Moscow Zoo

The Moscow Zoo or Moskovsky Zoopark (Russian: Московский зоопарк) is a big zoo that covers 21.5 hectares, which is about 53 acres. It is one of the largest zoos in Russia and one of the oldest in Europe. The zoo is a popular place for families and school groups to visit and learn about many different animals from around the world. With its wide variety of species and beautiful grounds, the Moscow Zoo offers a fun and educational experience for everyone who visits.

History

The Moscow Zoo was started in 1864 by professors from Moscow State University. It was later taken over by the Government of Moscow in 1922 and has stayed under their care since then.

When it first opened, the zoo was small, with only 10 hectares of land and 286 animals. Over the years, it grew larger, reaching 18 hectares by 1926. In 1933, a special area called the "green platform" was created for young animals that needed care. In 1990, the zoo was renovated with new buildings and exhibits, including a sea aquarium and a section just for children. Today, the Moscow Zoo has more than 7,500 animals from about 1,000 different species and covers 21.5 hectares of land.

Moscow Zoo Museum

The Moscow Zoo Museum opened in 2008 inside a beautiful old building from the 1800s. Since 2015, everyone can visit it. Inside, you can see exhibits about the history of the Moscow Zoo and many interesting things about nature. The museum has over 10,000 zoo logos from around the world, plus many paintings, sculptures, and drawings made by famous Russian artists who love animals, like Vasily Vatagin, Alexei Komarov, and Alexei Tsvetkov.

Research & Educational Center

The Moscow Zoo has its own educational institute and research center. It offers training for zoo staff and teachers, along with continuing education for zoo and aquarium workers, veterinarians, and volunteers. There are also special courses in zoo psychology. Since the Soviet period, the Moscow Zoo has led all zoos in Russia, making it a national training center. This center was founded in 2017 by the current director Svetlana Akulova and Björn Stenvers.

Animals & Exhibits

Old Territory exhibits

Flamingo Pond

• Greater flamingo
• American flamingo

Black bears

• Asian black bear

Fauna of China

• Giant panda

Bird World

• Scarlet Macaw
• Green-winged Macaw
• Military Macaw
• Blue-and-Yellow Macaw
• Blue-throated Macaw
• Yellow-faced Amazon
• Umbrella Cockatoo
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
• Cockatiel
• Budgerigar
• Eclectus Parrot

Elephant Museum

• Indian elephant
• Bush hyrax

New Territory exhibits

Animal Island

Outdoors:

• Asiatic lion
• Spotted hyena
• Kamchatka brown bear
• Golden jackal
• Sloth bear
• Striped hyena
• Siberian tiger

Indoors (Exotarium):

Polar World

• Polar bear

Tur Hill

• East Caucasian tur

Animals of Africa

• South African giraffe
• Grévy's zebra
• Common ostrich
• Slender-tailed meerkat
• Sable antelope
• Kirk's dik-dik
• Honey badger

Other Animals

• Golden eagle
• Bald eagle
• Griffin vulture

Former exhibits

Dolphinarium

From 2001 to 2014, the Moscow Zoo had a special area for marine animals. It was closed because of concerns about how the animals were cared for.

• Beluga whale
• Common bottlenose dolphin

Directors

The Moscow Zoo has had many directors over the years. Some of the directors include Yakov Kalinovsky from 1864 to 1867, Sergey Usov from 1867 to 1873, Alexandr Maklakov from 1878 to 1880, and Vladimir Popov from 1878 to 1881. Later directors included Vladimir Wagner, Nikolai Kulagin, Alexandr Walter, and Ippolit Antushevich. More recent directors are Svetlana Akulova, who has been leading the zoo since 2016.