Relocation of Animals from Askania-Nova Reserve
Part of the wildlife and staff from the Askania-Nova biosphere reserve, currently under occupation, will be relocated to the Borodynska community in the Odesa region.
Discussions are underway to allocate 70 hectares of land within the Borodynska community for research purposes, where specialists from Askania-Nova will work. Local residents are expected to be hired, creating additional job opportunities. This was reported by the publication “Bessarabia INFORM”.
Community head Ivan Kyusse stated that preliminary meetings have already taken place with the reserve director Viktor Shapoval.
“We agreed to find a suitable site where we can establish a unit to preserve unique animal species and ensure employment for researchers,” noted Ivan Kyusse.
On June 10, the Budzhak village council plans to adopt a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Borodynska community and the NGO “Rewilding Ukraine”.
On the same day, they will also consider the allocation of 70 hectares for the relocation.
Background
The Askania-Nova biosphere reserve named after Friedrich Falz-Fein is the oldest reserve in Ukraine, located in the Kherson region (temporarily occupied since February 24, 2022). It hosts the largest wild steppe in Europe.
The local zoo is home to animals from savannas, deserts, steppes, and mountainous regions, as well as rare steppe birds included in the Red Book of Ukraine.
