ArmenPress
May 3 2004
YEREVAN ZOO OPENS TO VISITORS
YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: Yerevan Zoo opened its doors to
visitors on May 1 according to tradition. Yerevan deputy mayor Arman
Sahakian was present at the opening ceremony, saying that animals are
taken care of with the help of 70 million drams allocations from the
state budget, municipality funds and sponsors. Only Grand Candy
provides 200,000 drams monthly for feeding the elephant. The felines
are sponsored by Multi Group.
The head of the zoo, Sahak Abovian, said they will have some new
animals this year which will be brought from Kiev, Nikolaev and
Kaliningrad zoos. He also said that talks are held with Indian
government and it is expected that a new elephant will come in the
running year. Talking on problems of the zoo, S. Abovian said that it
is necessary to enlarge the open-air-cages of the felines which are
in a miserable state. “If other zoos are trying to create green
zones, this zoo is naturally in a green area. Funds are needed only
to renovate the area. There are 2300 animal of 190-200 species in the
zoo now. The zoo head said all of them are in proper hygienic
conditions.
The entrance is free for children up to 3, for children 3-12 it is
100 drams and for adults – 150 drams. There are no such low fees in
the zoos of other countries and the zoo is not going to rise them
soon, S. Abovian said. He also noted that about 120,000 people
visited the zoo last year bringing 10 million drams. Most of the
visitors, about 70 percent, visit it in May – June, according to zoo
head.