White tiger endures Russian bombs in wait for rescue

A tiger with predominantly white fur and dark grey stripes is lying down on ground covered in straw. He is looking directly into the camera, has light blue eyes and his tongue is poking out slightly. — Image caption,The white tiger, known as Aleks, will be rehomed at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park after he was found abandoned in Ukraine

ByEleanor Maslin

A white tiger traumatised by the sound of bombs in war-torn Ukraine is one veterinary check away from being cleared to travel to his new home in the UK, The BBC reports.

Aleks was found abandoned last year in the Kharkiv region of north-east Ukraine before he was taken to an animal shelter in Chubynske, near Kyiv.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, near Boston, has been busy preparing for Aleks’s arrival, and are now just waiting on a veterinary team to check he is healthy enough for the long journey across Europe.

Park chief executive Steve Nichols said: “He’s going to come massively traumatised, they’re still being bombed as we’re talking now.”

He said he had learned from emails sent by the Ukrainian animal rescuers that some of the animals they were caring for had already died due to shell shock.

On waiting for Aleks to arrive, he said: “The poor creature is sat in this horrendous place and we just feel frustrated we could get him over here and sort the paperwork afterwards.

“Obviously we just can’t do that.

“The next four weeks we will see movement and will definitely have a date and hopefully he will be en route to Lincolnshire.”

A tall metal gate with square holes in it with two men dressed all in back leaning their hands against it. — Image caption,Lincolnshire Wildlife Park installed a new enclosure gate on Monday

Aleks will be driven from Ukraine through Poland and northern Europe and then from Dover to his new home at the wildlife park at Friskney in Lincolnshire.

Before his rescue and treatment, the tiger was dehydrated, infested with parasites and exhausted, as well as having gastrointestinal issues, and liver and kidney issues, the park said.

Mr Nichols said the park had got almost everything ready for Aleks following a fundraising campaign set up to help cover the £100,000 cost of his new enclosure.

A gate was installed at his enclosure on Monday, leaving a swimming pool and play frame as the final items to be added.

Steve Nichols, a man with grey hair and wearing a green t-shirt, feeds a slice of apples to two lemurs which are perched on his shoulder. He is standing in an animal enclosure which is surrounded by leafy green bushes and a metal fence. — Image caption,Park chief executive Steve Nichols said he was “excited” about the arrival of the white tiger

Once he arrives, Aleks will go through a three-stage process to get him settled – starting with an indoor closure with a sleeping area, playroom and feeding room.

With veterinary help, he will then go into an outdoor enclosure, and then hopefully join the other tigers at the park.

Mr Nichols said he hoped the different stages would get Aleks “used to the Lincolnshire sunshine and peace and quiet”.

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