of the enclosure on three different levels. Such care and motor activity allowed the giraffe to maintain well-being until old age.
Unfortunately, biological processes cannot be stopped, all living things on our planet are born, grow, grow old and leave this world. And Juto left us yesterday – January 18. And although the last of each of our residents is always a great sadness, we are happy that he lived a long and comfortable life. A life surrounded by love and care, full of sunshine and the rustle of the greenery of a hundred-year-old park.
Currently, among the European programs for breeding and conservation of rare species of animals, there are programs to preserve, increase the number and draw attention to the protection of giraffes. As a result, it was possible to improve their security status.
Kyiv Zoo is a candidate for membership of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) so we work in constant contact with the best European specialists and our animals are entered in the single international electronic database Species360 (ZIMS). In December 2023, during negotiations with EAZA mentor we reached a preliminary agreement on the transfer of new animals from European zoos to Kyiv.
Nature conservation is one of the most important tasks of zoos. It is conducted in three main directions: keeping and breeding of rare animals, researching populations of rare species in the wild, and environmental education of the population. And in this sense the zoo’s methods and capabilities are unique, it bears the responsibility for the future coexistence of humans and wild nature. The introduction of new knowledge about the behavior and ecology of animals, modern technologies for designing exhibitions, undoubtedly increase the interest of visitors to the wild world. That is why another important mission of our zoo is educational work with the aim of bringing to public awareness the need to preserve the diversity of the animal world, without which human existence is impossible.
