The Moscow Zoological Park

The Moscow Zoological Park had a long way from a small zoo to a large scientific, cultural, educational and nature protection institution. The Moscow zoo was organized by Russian Imperial Society of acclimatization of animals and plants in the middle of the XIX-th century; it was opened for public on February, 13th, 1864. Professor of the Moscow University Anatoly Petrovich Bogdanov became one of the main initiators of its creation. The fact of the organisation of a zoo was a very important event in a cultural life of Moscow because it was the first attempt of creation of such scientific institution - "a live museum on open air" as professor A. P.Bogdanov spoke. Besides, it was a unique experiment on the zoo organization in rather severe climatic conditions of the central Russia in those times.

Zoo financing was realized by the entrance fee and thanks to private donations, including contributions from members of an imperial family. In the first years inhabitants of the capital were visiting the zoo willingly, and the annual number of visitors reached ten thousand. People had a possibility to familiarise with an impressive collection numbering of about 134 domestic and 160 wild animals.

However incomes did not pay back expenses of the Zoo. That why it did not have enough money for acquisition and maintenance of animals, repair and building of buildings and cages. Huge debts were formed. The town council refused to give the help, therefore the Zoo was grant on lease to private businessmen - the Ryabinins family. For four years of managing the Ryabinins reduced the Zoo to ruin. It was transformed into purely entertainment pleasure institution. In 1878 the Zoo was  returned in the order of the Society of acclimatisation of animals and plants, and gathering of money resources was begun. For some time the Society returned the activity of the Zoo back, even new animals were bought. But there had come 1905 - and the Zoo appeared in the centre of revolutional fights. It was strongly suffered: buildings were destroyed, the library was burnt down, many animals were lost. And again the Society of acclimatisation of animals and plants had to transfer the Zoo in private hands.

After October revolution the Society stopped its existence, and in 1919 the Zoo was nationalised. In 1922 it was transferred in conducting of Mossovet and since then was financed by the city authorities. The Zoo area was increased almost twice.

Since 1926 the Zoo began to be called as Zoological park. The sphere of its activity extended: the collection of animals increased, scientifically-educational and research divisions, scientific laboratories on veterinary science, biology and feeding were created, the Club of young biologists of the zoo was founded. In the New territory attached to the zoo modern expositions for those years were opened. Visitors could walk on paths in spacious shelters for deer and fallow deer. The most interesting construction similar to a high rock, was named by "Island of animals". Large animals - bears, tigers, lions and others - were separated from visitors only by deep ditches here - dry or filled with water.

In the thirties an absolutely unique division was created in the zoo: for the first time in the world practice at educational department the so-called "exit" section which employees went in schools, high schools, clubs, pioneer camps for reading lectures with demonstration of live animals was organised. Such form of work was very successful when there was no modern radio, TV and video programs.

The zoo continued working and during the II World War - since 1941 till 1945 it was visited by more than 6 million persons. During this period zoo structure included also a Zoocombine, the industrial enterprise and a corner of Durov. After the end of war these organisations became independent and left zoo structure. In the late sixties the zoo was attached to system of Central administrative board of Culture. Its collection increased to 3,5 thousand individuals, 500 kinds and subspecies.

In 1970-90th years the Moscow zoo considerably expanded its international activity: exchanges of animals with many zoos of the world are constantly carried out, the zoo participates in a big number of international programs of the maintenance and cultivation of rare species of animals, makes information interchange and experience. Experts of a zoo visit international conferences and meetings and receive foreign colleagues.

Despite a big successes reached by the zoo in business of preservation of rare species of animals, its condition caused big fears because pavilions, open-air cages and communications gradually came to full worthlessness. Necessity of improvement of conditions of animals maintenance was obvious. The history of working out of the project of reconstruction of the oldest zoo of the country is long and uneasy. Reconstruction plans were started to be developed in the early seventies. However, because of economic and social problems, the most part of ideas were not embodied in a reality. At last, in the early nineties the new government of Moscow headed by the mayor of a city Jury Mihajlovichem Luzhkov, made the decision on necessity of realisation of works on general reconstruction of the Moscow zoo, and in 1990 long-awaited activity was begun. According to plans of the Government of Moscow, the first stage of reconstruction was finished to the 850 anniversary of Moscow, i.e. by 1997. 

In 1994-95 the big pond for a waterfowl and flamingos, expositions of horses Przhevalsky and antelopes, open-air cages of cheetahs and bears, «the Polar world» in which polar bears and other polar animals live were reconstructed. On a pond of the "second" territory islands and a small house for gibbons were built.  

The new economic building and scientifically-veterinary complex were constructed. Near to a zoo front entrance expositions of Australia where it is possible to look at a kangaroo, black swans and emu were opened. And in 1996 the front entrance with small artificial falls was anew created. Building of "the House of birds" and open-air cages for penguins with small pool was also finished.

 Since 1991 it was reconstructed and constructed about 50 constructions in the zoo. Zoo reconstruction in such impressing scale became possible only thanks to the Government of Moscow and personal participation of the mayor of the city of JU. M.Luzhkov.

It is possible to name a reconstruction of the Moscow zoo almost unique, or at least by one of exclusively rare examples of a situation when for such a short term all expositions were updated and about 50 new objects were constructed . It was extremely difficult to employees of the zoo to work in so intense conditions, but they did the best efforts to keep valuable collection of animals. We are glad, that by 850-year-old anniversary of Moscow inhabitants and visitors of our capital could see a remarkable collection of animals in the fine looked young zoo.