Officials promise rebuilt Tbilisi Zoo soon
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Monday, August 3
Officials of the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office promise that the Tbilisi Zoo (which was devastated through the unprecedented flooding in Tbilisi on June 13) will be restored soon and all expenses be covered through the budget.
The Mayor’s Office also state that the construction of a new Tbilisi Zoo, which based on official statements will be located near Tbilisi Sea, is ongoing. However, until the renovation works are completed in the current zoo area, the project will not be launched.
“We have to build a new Zoo in another place, but before that, according to the evaluator mission of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recommendations’ we first need to restore an old Zoo and only after we will start building of a new one. Constructing a new area will take a certain amount of time , thus we cannot give definite dates for when it will be able to host visitors,” stated Bidzina Giorgobiani, head of Tbilisi Mayor’s Office Ecology Department.
Meanwhile, the Tbilisi Zoo administration spoke about the necessity of urgent measures.
“Our animals need open air cages. Also, our hippopotamus, Begi, needs a closed cage, since he is very sensitive and cannot stay out in the cold,” stated Mzia Sharashenidze, Press Speaker at Tbilisi Zoo.
A couple of days ago the Black Sea Trade & Development Bank (BSTDB) donated 50,000 dollars to the Tbilisi flood relief fund to help Tbilisi Zoo and the affected residential area recover from the devastating flood on June 13.
The flash flood in Tbilisi resulted in the death of 19 individuals and 3 are still missing. Also, it caused approximately 100 million GEL damage.
Many foreign or local organizations, musical groups or certain individuals have donated to the Tbilisi Zoo and those affected through the disaster.
