More than 25 animals have reportedly died in Dushanbe Zoo this year alone.

Volunteer Yelena Bukhariyeva says one red fox, three camels, one antelope, one pony, two ostriches, two coons, two badgers, three foxes, two jackals, an albino porcupine, a large number of owls, a Bukhara deer, a crocodile, several rare birds, one pig, two squirrels and one nutria have died in the Dushanbe Zoo this year alone.

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According to her, the rare birds died from dehydration, while the nutria was flooded with white lime.

“Moreover, the terrarium burned down, and all animals that were there burned alive with it,” Bukhariyeva said.  

Yelena Bukhariyeva has voluntarily come to the Dushanbe Zoo for already ten years and cares for animals.

Meanwhile, the Dushanbe authorities are currently developing a plan of construction of a new zoo on the outskirts of the capital.  

In total, 985 animals of 135 species are reportedly now kept in the Dushanbe Zoo.  50 people now work for the Dushanbe Zoo, and only 32 of them are specialists.   

Founded in 1961, the zoo is located in the center of the city on the Luchob River bank (on Ismoili Somoni Avenue).  By 1974, with 1059 animals of 254 species, Dushanbe Zoo was regarded as one of the best zoos in the Soviet Union.  Until the breakdown of the Soviet Union and independence in 1991, the zoo was considered one of the best sightseeing attractions in Dushanbe.  The number of animals was great and diverse.  National independence in 1991, followed by a civil war lasting until 1997, posed a great threat to the zoo in terms of the loss of species and economic hardship.  Public financing was no longer available to the extent it was before.

Dushanbe Zoo has been member of the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 2007.