Volunteer saves wild animals from Ukraine frontline

(3 Mar 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chubynske, Kyiv region - 1 March 2023
1. Various of lion with shell shock
HEADLINE: Volunteer saves wild animals from Ukraine frontline
ANNOTATION: This lion is among 600 animals Natalia Popova has helped rescue after the full-scale invasion began in February last year.
2. Founder of shelter for wild animals Natalia Popova opening gates
ANNOTATION: Popova, who founded the wild animal shelter in 2018, says most of the animals had been abandoned without food or water.
3. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Natalia Popova, shelter founder:
++PARTIALLY OVERLAID BY SHOTS 4-5++
"It's getting harder and harder to keep animals because there are so many of them. I now have eleven lions, two tigers, a leopard, not to mention small animals like foxes, raccoon dogs, raccoons, birds, swans, lemurs - you name it. There is a lot of everything. I need 127 kilograms of meat a day right now."
4. Popova stroking tiger
5. Various of tiger
6. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Natalia Popova, shelter founder:
++PARTIALLY OVERLAID BY SHOTS 5, 7 AND 8++
"Every life is important. I believe that every Ukrainian should do what they can in this war which is of use. I can do it, so I do it. And I save wild animals in general, because this is our future, because every animal, every plant, every insect, every bird on this planet has a certain function. If you take away one species, it will change the climate, the ecology. These will be terrible consequences. That's why I chose the path of saving wild animals."
7. Various of white tiger Aleks
8. Various of caged leopard
ANNOTATION: Since the beginning of the conflict, 200 of the animals Popova rescued have been taken to other countries for treatment.
STORYLINE:
Natalia Popova created a shelter for many animals rescued in the Ukrainian conflict which has engulfed the country.

Among the animals she is caring for are lions, tigers and a leopard.

Popova, who founded the wild animal shelter in 2018, stayed to help rescue animals in need after the full-scale invasion began in February last year.

She has saved 600 animals during that time, 200 of which had to be taken to other countries for treatment.

Popova says most of the animals had been abandoned without food or water.

One of the lions rescued now has shellshock and problems with coordination.

"Our military finds them and reports them to various animal protection organizations," she said

"I now have eleven lions, two tigers, a leopard. Not to mention small animals like foxes, raccoon dogs, raccoons, birds, swans, lemurs - you name it. There is a lot of everything. I need 127 kilograms (19 stone) of meat a day right now," she said.

"Every life is important. I believe that every Ukrainian should do what they can in this war. I can do it, so I do it," Popova said.

AP video shot by Inna Varenytsia

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