What could be more relaxing than having a weekend trip to the zoo? Especially if we add that it’s about the best zoo in Ukraine and one of the best zoos in Europe? It is definitely worth seeing, isn’t it? So when planning your tour of Ukraine, you shall ask your beloved Russian bride to accompany you through this zoo trip. And besides, it is considered to be one of the best places to make open-air photo sessions. So stand by to having a great time!
Nikolaev Zoo is more than 100 years old. It was founded by Mayor Nikolay P. Leontovich on 26 April 1901. Aquarium – the first name of the Zoo – was the mayor’s private collection. This collection became very popular in Russia and in Europe before the October Revolution of 1917. After the war, the collection was nationalized, and fortunately, only by blind luck, Leontovich was appointed its director. He did his best and made massive efforts to popularization of his darling creation. In 1925 zoological department was opened in Aquarium and it was renamed into Aquarium/Zoo. After 1925 the Zoo territory has been enlarged; different species such as wolves, monkeys, camels, yaks, buffaloes and many others were bought for the collection. Since those times the Zoo has a wide collection of birds, from hummingbirds to the mountain eagles. The staff carefully gathered the rare plants on the territory. Today this collection estimated 2700 individuals and 370 species, among them more than 80 species entered into the International Red Book. It should be mentioned that approximately 50 species are presented only in Nikolaev Zoo. The zoo itself occupies the territory of 23 hectares.
Nikolaev Zoo became a member of European Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1993. It takes part in different world programs for breeding rare species (EEP). It is the only Ukrainian Zoo to have a banner, a jubilee coin of 2 hryvnas, minted by the National Bank of Ukraine for the anniversary of Nikolaev Zoo and a hymn, the words of which remind of the English Nobel laureate Joseph Rudyard Kipling and his “The Jungle Book”. The emblem of the Zoo is considered to be a sculpture of Mowgly and Bagheera, fictional characters of Kipling stories. The sculpture by Inna Makushina was erected in 1978 before the entrance of the Zoo.
The antic corner, Chinese pagoda, the Bear restaurant above the bear burrow cages, savannah-like territory for lions and tigers…all this is only a small part of the rich Zoo collection. Bears and meerkats, flamingoes and White Scavenger Vultures, crocodiles and pythons, zebras and monkeys are waiting for you.
Nikolaev Zoo – Should You Visit?