No rescue service employee injured during transfer of crocodiles from Tsarukyan residence; zoo worker sustains minor injury

Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has denied reports that a Rescue Service employee was injured during the transfer of crocodiles from the residence of businessman and Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan to Yerevan Zoo.

Earlier, media outlets and social media users claimed that one of the crocodiles had severely injured the leg of a Rescue Service employee during the operation.

The ministry said no Rescue Service personnel were injured during the transfer. 

Yerevan Municipality told Armenpress that one of the crocodiles moved during the transfer and grazed the eyebrow of a Yerevan Zoo employee.

The employee was taken to hospital, where doctors treated a minor scratch before discharging him. 

“Claims that the employee was mauled, bitten or attacked do not correspond to reality,” the municipality said. 

Kima Avdalyan, spokesperson for Armenia’s Investigative Committee, told Armenpress that the agency had seized nine crocodiles kept at Tsarukyan’s residence and placed them in the custody of Yerevan Zoo. 

Earlier, the Investigative Committee had also seized three lions and four tigers from the property and transferred them to the zoo. One of the lions later died after failing to recover from sedation.