MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) plans to discuss with its South African counterparts the options for importing hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and rhinoceroses from South Africa's game reserves located in the Limpopo and Gauteng provinces to Russia for zoos, the agricultural watchdog reported to TASS.

"We are talking about the import of exotic animals (hippopotamuses, elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, rhinoceroses) from South Africa’s game reserves located in the provinces of Limpopo and Gauteng to Russian zoos," the statement says.

Earlier, watchdog said that mutual supplies of livestock products were discussed with the relevant South Africa authority.

The Russian side asked its colleagues to provide detailed information on the spread in South Africa of such diseases as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, avian influenza and others, as well as to provide a list of enterprises interested in supplies of each type of livestock products. After that, the parties will discuss the specific terms for importing meat products and wild animals from South Africa, the service explained.