"Not an established fact": director of Askaniia-Nova nature reserve denies it has been completely destroyed

Russia is destroying the Askaniia-Nova biosphere reserve in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast and moving animals from there to occupied Crimea and Russia, but it is too soon to say that the entire reserve has been completely destroyed.

Viktor Shapoval, the director of the reserve, spoke to the media outlet Suspilne.Kherson about this in response to Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, who said that "there is no reserve anymore".

Prokudin had told news agency RBC-Ukraine in an interview: "They [the Russians – ed.] are destroying it. The last thing I heard is that they’ve been taking animals to Crimea and Russia. So it can be said that there is no reserve anymore. They’ve looted a lot of stuff."

But Shapoval says it is too soon to say that the reserve has been completely destroyed.

"This is an ongoing process, but not an established fact. As of today, 20 animals have been taken to Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea. Some animals have died due to mistreatment and a lack of proper scientific guidance and veterinary care," Shapoval revealed.

He added that much of the steppe in the reserve has been damaged as a result of fires caused by various factors. Shapoval stated that over 2,000 hectares of land has been burned in naturally occurring fires.

These cases are documented by a special commission set up by the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, and also by the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine. In addition, law enforcement agencies have initiated several criminal proceedings with respect to damage caused to the protected area.

"Considerable losses caused by Russia’s armed aggression and occupation have been documented. The destruction of the reserve has not," Shapoval said.

He told Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia about the damage that the Russians have caused to the reserve.

For one thing, the Russian aircraft constantly flying overhead cause stress and injuries to the animals. In some cases, the animals die of these injuries.

Askaniia-Nova’s flora and fauna are also being harmed by the neglect of the occupying authorities.

"In November 2023, four African buffalo died as a result of criminal neglect by the Russian occupying administration and a delay in getting the animals to their winter accommodation. Even though the temperature was below zero at night, these heat-loving animals remained out in the open steppe, so by 17 November, three more buffalo had died at intervals of two or three days," Shapoval revealed.

In the second quarter of 2023, up to 150 adult antelopes perished in the Great Chapelskyi depression (a protected lowland) in Askaniia-Nova. Their decomposed bodies and skeletal remains were found after a fire in late May 2023.

Shapoval also added that much of the reserve has been damaged by fires caused by various factors. There have been 69 fires over the period of the occupation of the reserve, resulting in 7,109 hectares of territory being burned.

Since part of the reserve’s territory remains inaccessible, it is impossible to conduct inspections to determine the real consequences of the Russian occupation. The true extent to which trees have been cut down and damaged in the new section of the dendrological park remains unclear.

These cases are being documented by a special commission set up by the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, and by the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine. Law enforcement agencies are also involved.

"In response to a request by the administration of the Askaniia-Nova biosphere reserve, four criminal proceedings have been initiated," Viktor Shapoval revealed.

Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia has reported numerous cases of animals being taken away from the reserve, including zebras, alpacas, Patagonian mara, capybaras, tigers, bison and Przewalski's horses.

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