History

History

Novosibirsk Zoo - the 1st zoological park in Siberia founded by the initiative of M.D. Zverev on 29.08.1947 for a long time remained the only zoo in Siberia. The collection of animals numbered 34 mammal species and 20 bird species.
All these years Novosibirsk Zoo has been enriching its collection. Extensive correspondence, different trips within the country and abroad, negotiations, direct exchanges yielded one of the country's richest and most unique collections.
Presently the park occupies the territiry of 53 hectares and demostrates 11000 specimens of 634 species. More than 120 of the species are considered to be rare and endangered and are listed in the international Red Book; about 180 - in the Red Book of Russia and Cis; internationalStudbooks are kept for 38 species.
The zoo staf is involved into 45 international programs to preserve rare and endangered species.
Novosibirsk Zoo possesses one of the world best collections of the Felidae and the Mustelidae. The zoo is a member of the 3 International Associations.
Thanks to the zoo staff real enthusiasts - profound research work has been done on the preservation of rare and endangered species of the globe. The staff members have published more than 50 research works on the keeping, breeding and postnatal development of rare and endangered species.
The first in the histoory of the zoos offspring of such rare species as Lutra lutra, Vormela peregusna, Falcipennis falcipennis, Ovis nivicola nivicola, Ovis nivicola borealis etc. were born in the Novosibirsk Zoo.
Ours is the only zoo in the world to have bred such species as Argali and Liger (the hybrid of the Bengalensis Tiger female and the African Lion male). Novosibirsk Zoo cooperates with more than 150 zoos throughout the world.
In cooperation with the Institute of Systematization and Ecology of Animals there have been organized a nursery for the rare species in the bio-station in Karasuk where the scientists work together to study the biology and breeding of rare species.
Together with the Czech colleagues Novosibirsk Zoo carries out a scientific research work studying the tranmigration of the black storks from their winter stay.
It is an active promoter of ecological knowledge and founder of the Young Naturalists Associations (groups). Annually more than 1000 of topic excursions and about 150 guest lections take place. It also set up a school of horse-riding. More than 1 000 000 people visit the zoo annually.