Bears Trapped As Zoo Animals Die In Russia Flood

A flood has swept through a private zoo in Russia, killing several animals and trapping 14 brown bears and a lion.

Animals including a wolf, a lynx and the city’s favourite female bear Masyanya, drowned in their cages on Sunday after a river in the eastern city of Ussuriysk burst its banks.

Video showed the stranded bears in half-submerged cages as zoo workers tried to feed them bread, sugar and medicine from a boat.

They are suffering from cold and exhaustion and some of the bears had to stand upright continuously to be able to breathe.

Animal trainer Vera Blish said: "The animals could be evacuated, their cages have wheels. I was calling the owner of the zoo, I was begging him to help, but no one listened.

"I wanted to get Masyanya bear out of her cage, she could have been saved, but they didn’t let me."

According to varying reports, the cages are either sealed or the keys have been lost in the flood.

The owner of the Green Island zoo told reporters the only way to evacuate the animals was with a cargo helicopter.

Earlier, a Ministry of Emergencies spokesperson told a Russian news agency that evacuation of the zoo was not necessary as the animals were not in any danger as the flood water was receding.

Later in the day, the president’s representative in the region ordered the evacuation of the animals and said they would bring justice to those responsible for their suffering.

One of the volunteers, looking after the bears, told Sky News the animals would remain trapped in their cages at least until the morning.