Description of the attraction
The Moscow Zoo has many titles, awards and regalia, but none of them are able to convey the joy and delight of its visitors. Every day hundreds and thousands of guests get the opportunity to get acquainted with representatives of the animal world living on different continents of our planet. The capital's zoo has the status of the leading one among its peers in Russia … The headquarters of the Euro-Asian Association of Zoos and Aquariums is located on its territory.
The history of the creation of the zoo in Moscow
The initiative to create the Moscow Zoo belongs to the members of the Imperial Russian Society for the Acclimatization of Animals and Plants, established in 1856. Zoological scientists were well aware that zoological gardens provide unique opportunities for studying different types of animals, their habits and behaviors. The idea of biologists to create the Moscow Zoo was brought to life in January 1864. The opening was attended by members of the imperial family.
The first inhabitants of the Moscow Zoo arrived in the capital in a variety of ways. The largest contribution to the park's collection in every sense was made by His Imperial Majesty Alexander II, who presented a whole Indian elephant to the newly opened menagerie. The collection of representatives of the Australian fauna was presented to the zoo by the team of the frigate "Svetlana", which returned from around the world. The Parisian acclimatization garden presented to the Russian colleagues an impressive group of representatives of the European fauna, and in the Vitebsk province, by order of the Governor-General, the capture of local animals began - wolverines, bison, otters and beavers. The clergy also took part in replenishing the collection. Thanks to the efforts of the abbot of the Valaam Monastery, reindeer and seals appeared in the park, living in the basin of Lake Ladoga. Patrons donated considerable funds for the organization of the zoo, and acquired whole mobile menageries with exotic animals.
The patronage of the Moscow Zoo, as well as of the Imperial Russian Society for the Acclimatization of Animals and Plants, took over Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder … However, his name did not make the zoo's existence much easier. When the fanfare at the opening ceremony died down, the institution, deprived of full support from the state, quickly found itself in dire financial conditions. The few donations were irregular, and the ticket proceeds did not cover the huge costs of maintaining the park's facilities and animals. The founding society was forced to sell some of the inhabitants to European zoos, resulting in even fewer visitors. The transfer of the object to a private lease did not save the situation either. The debts of the zoo by the beginning of the twentieth century exceeded 100 thousand rubles.
The coming year of 1905 and the revolutionary events brought considerable destruction to the zoo. Located in the very center of Moscow, it was partially burned down, and many buildings and buildings were destroyed. This was followed by a flood in 1913 and revolutionary events in 1917. It seemed that the existence of the Moscow Zoological Garden could have been put an end to, but its workers did not give up. Their enthusiasm and dedication in fighting for the interests of the park's inhabitants paid off. In 1919, the main zoological garden of Russia was nationalized and significant funds from the city treasury began to be allocated for the costs of its maintenance. Professors from Moscow University were appointed director M. M. Zavadovsky, who took the initiative to annex a neighboring plot of land to the zoo in order to increase the area for keeping animals.
In the 1920s, heights were built on the new territory, a room for keeping primates was built and pavilion "Polar World" … Near the zoo appeared planetarium … Expanding the boundaries of the object and innovations related to the free display of animals gave rise to renaming the zoo into a zoo. At the same time, research laboratories were created, expositions appeared where you could see a variety of insects, amphibians and reptiles, and the KYBZ (circle of young biologists of the zoo) began to work for young naturalists.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a building was erected at the entrance to the Zoological Garden of the capital, in which an aquarium was placed. This is how the old idea of Russian ichthyologists, who received a laboratory for scientific research, came to life.
In the 30s, the Moscow Zoo opens young animals' playground and a complete rebuilding of the housing for elephants, sea lions and hippos. The parrots receive the renovated apartments, the veterinary service of the park moves to a modern premises. Muscovites willingly come to the zoo with their whole families, and it is becoming one of the most popular places for recreation in the capital.
War years and recovery
The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War did not bypass the Moscow Zoo either. A month after its announcement, the first bombs hit the park, as a result of which many utility rooms burned down. Some of the enclosures and pens with animals were also badly damaged, and therefore the leadership was it was decided to send the inhabitants of the park to evacuation … Some of the animals were taken to Sverdlovsk, others to Stalingrad, and some of the inhabitants of the Moscow Zoo heroically endured the hardships of the war right in the capital. Thanks to the courage and heroism of the employees, part of the park worked even in the most severe days of the war. In the winter of 1941, an anti-aircraft battery and an ammunition depot were placed on the new territory, and the Island of Animals turned into a defensive point. The animals were moved or taken away, and only one bear remained on the island, which had dug out a den and went into hibernation.
The post-war restoration of the Moscow zoo required a lot of effort and resources, but by the end of the 60s the number and variety of animals had surpassed all pre-war indicators. At the same time, problems began with the accommodation of newly arriving representatives of the animal kingdom: the old squares, aviaries and cages could not accommodate all the guests. For its centenary anniversary, the Moscow Zoo arranged a major overhaul of several buildings and premises, but major reconstructions were ahead.
In 2014, the zoo celebrated 150 years since its foundation … A large-scale reconstruction has renewed the appearance of the park and the places where animals are kept. The circle of pony riding has changed, representatives of the animal kingdom of Australia and South America received rebuilt aviaries. In the zoo, exhibitions began to work, telling visitors about reptiles and amphibians, and in the opened greenhouse, the public was presented with several dozen species of exotic plants and animals.
Expositions, events, excursions
The Moscow Zoo operates about fifty expositions and exhibition complexes, among which the most popular are both the old thematic sections that have existed since the opening of the park, and completely new ones.
A variety of excursions offered by the park to visitors make the walk informative and rich … For example, while exploring the greenhouse, guests of the park will learn a lot about the life of butterflies and amphibians. An excursion dedicated to birds is held in the renovated aviaries, which are home to dozens of bird species from all over the world. The pavilion with monkeys, popular at all times, still enjoys special attention of guests today. On excursions in this part of the zoo, visitors are introduced to the diversity of the primate world, the behavior of four-handed people and the possibilities of their domestication and training. It is always crowded in the elephant house of the Moscow Zoo. The renovated complex for keeping elephants appeared in the park in 2003 to replace the outdated one. The housewarming made the inhabitants happy, and in 2009 the first elephant calf was born at the Moscow Zoo.
For young visitors to the park and young people who are fond of zoology, the zoo works circle of young biologists, founded in the 20s of the last century. Young naturalists can offer their scientific works to the annual competition, and the participants of the theatrical studio are happy to play in the performances of the Tik-Tak Children's Theater.
Famous animals and interesting facts
In the book “Moscow Zoological Park. Pages of History”, published in 2004, you can find a lot of unique information about the history and development of the zoological park, beloved by many generations of Russian citizens:
- For example, the collection of mammals exceeds 170 species today, there are more than 300 species of birds … The zoo is home to a population of ducks that fly away to warmer regions every winter and return in spring.
- Throughout the existence of the Moscow Zoo, it has kept animals that have become famous not only for regular visitors. Especially famous wolf Argo, born in 1924 at the Moscow Zoo. Argo was a favorite pupil of Vera Chaplina, an animal writer whose work is inextricably linked with the zoo. Chaplin met Argo when he was still a wolf cub, and she herself was a member of the youth circle. The wolf, raised by Chaplina, starred in several films and became the hero of her story from the collection "My Pupils". Orangutan Phryne brought up by the Russian zoologist Mikhail Velichkovsky. She came to the zoo in the 20s. The appearance of the great ape quite naturally attracted the attention of Muscovites, and the park's attendance instantly doubled. Phryne also starred in films and became the heroine of a series of transparencies released by Vera Chaplina.
- On the occasion of the anniversary dates of the Moscow Zoo, series of postage stamps, which depicted rare and exotic animals and typical representatives of the fauna of the Russian middle zone.
- In 1994, in the Volokolamsk region was organized zoo nursery near Moscow, where breeding pairs are formed and new methods of keeping and breeding rare animals are developed. The nursery is home to the rarest representatives of the fauna - Far Eastern leopards, Amur tigers, Trans-Baikal Pallas' cat and red wolves.
The widely introduced modern technologies have not bypassed the oldest Russian zoo either. In 2016, wireless Internet appeared on the territory of the park, available to all visitors, and in 2017 it was released application for mobile phones with audio guide and navigator around the territory … The application is voiced by a famous Russian TV journalist and professor at Moscow State University Nikolay Nikolaevich Drozdov.
On a note
- Location: Moscow, st. B. Gruzinskaya, 1
- Nearest metro stations: Krasnopresnenskaya, Barrikadnaya
- Official website: moscowzoo.ru
- Opening hours: in winter (from the end of November): from 9:00 to 17:00; March - April: from 9:00 to 18:00; May - August: from 7:30 to 20:00 (pavilions - from 9:00); September - November: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
- Tickets: Adults - 500 rubles. Free - full-time students, disabled people, pensioners and children under 17, families with three or more children, conscripts, combatants.
Reviews
| All reviews 5 Fedor 2015-21-07 16:06:39
Zoo is the best place After the renovation, the Moscow Zoo has changed, it has become larger, cleaner, more spacious. The animals are lucky, they even live better than some people in Moscow.
