Lions and tigers transferred to Yerevan Zoo placed under quarantine and veterinary supervision
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The animals transferred to Yerevan Zoo from the reception residence owned by Prosperous Armenia Party leader and businessman Gagik Tsarukyan are under continuous veterinary supervision and undergoing the necessary medical examinations.
Footage released by Yerevan Municipality shows that the zoo’s new residents are currently being kept in a quarantine area. After completing their adaptation period, they will be moved to outdoor enclosures.
According to Ashot Aslanyan, Yerevan Zoo’s Deputy Director for Science, the animals transferred to the zoo include three lions—two males and one female—as well as four white tigers.
“The female lion died during the transfer due to age-related conditions and underlying health problems. All the other animals handled the transfer well and are currently being kept in the zoo’s quarantine area, which is closed to visitors. The young male lion had a pre-existing leg injury that had only partially healed, while the female white tiger is missing several teeth as a result of age-related changes. The animals transferred to the zoo are feeding normally,” Aslanyan said.
Earlier, Prosperous Armenia Party spokesperson Iveta Tonoyan said the animals kept at Tsarukyan’s reception residence had been sedated and transferred to Yerevan Zoo during searches carried out there.
The zoo later confirmed that the female lion transferred from the property did not recover from sedation due to her advanced age and underlying medical conditions, as documented in the post-mortem examination report.