Zoo animals trapped in cages by flooding in Ussuriysk

Animals are trapped in their cages - 'crying for help' - unable to flee the rising floodwater, say workers at  Sapsan Zoo on Zelyonyi Island. Anastassia Kaydalova, a zoo employee, said: 'One of our bears drowned. The youngest of our bears, the female one.

'Deer have been moved, half of the wolves have been moved, goats drowned. Two of our boars are also alive, none of them died.' Animals were 'crying and begging for help', she said. 

Vladimir Vaganov, director of the zoo, said: 'It is currently impossible to move them. First of all, in some places water is three metres deep. That is no vehicle, no car will be able to get there. 

'The bears are now agitated so a tranquillizer won't help. The doors to the cage are underwater. Even if we open them, even if we manage to put them asleep, how will we move a 300-350kg bear?'

Local TV channel, Telemix, reported: 'Some of the animals, not dangerous, were set free. There is a couple of deer and raccoons walking around. One of the current issues is saving the bears.'

Putting them down has been discussed but this would be a final option. Desperate efforts are underway to save the animals, many believed to be 'retired' circus performers. 

The youngest bear, Masyanya, drowned because zoo workers failed to 'relocate' her to a new cage on ground furthest above the floodwater.

Volunteer Milana Mustafayeva said: 'Currently, 14 bears, 3 wolves and a lion are alive. It's necessary to either evacuate them or to feed them in their cages. There also are some small animals. There is about 50 volunteers on the site...

'Everyone is trying to do something, feeding the animals. But we need motor boats. We need cages and large aviaries for bears. We have thee boats but it's not enough.'

Anna Pavlova, head of charity 'Save a life', added: 'The situation that happened in the zoo is a pain for entire city and not only the city. There is a lot of people ready to help in social networks. 

'We didn't sleep until 3am this morning, we were around the zoo, looking at the water, listening to every sound. Time will show who was guilty. But the animals shouldn't be suffering. The owner of the zoo should have done everything necessary to save the animals - but he didn't.'

Yana Salmina, animal rights activist, said: 'It was raining all day yesterday. We offered the director of the zoo assistance to evacuate the animals, but he said he didn't need help. 

'Later we found out that a female bear drowned. It is terrible to let animals locked up in their cages to die. Today I contacted the director of the zoo again but he again refused to accept any help.' 

At another zoo in Borissovka, 27 animals including a deer, raccoon, 6 rabbits, 2 Guinea pigs, and all the parrots drowned in the zoo on the night of 29-30 August. Yekaterina Zotova, owner of the zoo, said: 'From 8pm until midnight on the night of Saturday-Sunday, ostriches, bears and wolves were going crazy in their cages.

'There were 98 animals and birds in the zoo, and after the flood only 71 of them survived. My husband and I haven't been sleeping for the last three days. We need wood and other construction materials to reinforce the cages. We hired a bulldozer to dig a drain but we don't have enough funds to revamp the zoo. 

'It is now obvious we won't open very soon. The biggest problem is vaccinating the animals again after this. All of them suffered from water, caught colds and will be ill for some time. We need funds to treat them.'  

Ussuryisk was hit by the recent Typhoon Goni.