Russian zoos, sadly, are slightly behind in development from foreign institutions of this kind. This may be due to a lack of funding, or to slightly higher maintenance costs, since in winter more significant amounts of money are spent on heating compared to southern countries. But still, many of them are worthy representatives, with professional workers who love their job.
Zoos always need help from the state, from philanthropists and from ordinary people: keeping animals is very expensive. Moreover, such parks are required not only to keep animals in good conditions, but also to provide amenities to a huge number of visitors.
Moscow Zoo
Journey through the Russian zoo gardens begins with the Moscow Ancient Zoological Park, where there are more than 900 species of animals. The area is 22 hectares (this is not the largest zoo in Russia). Its history begins on January 31, 1864, when a zoo was opened on the territory of the Presnensky Ponds (on the Presnya River). It is there that the Tsereteli monument stands, depicting various paintings from Russian fairy tales.
The water surface of the ponds in this zoological park is the center of both the architectural and planning solutions, and the centers of expositions. They serve as home to hundreds of birds. Water is not only a habitat for animals, but also helps to reduce sudden changes in temperature. In the summer, when there is unbearable heat throughout the city, both visitors and animals do not feel its influence, thanks to the shade from the trees and the cool breeze from the ponds.
The zoological garden lives an active life: various events are held, educational and scientific works, and clubs and clubs for children are organized. Since 2013, a volunteer program has been launched. Volunteers of the zoo make sure that visitors do not feed the animals “with their own” food, are on duty at the enclosures where the babies were born to save them from unnecessary anxiety, spend holidays, look after animals and much more. In return, a volunteer can get a free ticket to enter any part of the zoo, and students can practice.
About the layout
The zoo has a division into parts that differ in geographical and systematic features:
Old territory:
- cats of the tropics;
- pinnipeds island;
- elephant territory;
- fauna of Russia;
- night world;
- Rocks with birds of prey.
New Territory:
- polar world;
- "Barnyard";
- animals of Africa and others.
The old and new territories are separated by Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Street, they are connected by a passage - a high bridge. Of the closed compositions in the zoo you can visit the terrarium, exotarium, the world of monkeys, an exhibition of reptiles and amphibians, a bird house, a room with birds and butterflies, a room with aquariums, a lecture hall and a museum of the history of the zoo.
sights
On the zoo website you can find out the schedule of animal feeds, watch a video, read about the history and news of the park, and you can even walk through it virtually! And for birthday parties special program events are organized.
Visitors are interested in an open-air cage with Japanese macaques. This is a site without fencing with a net or fence, as we are used to, and deepened down, with special gaming equipment and a small pond. Visitors watch the monkeys from above. This protects the inhabitants of the zoo from excessive noise. Such a technique is present everywhere.
A very curious round aviary for birds. The mesh circle, as if enclosing a tree, which is enclosed inside it and serves as a home for small birds. In summer, creepers encircle it, which looks very attractive: visitors are almost always photographed in this place.
Benefits
From a modern point of view, the Moscow Zoo uses a multi-level method. By raising the paths of pedestrians above the ground, the zoo saves space, gives them away for additional places for animals or for nature. Multilevel allows you to disperse the flow of people, helping to get rid of the big crowds near the frontal expositions.
Landscaping of the territory paid much attention. You can see how well the flows of people are divided among themselves with birch vines or strips of Cossack juniper. Of plants, special preference is given to spherical (willow self-cutting), with a regular crown, with decorative coloring of leaves. Compositions from plants support beauty, bringing a healthy environment to the Moscow Zoo. The ticket price for adults is 500 rubles. Children, students, pensioners, people with disabilities and other persons (eligible for benefits) are free of charge.
From the main entrance (from the side of Barrikadnaya Street), from the transition to a new territory, beautiful panoramas open onto the water surface of ponds surrounded by greenery, with a color variety of waterfowl. Nevertheless, not only the diversity of animals, but also the landscape (a large number of water surfaces) - make this zoo special.
Politics
The Moscow Zoo especially appreciates its long-lived animals, among which there are many sick and old pets. They are under special supervision and care. Among such animals are the white beauty tigress Kali, gorillas Ama, Shinda and Papsi, tundra wolf, and giraffe Samson.
The policy of the park adheres to the proverb: "We are responsible for those who have tamed."
Barnaul Zoo
It appeared relatively recently, in 1995. A small zoological park attracts its visitors with 16 rare animals, its scientific and educational activities, as well as excursions. The territory of the park is small, compact, but it often hosts exhibitions and lectures. For example, an exhibition of roosters was held this winter.
The Barnaul Zoo cannot yet be compared with such developed structures as, for example, the Moscow Zoo. The ticket price for adults is 200 rubles, there are also preferential free tickets for certain categories of citizens.
Rostov Zoo
This is the largest zoo in Russia - its area reaches about 100 hectares! It accommodates 5, 000 animals. The special value of this zoo is that it is active in the conservation of rare and endangered animals (white-tailed eagle). Recently, the park celebrated the birth of a little elephant.
The Rostov Zoo is a great place for family vacations, where animal enclosures are exchanged for large green glades for outdoor activities or on the lake for privacy. You can come here to look at the diverse flora and fauna or just have a picnic in a forest glade with your family.
The largest zoo in Russia, although lagging behind the improvement level in Moscow, is gradually developing and being restored, improving the level of comfort for both animals and people.
Of course, a zoo with such a large area needs to expand the boundaries of animal movement. We need to move away from ordinary square fences with a wire mesh and look for landscape ways to separate the exposure area from the inspection area. Finance should be invested precisely in improving the living conditions of animals.
Since the territory is huge, you need to set signs, guide people, because the largest zoo in Russia should be interactive and understandable for visitors.
Novosibirsk Zoo
Another of the largest zoos in Russia is 63 hectares. It has many interesting differences from other zoological gardens. For example, a liger lives on the territory. A liger is a hybrid of a lion and a tiger. The first in Russia appeared here.
But this is not all that the Novosibirsk Zoo boasts: polar bears have recently acquired second offspring, and 38 cubs have been received from snow leopards in 10 years - this is a huge contribution to the conservation program of this species.
Zoo of the city of Blagoveshchensk
The small Amur Zoo, unfortunately, is closed due to bankruptcy. It had an area of 9 hectares and approximately 60 species of animals. Their fate is unknown.
