Zoo Relocation Planned, Yet Management Council Unaware: Reports

The relocation of the Yerevan Zoo to another area is a time-consuming, expensive, and inefficient project. This was stated by Karen Manvelyan, director of WWF Armenia and president of the zoo’s management council, in an interview with Sputnik Armenia.

It is noteworthy that during an extraordinary session of the Yerevan Council today, Deputy Mayor Tigran Avinyan announced that there is a plan to relocate the zoo to provide animals with better and more open conditions, considering areas adjacent to "Yerevan Park".

It has become clear that the zoo's management council was unaware of any project regarding the zoo's relocation, and there had been no discussions with the council. They learned about the initiative from our phone call.

“It is strange that this was not discussed with us. I do not know who advised the city hall officials, but it would have been good to discuss this issue directly with the council, its members, and experts. Because it is not just a matter of space; it also relates to the living conditions and care of the animals, which need to be studied more thoroughly. We need to roughly calculate how much these expenses will be,” said Manvelyan.

He also did not deny that the current conditions at the zoo do not allow for a more open environment for the animals due to the small size of the enclosures. They already have approaches to transformation in that direction and are trying to create conditions that are closer to the animals’ natural habitats.

However, the selected area is, in the council president's opinion, not the best option for relocation. There are issues with water, and the zoo needs to have its own water basins and resources. Most importantly, the selected area is flatland, which could pose discomfort for the animals.

In contrast, international experts and specialists have noted that the existing zoo has a landscape that is similar to the natural living conditions of the animals.

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