Kiev, Ukraine, April 2<\/span><\/span>4<\/span><\/span>, 2o14\u2014While the crisis in Ukraine escalates on all fronts, the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization (LAEO), a politically neutral\u00a0<\/span><\/span>nature\u00a0<\/span><\/span>conservation\u00a0<\/span><\/span>non-profit<\/span><\/span>, is giving a voice (and meat) to at-risk lions and tigers in Crimea, in addition to thousands of other zoo animals in Ukraine threatened with starvation in the midst of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the<\/span><\/span>\u00a0turmoil. LAEO\u2019s latest delivery of 3.5 tons of meat to Crimea demanded navigating through military checkpoints and a tetchy border crossing to save more than\u00a0<\/span><\/span>62<\/span><\/span>\u00a0lions and other big cats\u00a0<\/span><\/span>residing\u00a0<\/span><\/span>at the Taigan Animal Safari Park.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0In spite of their victory over this hurdle, the urgent need continues, \u201c<\/span><\/span>If these animals had not gotten the meat\u00a0<\/span><\/span>soon\u00a0<\/span><\/span>they would have begun to die horrible deaths in a matter of days; but we\u2019re still in crisis\u00a0<\/span><\/span>mode\u00a0<\/span><\/span>because\u00a0<\/span><\/span>that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is only enough for 7 days,\u201d said Barbara Wiseman, LAEO\u2019s International President.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When LAEO contacted<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the Crimea<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span>afari\u00a0<\/span><\/span>p<\/span><\/span>ark\u00a0<\/span><\/span>director\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Mr. Oleg Zubkov<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>they found him\u00a0<\/span><\/span>distraught over the situation<\/span><\/span>\u00a0having just returned from Moscow to plead with government officials to reopen zoo bank accounts so food could be purchased. He reported that Moscow officials expressed sympathy and said they would work on it but did not provide an aid timeline.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The Park Director also said he had to start slaughtering his domestic\/petting zoo animals, goats and so forth to keep the lions alive.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>In the face of the gravity of the circumstances,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>LAEO US raised emergency funds to cover short term needs while working to establish diplomatic channels into Russia to free up Taigan Park\u2019s funds. \u201c<\/span><\/span>We\u00a0<\/span><\/span>have\u00a0<\/span><\/span>secured the necessary authorizations, an ethical supplier giving us a reasonable price for the meat, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>worked<\/span><\/span>\u00a0with Mr. Zubkov to truck\u00a0<\/span><\/span>certified meat<\/span><\/span>\u00a0across the border as quickly as possible so these big cats\u00a0<\/span><\/span>didn\u2019t\u00a0<\/span><\/span>starve,\u201d said Wiseman. \u201cBut what we can afford right now is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>only<\/span><\/span>\u00a0enough to keep this large pride in food for a few more days.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Promoting cooperative interdependent life support for Ukraine and Russia, the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>LAEO\u2019s Ukraine Director Lionel de Lange said, \u201c<\/span><\/span>They are all just innocent victims of this international conflict. We\u2019ve had to basically adopt close to ten thousand animals that are in dire straits in Ukrainian zoos, and now, also, these carnivores<\/span><\/span>\u00a0with very expensive diets<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in the Taigan Park<\/span><\/span>.\u201d De Lange reports they have now<\/span><\/span>\u00a0delivered over 16.5 tons of food<\/span><\/span>\u00a0for the country\u2019s zoo<\/span><\/span>\u00a0animals in the past 3 weeks<\/span><\/span>, but say purchasing logistics are becoming increasingly difficult and arranging travel to Crimea for the vulnerable lions was quite complicated.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/a>According to BBC News last week\u00a0<\/span><\/span>http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-26994303<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0the animal park\u2019s funds were blocked with the Ukraine bank shut down, leaving no means of sustaining the animals. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Wiseman concluded, \u201cWhile<\/span><\/span>, people,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0animals and the environment are horribly impacted by these international conflicts, the<\/span><\/span>\u00a0animals<\/span><\/span>\u00a0have no voice in it and are utterly dependent upon rational or irrational human judgment. We are\u00a0<\/span><\/span>urging<\/span><\/span>\u00a0for peace and cooperative co-existence while speaking on behalf of these animals to Ukraine, Russia, Europe, the United States, the UN and all stakeholders involved in this crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Until<\/span><\/span>\u00a0a<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>resolution<\/span><\/span>\u00a0is reached, we are appealing for help from caring world citizens to keep these magnificent creatures alive.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Famous for his rescue of Iraq war-impacted zoo animals in Bagdad, and his pivotal part in peace negotiations between the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army and various governments to save the last remaining northern white Rhino\u2019s in the Congo, Lawrence Anthony was no stranger to the challenges of safeguarding forgotten animals during international clashes.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cYou can\u2019t separate man from the animal kingdom,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have ethical responsibilities: if you are going to cage wildlife, you have to take responsibility. During the invasion of Iraq, only 30 out of 650 animals at the Bagdad Zoo had survived by the time I got there.\u201d See CBS interview at:\u00a0<\/span><\/span>http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=46fQBDfYAJo<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n April 24, 2014–Happy Crimea Lion\u2019s eating lamb meat just delivered by Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization. The 6000 pounds of meat delivered today will last only 7 days, please help sustain these magnificent creatures until a permanent solution is put in place.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n For more information contact:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Barbara Wiseman International President Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization (LAEO)<\/span><\/p>\n +1 (818) 769-3410 (office)<\/span><\/p>\n +1 (818) 406 -6321 (cell)<\/span><\/p>\n Barbara@TheEarthOrganization.org<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n * For anyone interested in making a donation, they may do so online by going to: http:\/\/www.earthorganization.com\/Donate.aspx?Type=Donate<\/a> \u00a0and select project \u201cZoos in Ukraine<\/strong><\/em>\u201d as the project to make a donation to.<\/p>\n Press Kit:\u00a0http:\/\/whywebpr.com\/theearthorg<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Photos<\/span>\u00a0available by calling or writing\u00a0Barbara@TheEarthOrganization.org<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Additional Factoids:<\/p>\n Based on their experiences with Baghdad, Mr. Lawrence Anthony and Mrs. Barbara Wiseman established The Earth Organization to expand their conservation work which employs unique cooperative approaches to solving environmental situations using a methodology described by their coined term: Cooperative Ecology.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Also drawing world-wide notice was Anthony’s famous herd of traumatized wild elephants that became intensely loyal to him, and were featured in Anthony’s bestselling book: “The Elephant Whisperer”. One of the many extraordinary events between Anthony and the elephants recently reported is when the herd walked 12 miles to his Thula Thula game reserve residence after having an uncanny, sixth-sense perception of his unexpected death.\u00a0The herd appeared and stood outside the perimeter fence mourning his death with the family nearby for several hours and has since returned to the house on its anniversary for the past two years. Serving as International President since its inception in 2003, Barbara Wiseman continues expanding the presence and work of the organization.<\/p>\n![\"Taigan](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Taigan-lions-with-meat-first-delivery-by-LAEO-med-rez-1024x682.jpg\")
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\n<\/span>Lawrence Anthony, an international conservationist, environmentalist, and bestselling author had a reputation for bold conservation initiatives. Dr. Anthony, the only noncombatant allowed into Baghdad in 2003 during the first several weeks of the coalition invasion, made international headlines with his heroic zoo rescue initiative in Baghdad which will soon be the subject of a Hollywood movie based on the book: “Babylon’s Ark”, co-written by Anthony and Graham Spence.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n(17 September 1950 – 2 March 2012)<\/p>\n
\n<\/span>ABOUT LIONEL DE LANGE<\/b><\/span>