Saturday, June 12, 2010

Imprisoned in Siberia

So there is a zoo here.  I've been to it, once, about 20 years ago.  I have only horrible memories of that visit, animals in filth behind bars, smelly, lonely, cold.  For some reason I thought that things might have changed in 20 years.  Not so much.  They only got worse...


These two statues are really the best part about the zoo, and even the lions seem to be apprehensive about what lies ahead.


It's rather impossible to photograph through bars and steel cages.







I think the bears had it the worst - tiny cages in the sun, no respite from the heat save for a stream of water, shot at the poor animals by some zoo workers



He is only 4.  He doesn't have a name, like the tigers in the Bronx.  He is alone in a cage.  He is simply beautiful.  Last year, the zoo called for a drive of 800,000 roubles to buy him a bride.  Obviously, the drive was in vain.  Mind you, the zoo is a municipal institution.




The lynx did not want to be bothered.

1 comment:

LK said...

This is tragic. These animals need a drink.