The main goal of Kyiv Zoological Park of National Importance is the preservation of the animal world. This is what its scientific, cultural and educational activities are aimed at. russian aggression brought countless troubles to both our people and our nature. Therefore, in wartime, in addition to the already existing areas, the work of our nature conservation institution was added to the rescue of hundreds of animals from the affected regions of Ukraine. These animals suffer from many physical and mental injuries associated with gunshot and mine-fragment wounds, burns from fires, stress, starvation, cruel treatment and inadequate conditions of detention. Usually, such patients require long-term treatment, rehabilitation and socialization.
The veterinary clinic operates on the basis of Kyiv Zoo, whose specialists take care of the proper health of the animals. Both those who permanently live in the zoo and those who are brought to us by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, police and Ministry of Emergency Situations employees, zoo volunteers and just caring citizens.
The first stage is a general diagnosis. It is necessary to identify the main physical and mental problems, to identify those of them that require urgent measures.
Immediately after this, the second stage begins – the treatment process, which includes surgical intervention. The animals are quarantined at the veterinary clinic, or, if there are no more places in the quarantine zone, they are transferred to zoological departments, where they are kept in separate rooms/aviaries. And then, in addition to the constant monitoring of the condition of the animals in the veterinary clinic, several daily visits are added to the patients who are in the departments of Birds, Predators, Ungulates, Primates and Aquaterrarium. So each zoo veterinarian covers kilometers of distance per day: by electric transport and on foot.
After treatment, the rehabilitation period begins, when each animal, under the supervision of specialists, finally restores all its functions and returns to its normal diet. After treatment and rehabilitation, if possible and in good health, the animals can be transferred to other zoos, left in the zoo collection of Kyiv Zoo or reintroduced into the natural environment.
For patients who remain in KyivZoo after rehabilitation, the next long and difficult stage begins – socialization. Each animal is an individual, so each animal has to individually determine the conditions of coexistence with other representatives of its species. Keeping in neighboring enclosures without visual contact is replaced by keeping with a dividing net, with subsequent meetings on a common territory and final unification into a common herd, pride, pack, family. There are also those who due to psycho-emotional trauma or improper previous maintenance prefer to live without roommates, in their own separate enclosure.
Another area of activity of our veterinary service is monitoring the condition of animals-assistants who participate in social and educational programs. Such animals communicate with wounded veterans in hospitals, children with mental and physical disabilities, young patients of oncology centers, and children’s hospitals. And here, in addition to constant anti-parasitic treatment and strict control of zoonoses, periodic diagnosis of the psycho-emotional state of animals-assistants is necessary, which occurs both visually and through measurements of cortisol levels.
The activities of Kyiv zoo veterinarians in wartime are 24/7 work for the well-being of four-legged, feathered and scaly patients, who in these times of difficult trials need help, care and love more than ever.
