Taigan (safari park)

The Belogorsk Lion Safari-Park Taigan (Белогорський сафарі-парк львів «Тайган») is a safari park in the Bilohirsk Raion of Crimea. It is the largest European breeding ground for lions and other large predator mammals. As of 2023 about 60 African lions, along with many tigers and other wild animals, roam over the area of over 30 hectares (70 acres; 0.3 km2) of Crimean foothills by the Taigan Reservoir, and are available for public viewing.[1]

Taigan
Белогорский сафари-парк львов «Тайган»
LocationBelogorsk Raion of Crimea
Coordinates45.054444°N 34.602222°E / 45.054444; 34.602222

History

In 2006, Russian businessman Oleg Zubkov, already the owner of the Yalta zoopark "Fairy Tale", purchased real estate on the grounds of a former military institution (НИИ систем связи и управления центрального научно-производственного объединения «Каскад»). He initiated the process of acquiring the usage rights for the 35 hectares (90 acres; 0.4 km2) of land around the property, but it became mired in bureaucratic hurdles aggravated by corruption and politics. As a result of the conflict, in 2015 the park was closed for visitors, but it reopened in April 2016.[2][3][4]

British journalist Graham Phillips visited Taigan several times, doing video reports from the park, including the "Walk with the Lions", with direct contact with large cats. [5] In 2018, there was a serious incident at Taigan, with a woman reportedly mauled by one of the lions, as she took part in the Walk with the Lions. Oleg Zubkov accused the woman of being 'drunk', however the case attracted widespread negative publicly for Taigan. [6]

Zubkov refused to apologise for the 'mauling' incident, and vowed that his safari tours, allowing patrons direct contact with big cats, would continue as before. Just a couple of months later, Taigan came to the attention of global media again, when a two-year-old lion crawled into a safari vehicle, giving the tourists cuddles, and even licking one woman in the face. [7]

Although the Taigan "Walk with the Lions" safaris initially continued, in April 2019, after a long dispute with Crimean authorities, years of negative publicity, they were finally banned.[8]

In 2019, Zubkov posted a video to his "Lion Man" YouTube channel, saying that his "2,500 lions, tigers, and bears consume 3,500 tonnes of food a day, and he couldn't afford to feed them all for much longer." Zubkov claimed his problems were caused primarily by his ongoing dispute with the Crimean authorities. He then said he was putting numerous of his animals up for adoption, and he would "have to shoot them" if homes were not found for them. Zubkov's video, and statements, attracted international attention and controversy.[9]

Zubkov was convicted of negligence by a Crimean court in July 2022, after one of his tigers bit off the finger of a 1-year-old boy in September 2021. He was given a prison sentence of two years and three months. Zubkov served three months in prison before being released on parole in October. Taigan remained open during Zubkov's detention, and as of 2023 Zubkov is currently based at Taigan as the managing director. [10]

In November 2022, during the Russian withdrawal from Kherson, Zubkov stole numerous animals from the Kherson Zoo and transported them to Taigan, including the "Raccoon of Kherson" which achieved attention on social media.[11]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taigan, safari-park.
  1. "About Taigan". park-taigan.ru. Belogorsk Lion Safari-Park Taigan.
  2. "Короля львов вытесняют из Крыма" [Lion King is Being Pushed out of Crimea]. ridus.ru (in Russian).
  3. "Закон — 'Тайган'. Почему закрывается один из лучших туристических объектов Крыма" [Law — "Taigan". Why is one of the best tourist sites in Crimea closed]. kommersant.ru (in Russian).
  4. "История возникновения и развития парка 'ТАЙГАН'" [The history of the emergence and development of the park 'TAIGAN']. park-taigan.ru (in Russian).
  5. "«Обнимашки, целовашки!». Лев укусил британского журналиста в Крыму" ["Hugs and kisses" - A lion bit British journalist Graham Phillips in Crimea] (in Russian). 2023-05-20. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  6. "Woman mauled by lion after entering enclosure to take photograph with animal". 2018-07-22. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  7. "Lion has a surprising reaction to tourists at Taigan Safari Park in Crimea". 2018-09-05. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  8. "Cуд запретил «прогулку ко львам» в крымском парке «Тайган»" [Court has banned the "Walk to the Lions" in the Crimean Park 'Taigan']. news.allcrimea.net (in Russian). 2019-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  9. "Crimean zoo owner Oleg Zubkov says he will shoot his own bears". 2019-11-18. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
  10. "Russian zookeeper kidnaps animals from Kherson, Ukraine says". 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  11. "Russian forces stole art, raccoon, llama as they fled Kherson -Ukraine". The Jerusalem Post. 2022-11-17. Retrieved 2022-11-23.


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