The Mykolaiv Zoo shared the story of the Shetland ponies Valeta and Ponyasha, who were evacuated in 2022 from the village of Posad-Pokrovske in the Kherson region due to constant Russian shelling.
This was reported on the Mykolaiv Zoo’s page.
The animals were brought to the zoo on May 29, 2022. According to staff, the ponies were under severe stress and needed time to adjust to their new surroundings. One of their first challenges was meeting Logan the giraffe, whom they had never seen before. Because the ponies were so frightened, the zookeepers even organized a sort of tour of the zoo grounds for the new residents, introducing them to other exotic animals.
Eventually, Valet and Ponyasha settled in completely. The local herd accepted them without any problems, and in 2024, Valet became the father of two foals—Privat and Pavlin.
Zoo officials note that Shetland ponies are known for their calm temperament, endurance, and friendliness. Today, they readily interact with the keepers, love to be petted, and are among the visitors’ favorites.
Since the start of the full-scale war, the Mykolaiv Zoo has served as a refuge for many animals evacuated from dangerous regions of Ukraine, including the Kherson region.
Recently, Mykolaiv authorities issued an urgent call to raise funds to pay salaries for cultural workers. As of September 1, no funds have been allocated for this purpose.
According to thezoo director, he has discussed the situation with representatives of the city’s Department of Culture, but they, too, do not yet know how the funding issue will be resolved after the summer ends.
“What are we going to do with cultural institutions starting September 1? The budget forsalaries is completely zero. Are we going to do something about this now, or will it have to wait? Because starting September 1, there’s no money for salaries. I spoke with the Department of Culture yesterday, but they don’t know what to do either,” Topchiy said.
Андрій Колісніченко