KYIV, Ukraine (NewsNation) — As thousands of civilians flee Ukraine, about 50 zookeepers and their families are now living at a zoo in Kyiv to protect the animals from Russia’s invading troops.

Kyiv zookeepers are calling themselves the “zoo military commune,” as they care for nearly 4,000 animals representing 200 species, according to Reuters.

It’s particularly difficult for the larger animals because there aren’t any underground spaces big enough to shield them.

Elephants are so stressed that they have to be sedated, and these zookeepers are sleeping next to them to keep them calm.

“These caretakers are absolute heroes. You can tell just by these actions that if any harm is gonna come to these animals, it’s gonna come to the keepers first. These are like children. The caretakers have dedicated their lives to caring for these animals,” Zoologist Jarod Miller said in an exclusive interview Tuesday on “Banfield.”

The Kyiv Zoo Facebook page posted several photos Saturday that showed the heroic zookeepers caring for the animals.

On Friday, 80 animals, including lions and tigers, were able to safely escape Kyiv, and they are now safe at Poznań Zoo in Poland.

Ewa Zgrabczyńska, the director of Poznań Zoo, spoke with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield about how the rescued animals are now coping in their new habitat.

“It was absolutely a shocking situation because all of them are highly traumatized. Could you imagine the panic, the stress during bombing? Animals have very sensitive senses, more sensitive than ours,” Ewa Zgrabczyńska said on “Banfield.”