Ukrainian citizens were offered much-needed comic relief on Monday when volunteers helped an escaped chimpanzee put on a yellow raincoat and wheel it back to its enclosure on a bicycle.
The troublesome primate, named Chichi, was spotted hopping through the streets of Kharkiv, northeast Ukraine, after escaping the city’s zoo, Feldman Ecopark.
He sped through the city center, which had endured some of the most brutal bombings by Russian forces of the war before he was tracked down by zoo workers.
Bystanders feared the workers would have trouble confining the mighty beast, but the potentially dangerous situation was quickly defused when a woman sat next to Chichi and removed her bright yellow raincoat.
The zoo worker draped the coat around the chimpanzee’s shoulders and helped him gently maneuver his arms into his sleeves, as if preparing a child for the school run, when it began to rain.
Moments later, she helped the chimpanzee climb onto a bicycle, which workers rolled back through the streets, to the delight of passers-by, before returning Chichi to his enclosure.
Zoo director Oleksiy Grigoriev said the animal was safely returned.
The troublesome primate named Chichi was spotted hopping through the streets of Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine
The zoo worker placed the coat around the chimpanzee’s shoulders and helped him carefully maneuver his arms into his sleeves
The worker hugged the animal before two colleagues came on a bike to transport it back to Feldman Ecopark
The chimpanzee climbed onto a bicycle, which workers rolled back through the streets to the delight of passers-by, taking the animal safely to the zoo
A wrecked car is pictured in front of a damaged residential building in Saltivka, one of the worst-damaged residential areas amid the Russian attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, September 6
As Ukraine’s second-largest city and a major military and administrative center, Kharkiv has been the target of relentless airstrikes, rocket attacks and artillery shelling since Russian troops crossed the border on February 24.
The Ukrainian army has managed to retain control of the city and push Russian troops back toward Donetsk, but Kharkiv’s proximity to the Russian border means it remains subject to regular airstrikes.
According to owner Oleksandr Feldman, Feldman Ecopark suffered a direct hit in a Russian missile attack earlier in the war, killing more than 100 animals and six volunteers trying to evacuate the site.
The zoo is now back in operation providing daily care for the animals living there – although the attraction remains closed to the public as attacks on the city center continue.
Feldman said that although the animals were returned to the zoo, shelling damaged their enclosures and they are no longer safe.
A local resident walks past a street market destroyed by military strikes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues in Saltivka, one of the most damaged residential areas of Kharkiv, Ukraine September 6, 2022
“Refugees in Ukraine are not just people, they are also animals. They also suffer from the stress of war, they are also sad at home and dream of returning,” said Oleksandr Feldman, owner of Feldman Ecopark
A local resident walks past a street market destroyed by military strikes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues in Saltivka, one of the most damaged residential areas of Kharkiv, Ukraine September 6, 2022
In a series of recent Facebook posts, Feldman discussed the war’s impact on the health of the animals cared for by his staff.
“Animals suffer from war no less than humans… The recipe for the rehabilitation of war animals is quite simple – it’s love and care. And a peaceful sky above your head.
“Refugees in Ukraine are not just people, they are also animals. They too suffer from the stress of war, they are also sad at home and dream of returning.
“Just like us, they need warmth, love and care. I feel that all the time and try to walk our animals as often as possible.”
