Published: 4 August, 2007, 09:30
Edited: 4 August, 2007, 09:30
A safari park in the Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik is often the last chance for animals abused by people. The founders of the park rescue them from unscrupulous owners.
Set in the heart of the mountains is Gelendzhik's safari park. It is as close to the animals' natural habitat as possible. But something else makes it special – all the animals are rescued from abuse.
The collection includes lions, tigers, bears and wild pigs. All have been saved from nearby circus's, entertainment acts and photographers. Rather than performing, the animals now spend their days relaxing.
The park was the brainchild of animal lovers Boris Popiashvili and his wife Tatiana. They set it up three years ago, after working at a circus in Sochi.
“I saw two bears who had lived 14 years in a small cage – they were more than two metres high and it was very painful for me to see how they couldn't even stand up straight,” recalls Boris.
Unlike in other parks, the animals in this safari park aren't taken from their natural habitat – but from the captivity. And the parks' success speaks for itself, with the arrival of a second generation.
But while three-month lion cubs can enjoy the love and affection, their parents' background is tragically different. The dad of the tigers was rescued from a photographer in Sochi, where the constant camera flashes left him blind in one eye. He was also beaten and had lots of bite marks to his face.
Since coming to the safari park two years ago, he has had operations to mend his eye and is almost fully recovered
“I did the operation for free because no one else could help these animals. I also work with dolphins and other species but I only do cataract operations on tigers,” Vitaly Kushnirenko, a vet.
The animals in the park are lucky with creatures great and small getting around-the-clock care.
But just over 200 KM away it is a different story
Walking around Sochi it doesn't take long before you spot an example of so-called animal entertainment. Some of the animals are drugged so they are not aggressive, others have had their wings clipped so they can't fly away and people can pay to have their photo taken.
But a crackdown on this cruelty is underway, with police carrying out regular raids on traders. Police say the situation has improved but with Sochi now in the spotlight after winning the 2014 Winter Olympic bid, its time to get tough.
“We need to bring the situation up to world standards. And progress is visible: you won't see rare animals on the streets anymore. We have started several cases against bad animal treatment and we intend to make rules stricter,” says Aleksandr Erenburg, Head of Sochi's police.
At the moment it is illegal to use animals for entertainment if you don't have valid documents, including a passport and health certificate. But it is hard to prove if the papers are genuine without a specialist.
Last year, however, a landmark case added new emphasis to the police operation. This leopard was left with broken bones after months of neglect. The cub didn't survive the ordeal but the physical evidence meant the owner was sent to jail for two years. It was the first prison sentence given to a trader.
The usual penalty, though, is a fine and the confiscated animals are sent to recover often ending up back at the safari park. With 60 animals already and more now being born there's no plans to stop growing. Instead the owners are determined to provide a safe haven for as many animals as possible.