A bear that was rescued from the war in Ukraine and rehomed in a Scottish zoo has died following an anaesthetic procedure.
Staff at Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder, West Lothian, are said to be “utterly devastated” over the death of Yampil at the weekend.
The 12-year-old Asiatic black bear arrived at the visitor attraction in January after being rescued from the village of Yampil in Donetsk.
Ukrainian soldiers had discovered an abandoned zoo in the village when they arrived there in July 2022, five months after the Russian invasion.
Out of nearly 200 animals at the zoo, Yampil was one of only a few that had survived and was taken to recover at a rescue centre in Belgium before eventually being rehomed in Scotland.
Romain Pizzi, a specialist vet at Five Sisters Zoo, said Yampil had been “comfortable and happy”, but that animals rescued in such “traumatic circumstances” could have “complicated health problems such as dental problems or PTSD”.
He said: “Yampil was anaesthetised for further treatment for his health problems, which were worrying the team.
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“Sadly, anaesthetising animals always carries risks, and Yampil did not recover from the procedure.”
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Mr Pizzi said staff were “utterly devastated” and “deeply affected by the loss of our beloved Yampil”.
He added: “We appreciate this will be a truly sad day for all the incredible people who helped make his rescue possible.
“While the zoo will remain open as usual, we kindly request respect and privacy for our owners and staff during this difficult time.”
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The village of Yampil was freed after five months of Russian occupation in 2022 as part of a Ukrainian blitz to reclaim territories in the east of the country.
A Sky News team witnessed a “clean-up” task force in the village moving from home to home searching for traps and mines that may have been laid.
The long-range artillery barrage from both sides meant residents endured a bombardment many feared they would not survive.
“It was terrible, terrible,” one elderly woman said at the time, with tears in her eyes. “We were scared then and we are still scared now.”
