Russia is a country occupying a vast territory. This determines the diversity of fauna representatives. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that in many cities of the country zoos, safari parks, and reserves are open.
Zoos in Russia are places organized not only to show animals to visitors. Very often, within the walls of parks, scientific work is carried out. They study animals with the goal of preserving and reproducing them. A visit to the zoo is a great pastime for the whole family. Children who observe animals in Russian zoos in conditions close to their environment learn to love and understand nature.
Overview of the best zoos
The first zoos appeared centuries ago. In those days, animals often died due to improper conditions. These were real prisons for hundreds of representatives of the fauna world. Today, a visit to the zoo is a fascinating journey into the world of wildlife. What are the zoos in Russia, which animals are kept there?
The number and types of our smaller brothers kept depend on the type of institution described. These can be oceanariums, dolphinariums, safari parks, contact zoos. The following are the places that, judging by the reviews, found the greatest response from visitors.
Contact Zoos
In Russia, contact zoos have recently become increasingly popular. A feature of this type of institution is the ability not only to observe, but also to contact with animals. These are not the largest zoos in Russia, but visiting them will undoubtedly bring a lot of positive emotions. Tactile communication with animals was especially fond of children.
The opening of contact zoos in Russia causes a lot of criticism from animal advocates. This is quite understandable. Besides the fact that animals are kept in captivity, they still have to endure constant anxiety from visitors. To protect our smaller brothers, several rules must be followed in such zoos.
Owners of establishments are obliged to provide animals with a special place and time for rest. And parents, before going to the zoo, must explain to the children how to deal with the inhabitants of such places.
Safari Park
A visit to the safari park provides an opportunity to see animals in their natural habitat. Such parks occupy a fairly large territory, and tours are provided for guests. Initially, the safari was called wildlife hunting in Africa. Today in safari parks you can arrange a photo hunt for animals. In terms of animal welfare, this kind of demonstration obviously wins. Animals are in a natural environment, their movements are not limited to the walls of the aviary.
One of the best Russian zoo safari-type is rightly called the Taigan park, located near Simferopol, the Gelendzhik safari park, the Kudykina Gora park in the Lipetsk region.
Through the Taigan Park, which covers an area of approximately thirty hectares, you can walk along the observation bridges suspended directly above the heads of predators.
The cable car in Gelendzhik, stretching over a distance of more than one and a half thousand kilometers, will allow not only to see wild animals living in the park, but also enjoy beautiful views of the mountain landscape. Kudykina Gora Park occupies a vast territory - 500 hectares. On this square free-living representatives of the fauna lead their lives.
Novosibirsk Zoo
Among the largest zoos in Russia is the Novosibirsk Zoo. It was founded in 1947 and is spread over an area of more than sixty hectares. In addition, he takes pride of place in many ratings of zoos, the most popular with visitors. In 2008 - the finalist of the competition “Seven Wonders of Russia”, in 2015 - on the eighteenth place among the best zoos in the world, also ranks ninth in the list of the best similar institutions in Europe.
As many visitors to the park say, it is not possible to get around it in one day. On this territory more than ten thousand inhabitants found their home. In total, the Novosibirsk Zoo has 770 species of animals, 350 of which are endangered and rare species. For 110 species, international stud books are kept. The zoo is actively involved in conservation of endangered species.
A special pride and symbol of the zoo is the snow leopard. Representatives of this species live in the walls of the park for about fifty years. During this time, thanks to the efforts of the staff of the institution, thirty-eight young leopards were raised.
Udmurtia Zoo
The zoo in Izhevsk was opened in 2008. On the opening day, September 10, he was visited by more than thirty thousand people. And today the park is a favorite vacation spot for residents and guests of the republic. This is one of the three best zoos in Russia, the ninth in the list of European institutions of this type.
More than four hundred animals of one hundred and twenty species live in the zoo. One of the first animals that settled on eighteen hectares of the park was the bronze wolf Akella, which is his symbol.
Thanks to a clear division into zoogeographic zones, the park is easy to navigate. Thirteen expositions are open on the territory. "White North" tells about the life of walruses and fur seals, polar bears and polar owls. Amur tigers and Far Eastern leopards live in the Far East. And the exhibition "Our Taiga" will introduce visitors to taiga animals: trot, sable, marten, brown bear.
Limpopo in Nizhny Novgorod
The Limpopo Private Zoo, founded in 2003, is small in area — less than six hectares. But, despite this, it occupies the twenty-fifth place among the zoos of Europe. The symbol is an owl, which marked the beginning of its formation.
The current director of Limpopo once saved an owl. The bird was injured and could not survive in its habitat. Therefore, an aviary was built for her. Later, squirrels found by the townspeople, a wolf from the Kostroma circus, joined the owl. So the zoo gradually grew and developed.
Today there live almost one and a half thousand animals of two hundred and thirty species. The institution is most adapted for visitors. Children and adults have the opportunity to pet animals in a contact zoo and feed wild animals with special feeds. In addition, the park has a botanical garden with more than two hundred and fifty species of tropical plants, a cafe, a playground, an amusement park.
Park "Roy Creek"
"Roy Creek" covers an area of 31 hectares. This flora and fauna park is located in Krasnoyarsk, not far from the Pillars Nature Reserve. It opened its doors to visitors in 2000. In the place where the park was located, in ancient times a stream flowed, in which gold was mined. In this regard, the park got its name (“swarms” - from the word “dig”).
The richest collection of representatives of flora and fauna allowed the park to enter the five of the best zoos in Europe. Here lives more than four and a half thousand animals - representatives of seven hundred species. According to visitors' reviews, the penguinarium and dinosaur park are especially popular.
This place is also famous for its collection of plants, which has almost five hundred species and varieties. "Roy Creek" is constantly evolving, replenishing its collection. Following this, the need for increasing territory is increasing. In the future, it is planned to expand the park to fifty-four hectares.
Moscow Zoo
Moscow Zoo is the oldest among Russian zoos. It has existed for more than one hundred and fifty years. Throughout its long history, it has gone through difficult times. In the eighties of the last century, buildings were dilapidated due to lack of funding. Mass reconstruction began in the nineties at the initiative of Moscow Mayor Luzhkov.
The zoo is located in the center of the capital and occupies twenty-one hectares of area. Its feature is the presence of a zoo, located a hundred kilometers from the city. They are engaged in the breeding of rare animals and the development of optimal ways of keeping them. The activities of the nursery are aimed at the conservation of endangered species of fauna.
The zoo is home to more than five thousand animals that you can get to know by visiting one of the fifty expositions. According to visitors' reviews, the Children’s Zoo is of special interest, in which animals are represented - the heroes of fascinating fairy tales.
