Tbilisi Zoo welcomes monkeys, emus donated by France

More monkeys are returning to Tbilisi Zoo after all monkeys that formerly called Tbilisi Zoo home perished in the June 13, 2015 flash flood.

The new animals will arrive in Georgia’s capital on Monday, November 7. 

They are being donated from Auvergne Zoo in France.

The French Zoo will donate 11 animals to Tbilisi Zoo. These are:

• Nine Barbary macaques; and
• Two emus.

Tbilisi Zoo has received more than 70 new animals this year. Other animals including kangaroos, African penguins and tapirs were expected to arrive in the future.

Tbilisi Zoo was virtually destroyed in the June 13, 2015 flood that hit Tbilisi, killing 19 people and leaving hundreds homeless.

Out of the Zoo's 1,155 animals, 281 died in the natural disaster. The lower part of the Zoo was completely destroyed where cages and infrastructure were crushed or washed away, while in the upper section the higher land fared much less damage and the animals were out of harm’s way.

After a year of intensive repair and restoration works, Tbilisi Zoo is now thriving. The central city animal park is now home to new animals donated from Zoos around the world as well as newborn animals.