Now you can often hear the phrase "contact zoo." First, we explain the meaning of this concept. Even the ancient Greeks noticed that after talking with animals, people began to feel better. Horseback riding, they cured neurotic conditions. And the ancient Egyptians, to relieve stress, stroked cats, which were very revered in this country. In India, patients were advised to listen to birdsong. This helped them get to their feet faster.
What is a contact zoo?
The Contact Zoo in our time is a specially created institution that contains animals that you can come to, pet, touch, feed, play. Such a zoo contains only peaceful animals that cannot harm a person. There are no predators. These are mainly pigs, sheep, rabbits, goats, hens and chickens, ducks and ducklings, ponies and guinea pigs, peacocks and chinchillas, hedgehogs and alpacas.
Children who grow up in cities rarely see pets, and have absolutely no opportunity to communicate with them close. Coming to contact zoos, children learn a lot of new things, join the wonderful world of wildlife surrounding us.
Corners of the nature of the Vologda region
Recently opened near Vologda contact zoos. One is located on the outskirts of the city, on the Ring Road, called the "Village". The other is located near the Kuben River and Lake Kubensky and is called the Vysokovskoye exopark.
Both facilities await guests all year round. They are allowed to feed the animals, bringing their vegetables or buying them at the entrance. In addition to enclosed enclosures with animals, in the territory of Vologda contact zoos there are also children's entertainment areas where kids can spend free time. They usually go to such zoos as a whole family for the whole day. They are located in picturesque natural places. In the article, we will consider each of them separately, find out what they have in common, how they differ, how to get there.
Exopark "Vysokovskoe"
This contact zoo of Vologda is located at a fairly large distance from the city. To get to the place, you have to catch a bus following the route Vologda - Ust-Kubenskoye. You need to go to a stop called "Vysokovskaya Zapan". But that is not all. Next you need to go to the village of Anagnino. This can be done on the way or by taxi. It is more convenient to drive, of course, in your own car. Before reaching the bridge over the Kuben river, you need to turn off the road to the right and follow the signs to the village of Ananyino along the river bank.
Due to the fact that it is difficult for Vologda residents to get to the contact zoo, they set up a recreation center where you can come as a family for a couple of days, calmly walk along a beautifully furnished area with bridges, along stone-lined paths. In addition to communicating with representatives of the fauna, you can visit many other excursions that are interesting for both children and adults. The base has 30 comfortable modern rooms, there is a kitchen, satellite TV, fireplaces. In the kitchen of the base, people can cook any food for themselves. Dishes attached.
Animal therapy
But the main service of the institution is animal therapy or animal treatment. On the territory of the contact zoo in Ust-Kubensky (Vologda) there are such exotic animals as ostriches and peacocks, chickens and pheasants, rabbits and ferrets, raccoon stripes and foxes, owls and exotic American rabbits. One rabbit is considered a big celebrity of the park, it is the size of a five year old child.
Zoo employees are engaged in environmental and biological education of children and their parents. Each cell contains all the information about the animal, what it eats, where it lives, what it likes to do, its characteristic features. Beasts can feed everyone except the ostrich. He is very fastidious in food, and his employees select a special diet.
In addition to healthy animals, employees of the institution are engaged in caring for abandoned or injured animals. They explain to the children that our smaller brothers should be treated with care, not to offend them, to love, to care for, because these are living creatures. They are the same inhabitants of planet Earth, like people. We are part of wildlife.
You can visit this wonderful exopark at any time. It is open both in winter and in summer. It works seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrance ticket for adults will cost 100 rubles, and for children even less - 50. Kids under three years old are allowed free of charge.
"Village"
Very close to Vologda is the contact zoo "Village". This institution is located within the city limits, which is very convenient for visitors with young children. Many mothers bring here for familiarization of babies who are from 1.5 to 3 years old. Children see domestic animals for the first time, are very pleased that everyone can be stroked, fed, carefully examined. Many animals simply freely move around the zoo, without any cages and fences. Often, visitors prepare in advance for the trip, buy vegetables, fruits, seeds, cereals.
Parents of children are absolutely calm for the health of the kids, as all animals undergo a medical examination and are healthy. They are well-groomed, all active, they are not afraid of people, calmly react to the fact that the children are stroking them.
There is a small but cozy cafe on the territory of the zoo where you can take a break, drink and have a snack, warm yourself with hot tea in the winter, and sell fresh and delicious pastries.
The staff organized several educational excursions, riding lessons. Children ride not only on horses and ponies, but even on camels and donkeys. After visiting the contact zoo in Vologda "Village", the memory photos remain unique. Children, looking at the pictures, will remember the animals, consolidating their knowledge about them, will remember what they fed the animals. This is a very useful experience that will help kids get to know our smaller brothers better. From early childhood, they learn to protect and love nature, treat animals with care, love them and care for them.
Birthdays for kids are also organized at the zoo. They invite the guests of the child and spend the whole day in the fresh air, playing with animals, riding horses and having lunch in the cafe. And the children are happy, and parents are not so troublesome.
additional information
The "Village" works all days of the week, except Monday. Opening hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the summer, when it later darkens, the zoo closes at 19:00. A ticket costs 100 rubles. At the weekend - 150 rubles. Ride a horse - 100 rubles.
Vologda Contact Zoo: how to get there?
You can get to the zoo by trolleybus number 4 and buses number 6, 23, 29, 35, 38, 40. You need to go to the stop "Regional Children's Hospital". Personal vehicles go along Okruzhnaya, before turning to Burtsevo.
Bring joy to close communication with animals to your children, come to contact zoos. There, the children have only smiles on their faces.