TBILISI, Georgia — Jun 16, 2015
All of the lions and tigers that were missing after severe flooding
swamped Tbilisi's zoo have been found dead. One jaguar remained
unaccounted for, but zoo staff said they have little hope that it
survived.
The discovery of the last of the missing lions and tigers on Tuesday as the waters receded eased fears in the capital of Georgia, an ex-Soviet republic, that some of the big cats were still wandering the hills of the city.
The human death toll rose to 19 on Tuesday as workers continued to comb
the flood-damaged areas. Six people were still missing, the state security council said in a statement.
An intense downpour that began late Saturday turned a stream that runs
through the city into a raging torrent that destroyed houses and tore up
roads. About 40 families lost their homes.
Zoo spokeswoman Mziya Sharashidze said eight lions, all seven of the
zoo's tigers and at least two of its three jaguars were killed. Only two
of the zoo's 14 bears survived, while nine of its 17 penguins died, she
said.
Ivane Daraseliya, chief veterinarian for the zoo, said staff on Tuesday
found the carcasses of three lions, a tiger and two wolves. Most of the
animals appeared to have been killed when water and mud inundated their
enclosures.
However, a young white lion named Shumba, one of the zoo's most beloved
attractions, was found shot in the head on zoo territory on Sunday.
The flooding also killed hundreds of homeless dogs at a private shelter near the zoo, shelter staff said.
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