History of the Moscow zoo

The Moscow Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in Europe. It was opened on January 31, 1864 according to the old style and was then called the zoo. The Moscow Zoo was organized by the Russian Imperial Society for the Acclimatization of Animals and Plants.

By the opening of the zoo, it contained 134 specimens of domestic animals, 153 specimens of wild animals and birds and 7 specimens of reptiles. The Russian fauna was best represented: bears, wolves, foxes, badgers, ferrets, martens, hares, squirrels, hedgehogs, deer, falcons, hawks, owls, owls, bustards, cranes, herons, ducks. The creators of the garden wanted to show the audience first of all our native nature. There were also exotic animals at the exhibition – 2 lions, a jaguar, 2 tigers, a leopard, a rhinoceros, an alligator.

The creators of the zoo had the goal not only to create a public educational and scientific institution, but also meant the practical use of the collection. Many domestic animals of the best breeds for that time were kept here, work was carried out on acclimatization of foreign pedigreed animals to improve domestic breeds, all kinds of exhibitions of various domestic animals were constantly held, at which Russian owners could not only get acquainted with advanced world experience, but also acquire pedigreed animals.

The Acclimatization Society conducted an active publishing activity and maintained relations with foreign scientific societies.Animals for the zoo were bought, expeditions to nature were sent for them, many, especially large ones, were given by important people, for example, an Indian elephant was presented by Tsar Alexander II, a rhinoceros by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich Romanov, a zebra by the Egyptian Khedive Izmail Pasha.
The patrons of the Acclimatization Society and the Zoological Garden were also very famous people, members of the royal family, Grand Dukes Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder, and then Sergei Alexandrovich.

In 1922, the zoo was taken over by the Moscow City Council and has been on the budget of the city ever since.The zoo experienced a difficult time not only during the revolutions and in the 20s, but also during the Great Patriotic War.

The zoo was staffed by people who loved animals very much and in any situation, first of all, tried to protect them. When incendiary bombs fell on the zoo, employees were near their pets around the clock. They brought blankets from the house and closed the broken windows, calmed the frightened animals during the raids.

In the post-war period, the zoo continued to conduct a very large educational and scientific work. Ties with foreign zoos multiplied and strengthened, and active work was carried out on breeding rare species in captivity.

From the very beginning, when creating the zoo, one of its most important tasks was to organize educational and educational work among visitors. Nowadays, this activity has not only been preserved, but has also become more diverse.
The zoo hosts a variety of group tours and talks, during which visitors are introduced to the diversity of the animal world, the biology of individual species, environmental problems and nature conservation. The zoo conducts lecture work not only on its territory, but also in schools, clubs, palaces and parks of culture, summer camps, orphanages and boarding schools, libraries, sanatoriums and other institutions in Moscow and the Moscow region. Lectures are accompanied by a display of tamed animals and invariably arouse great interest among listeners, regardless of age and level of training.

Now the Moscow Zoo contains more than eight thousand animals belonging to more than a thousand species of world fauna. Some species have been bred by zoo specialists for the first time in the world. The Zoo is a member of the World and European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA, EAZA), the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA). Participates in many international programs for the conservation of endangered species of animals, cooperating with environmental organizations around the world.
In the center of a huge bustling city, in the same place, the zoo pleases visitors with a new, modern, beautiful appearance and always welcomes guests.