In Odesa, the zoo opened its doors after a one-month break. On the weekend of March 26 and 27, a record was set for the number of visitors.
The zoo closed on the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, February 24. For a month, employees were engaged in internal work.
On the opening day, visitors were greeted by the brass band of the Municipal Theater of Wind Music named after A. Salika. The musicians performed the national anthem of Ukraine and popular compositions.
"We opened the zoo to give people a charge of good mood, cheerfulness and positive emotions to support fighting spirit. I am sure that Odesa will not surrender. We will still win. And I believe that even during the war, it is necessary to create a positive mood in children," said the director of the Odesa Zoo, Ihor Belyakov.
On the first day, the number of visitors broke records.
"More than four thousand people visited on Saturday. We didn't work full time, only from 9 to 15:00. And so many people at once! On Sunday, even more, by lunch there are already over four thousand," Belyakov noted.
He added that the animals also missed the visitors: "All pets, from small to large, actively participated in the meeting of the guests."
