BLAGOVESHCHENSK — Rescuers have airlifted to safety two brown bears from a flooded tourism resort in Russia's Far East, the regional emergencies department said Monday.
A helicopter has taken the two adult bears to high ground some 800 meters from the Zelyonaya resort near Blagoveshchensk, in the Amur Region, which has been hit by the worst floods in 120 years.
"We will hire a man who will take care of the bears and feed them. The bears will stay here until the water level falls," the Zelyonaya resort director Grigory Nikishin said, Amur.info reported.
Rescuers decided to evacuate the animals after the water level in the flood-ravaged area reached 1.5 meters (5 feet). The bears were given sedatives to calm them down before their cage was lifted into the air, the department's spokesperson said.
The bears had originally been moved to the Zelyonaya camp site from a local zoo that lacked funds to care properly for them. They had spent almost two weeks in a flooded cage at Zelyonaya before their evacuation.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
