MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Raccoons, penguins and kangaroos are the most popular animals among those of the city residents who "adopt" animals in the Moscow Zoo, spokesperson Raisa Koroleva told RIA Novosti.
She said that the "Adopt an animal" program was introduced more than ten years ago. People can help their favorite animals by signing a special agreement with the zoo and making donations over a chosen period of time, usually from three months to one year.
"Raccoons, penguins and kangaroos are very popular with private donors. Foxes also receive some attention. We have only one jerboa in the zoo and it is already spoken for, but those willing to adopt this very animal keep calling. Muscovites love chinchillas as well. Only one of them is available at the moment," Koroleva said.
According to her, companies prefer more "substantial" animals, like bears. All the brown bears at the zoo have been adopted already.
"The polar bear is being supported by the company which has a polar bear on its trademark. A company which produces bags has chosen a kangaroo. The largest rodent, the capybara, has been taken into care as well. An ecological movement has sponsored the white tiger," the spokeswoman continued.
"Before, the adoption agreements were mostly signed by companies," Koroleva said. "But lately, the proportion of private persons is rising. In 2007, we had 70 caretakers of whom 35 were companies and 35 were private individuals, while in the previous year we had 56 caretakers of whom 39 were organizations."
She said that parents like to adopt an animal for their children. The giver pays for it and the recipient of the gift is mentioned on the information plaque on the animal's cage.
The plaques, which the caretakers rarely refuse, can be installed only if the donation amounts to at least 10,000 rubles per year, Koroleva added.
"The largest payments are about 500,000 rubles on average. This was the sum donated, for example, by one lady who is taking care of the white tiger. And one company has transferred about 2,000 rubles per year for a magpie," she said.
