Be part of Almaty Zoo: take care of one animal

Now everyone can be a part of the Almaty Zoo through either fostering an elephant, lama or any other animal or owning a bench with a custom nameplate on it, Tengrinews reports.

The Almaty Zoo initiated a program called “My Sweet and Tender Beast”. Taking part in the program gives you an opportunity to foster an animal in the zoo. Those wanting to become a guardian or a caretaker are required to pay a fee, which will vary, for the care of the animal that you chose. For example, the fee for an elephant is the highest - $2200. Fostering a cheetah or giraffe is approximately $550, a kangaroo is around $400 while fostering a moose will cost as little as $220. The full list of animals and fostering fees is available on the official website of the Almaty Zoo. Everyone can become a foster guardian of the animals.

Fostering gives animal lovers an opportunity to take part in feeding, taking care of the living conditions and looking after their animal. The fees go towards enhancing living conditions of the animal or purchasing a partner for the animal.

“The Akimat (Municipal Authorities) allocate enough funds for taking care of the animals but it mostly covers food. We do not have enough money to enhance their living conditions and remodel their cages and winter quarters. The income of the zoo solely depends on the number of visitors. But lately the number of visitor has dropped. This program is directed at attracting animal lovers and cultivating a sense of responsibility (for animals),” Erbulat Mukashev of the Almaty Zoo said.

An Almaty native Lyudmila Fedyukova decided to set an example for others and was the first foster caretaker. She fosters a lama named Batyr with her grandchildren. Fostering an animal with children is a great way of teaching responsibility and cultivating love for animals among children.

There is also another way of connecting to the city zoo. The zoo has started renting out benches on its territory. Visitors can get a bench with a custom nameplate for $150 for one year. That can be a fun or even romantic present for your loved ones. To get your own bench is easy. You just have to pop up at the zoo administration office, sign an agreement and pay the fees. The administration hopes that it will help to beautify the territory and connect people to the zoo.

The first person to own a bench was the director of the Almaty zoo Amantai Bargaliev. He devoted the bench to his newly born grandchild.

Writing by Gyuzel Kamalova