Director of the Gyumri “zoo,” Styopa Vardanyan, is happy that the last remaining “residents” of this zoo, the two lions and the two bears, will soon be in a more comfortable place, but he feels sad that he will part with them.

Vardanyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that, aside from these four animals and a 7-year-old lion, there had been other animals in this “zoo,” which was established in 2010.

In the director’s words, keeping these animals became more difficult with time, as their numbers decreased so did the number of visitors to this “zoo,” generous contributors began to no longer sponsor it, and therefore keeping these animals became impossible.

Styopa Vardanyan informed, however, that he made arrangements with a Romanian zoo, and as a result, the two lions will be transferred there. 

In addition, the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia granted permission to send the two bears likewise to Romania.

At present, people from Armenia and abroad are donating money to this end.