Your trusted source

Ruben Khachatryan has quitted as Director of the Yerevan Zoo.

The move comes after the dog attacks in the zoo, as a result of which three kangaroos and mouflons were mauled to death.

“Given the latest developments around the Yerevan Zoo, the heightened passions and the stray dog attacks on the animals kept at the zoo, not ruling out the human factor in them but also not violating the presumption of innocence, I have decided to resign as Yerevan Zoo Director,” he said in a statement announcing his resignation.

Khachatryan stressed during his 8 years in office the zoo achieved significant progress, namely the cages of the zoo were renovated, refurbished and built in line with the European standards, the zoo imported animals never having been showed up in Yerevan before and improved zoological services.

He said he made his decision upon the recommendation of Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Virabyan, expressing hope his resignation will put an end to the animal deaths and dog attacks in the zoo.

Summing up, Ruben Khachatryan expressed gratitude to the city authorities for the trust and the zoo personnel.