Tbilisi Zoo to receive first tiger since 2015 flood

Tbilisi Zoo is preparing to welcome 14 new animals donated by three European zoos this Monday. 

Among the new animals will be a Siberian tiger – the first tiger to call Tbilisi Zoo home since the deadly flash flood. All of the tigers perished in the natural disaster that hit the Georgian capital about two years ago. 

• Tbilisi flood: A city that changed overnight 

The tiger was donated to Tbilisi Zoo by Riga Zoo in Latvia. 

In addition to the tiger, United Kingdom zoos have donated thirteen more animals: seven Bennett's wallabies, which are medium-sized kangaroos, from the London Zoo and six Barbary from the Banham Zoo.

All of the donated animals will arrive in Tbilisi by chartered plane. 

Tbilisi Zoo has received about 80 donated animals since the flood of June 13, 2015, which killed 19 people and left hundreds homeless. 

• What destroyed a city united citizens 

Out of the zoo's 1,155 animals, 281 died in the disaster. The lower part of the zoo was completely destroyed when cages and infrastructure were crushed or washed away. The upper section, on higher land received much less damage and the animals were out of harm’s way. The majority of animals that lived in enclosures in the lower area either died or escaped from their cages.

Those from the lower section that survived were rehoused in the upper area of the zoo, where most of the enclosures remained intact. After the disaster several new cages were built and more are currently being constructed to house the new animals.

After almost two years 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.