Hundreds of animals die as fire destroys zoo including crocs, snakes and monkeys

More than 200 exotic animals were killed in a terrifying fire at a zoo in Russian-annexed Crimea.

The Tropic Park Zoo burned down in Yevpatoria yesterday (Tuesday, April 16). The Russian Regional Investigation Department said the blaze started at around 3am local time and was only fully put out by 7am.

“It’s a big tragedy, all the animals died, more than 200 of them. I can’t say any more details yet,” a zoo representative told the TASS news agency. The five-storey zoo was home to crocodiles, lemurs, monkeys, parrots, pythons, spiders, turtles, pigs, hamsters and many more.

Firefighters struggled to save the animals as the enclosures burned so quickly. Flammable materials such as hay and wood are believed to have made the situation much worse. An area of 625sqm was destroyed in the blaze.