Kaliningrad Zoo is one of the oldest in Russia. Founded back in the 19th century, it is also the largest in terms of occupied area. The most amazing animals live here. The zoo wins even in comparison with Moscow, surpassing it in the number and diversity of inhabitants.
History of occurrence
For more than 100 years, the Kaliningrad Zoo has been pleasing local residents and visitors. It was founded in 1896, the first director was Herman Klaass. It was still in Koenigsberg. Then on its territory was located about 900 representatives of the animal world. By the beginning of World War I, the size of the park zone increased to 16 hectares, and the number of inhabitants exceeded 2000. The war made adjustments, the park was closed to visitors, and all the premises were used as warehouses for weapons and uniforms.
After World War I, the restoration of lost beauty went slowly, only closer to the 40s of the 20th century the park was properly repaired, offspring from many species were obtained: tigers, leopards, penguins, sea lions. The ensuing World War II virtually wiped the Kaliningrad Zoo from the face of the earth. Only four animals survived. But already in 47, he was again rebuilt and opened, and with the help of other zoos he quickly restored his collections.
Zoo symbol
As already mentioned, only 4 inhabitants managed to survive the storm of Koenigsberg by Soviet troops. Among them was a seriously injured hippopotamus, who miraculously managed to get out. It was the beginning of a new era in the life of the zoo, the first large animal. It was this pet that became a legend, and its image is placed on the flag placed at the entrance.
Park Attractions
Today, the Kaliningrad Zoo is not just a place of entertainment for people, but also a unique monument of wildlife. Magnificent green design, a huge number of various shrubs and flowers complements and decorates the mountainous terrain. Spacious enclosures, ponds and grazing areas are designed so that visitors can observe the life of animals without disturbing them and being safe.
The zoo in Kaliningrad has about 2500 individuals belonging to 300 species, 51 of which are listed in the Red Book. On the territory of the park, these animals feel good and regularly produce offspring. This is not enough to restore the population, but it makes it possible to preserve the unique representatives of the animal world.
In the center of the park there is a fountain, the largest and most beautiful in the city. The height of the jets reaches 18 meters. There are benches and gazebos throughout the area for socializing and family picnics. Today, many urban projects are associated with this park, it is planned to renew the tradition of holding musical evenings, to introduce a celebration of park anniversaries in the style of “Night at the Museum”.
The zoo has beautiful animal sculptures: the figure of an elk made of bronze, a statue of an orangutan made of stone and others. The entrance is decorated with group sculptural portraits of animals.
Local inhabitants: mammals
The most interesting animals of the Kaliningrad Zoo are large representatives of this class. What is only an aviary with bears! There is always a crowd of visitors near it, and clubfoot, like real artists, show a whole show program. The Bear Cliff is arranged in such a way that animals walk very close to people, only a low fence encloses them, but a deep ditch is specially made in front of it so that powerful animals do not threaten the lives of visitors. Here live white, brown, Himalayan bears and grizzlies. Outwardly, they are good-natured enough, but do not risk putting children on the barrier so that they do not fall inside. Beasts perceive such an incident as an attack on their territory.
A swimming pool with pinnipeds is the love of children and adults. Funny seals are practically not afraid of people. Offspring are often here, among adult individuals you can see charming snow-white babies. Not far, in a huge aviary, hippos settled down. These are real centenarians who delight visitors for fifty years or more.
Along the perimeter of the zoo are enclosures with ungulates: bison, zebras, deer, tours, rams.
Feathered friends
A variety of birds amazes and delights. Here live many rare species or even listed in the Red Book. 6 species of cranes, 4 species of swans live here: black, mute swan, trumpeter, chernosheyny. There are pelicans, flamingos, birds of prey, exotic parrots and others. This is a real "flower garden", which I want to admire, moving from pond to pond, from one nesting place to another! Not so long ago, horned crows appeared here. Visitors especially love the talking raven, Yasha.
Reptiles and Amphibians
This interesting collection includes about 60 different types of crawling and floating creatures. The terrarium is located in a building that has been preserved since the time of Koenigsberg, although it has undergone reconstruction. Here you can get acquainted with small geckos and huge pythons, various frogs, Australian blue frog and poisonous toad. Crocodiles and turtles live in the terrarium in winter, and in summer they move to street ponds.
Underwater world
Today, the building of the aquarium accommodates relatively few inhabitants, only about 60 species of fish. A new building is being built in the winter garden, which will receive much more both marine and river residents. It is planned to settle stingrays and other interesting inhabitants.
Tropical animals
They attract tourists more than others. Where else can you see close to a white elephant - a real giant sushi? An aviary with a white rhinoceros, a beautiful, but very warlike and dangerous animal, should not be ignored either. But huge African ostriches - proud, but sociable birds. They are happy to come close to visitors and pose. Giraffes are no less good-natured and very beautiful. Funny tapirs and dwarf hippos, grunting in the manner of domestic piglets, cause only emotion.
A nice feature of this zoo is that the enclosures are not fenced with bars, and the visitors' safety is guarded by deep ditches and a low fence with spikes. Therefore, it seems that you are walking next to animals, and they are in a natural environment.
Arboretum
Exotic plants park is another reason to visit the Kaliningrad Zoo. Photos taken here will please you with their brightness for many years. Colorful representatives of the park are not only animals, but also the rarest plants. The most famous, the plant that every visitor comes to look at, is the ginkgo tree, the same age as the dinosaurs. This is a relict view.
Communication with animals
Walking in the park is very interesting, but tiring for children. For this, there are convenient carts that every visitor can take. For the kid, the trip turns into an adventure, because you can not only look at everything around, but also ride at the same time, and adults do not have to carry a tired child in their arms.
Especially for curious fidgets, a jump-skok platform has been created. Here, children can play with little Angora and Cameroonian kids. Sometimes other charming kids of the animal world appear on the site. Nearby, a pony horse rides everyone in the cart.
A circle of a young biologist
Adolescents aged 11-13 years are happy to be admitted as young. Zoo caretakers show them several wards, learn how to care for them, conduct training sessions. This fosters kindness and responsibility in the younger generation, in addition, gives the right to visit the Kaliningrad Zoo for free. The ticket price for children is already quite affordable, 50 rubles, but in the mug the child receives access to the kindergarten as a bonus to the kids who are artificially fed by zoo workers. For adults, the price of admission is 100 rubles.
Zoo working hours
If you live in Kaliningrad or intend to stay in this beautiful city that has preserved the features of German architecture, then do not forget to visit the zoo. The address is Prospect Mira, 26. You can get on any public transport: bus, trolley or tram. Your children will be delighted with such an excursion. And adults are happy to visit the zoo (Kaliningrad). The working mode allows you to visit it all year round, in the summer from 9:00 to 19:00, and in winter excursions end 2 hours earlier. Please note that in the cold season, heat-loving animals are transferred to covered rooms, and it is almost impossible to see them.
The park works seven days a week, but individual pavilions have their own timetable. So, the aquarium and the terrarium are open from 10 am, weekends - Monday and Tuesday.
You will get a lot of pleasant impressions, relax on the shady alleys and get acquainted with the most interesting representatives of the animal world.