Putin gifts zoo animals, including lion and bears, to North Korean zoo

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MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia transferred more than 70 animals, including an African lion and two brown bears, to a zoo in the North Korean capital Pyongyang from Moscow’s zoo, the Russian government said on Wednesday.

The animals were “a gift from (Russian President) Vladimir Putin to the Korean people”, the government said.

Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s natural resources minister, oversaw the relocation of the animals, who were transported by plane to the Pyongyang Central Zoo accompanied by veterinarians from the Moscow Zoo.

Pictures published by the Russian government showed a white cockatoo travelling in a crate and Kozlov receiving a tour of the Korean zoo from local officials.

North Korean state media KCNA said on Thursday that it had received rare animals as gifts from Putin.

Russia in April donated birds, including eagles, cranes and parrots to the Pyongyang Central Zoo.

Pyongyang and Moscow have forged closer ties since Putin visited the country in June and concluded a treaty with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim gifted Putin a pair of Pungsan dogs, a local breed, during that trip. The two also took turns driving each other around in a Russian-built Aurus limousine.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou and Joyce Lee; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Bill Berkrot)