Kiev Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Kiev Zoo is one of the biggest zoo
s in the former Soviet Union
and the only zoo in Kiev
, Ukraine
. Situated on about 40 hectare
s, the zoo is cared for by 378 staff members and receives about 280,000 visitors annually.
, as the zoo's founders had not found a suitable shelter to keep the animals in during cold weather. Eventually, the shelter was found in the Kiev Botanical Garden. As the zoo prospered, the number of animals had increased, limiting the space available. It was reported that stray animals frightened the employees of the garden.
Only 4 years after the zoo was founded it was given a relatively large, permanent area in the outskirts of Kiev. In 1913 the animals premises received heating.
Since 1914, as the political instability in Imperial Russia tightened, the development of the zoo was held up. Only after the Russian Revolution
ended did the zoo recover. During the 1940s (World War II
), Kiev was occupied by the Nazi
forces, and the zoo was being used by the German garrison
. Fortunately, the animals were evacuated out of Kiev, and later returned after the end of the war.
In 1970 the bird's pavilion was added, which is considered to be the largest in Europe to date. In 1982, the Animals Island was presented, separated from the visitors by small canal
s. The Animals Island houses the zoo's large cats (like lion
s and tiger
s).
In 1996 the zoo was admitted to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria
. However in 2007 it was expelled from the association over poor conditions and mistreatment of animals.
In 2008 some 51 animals died in the zoo. A series of controversial deaths also unfolded in 2010 when the 39 year old elephant of the zoo died on April 26, followed by a camel on May 26, and a bison on May 31. The city administration and the zoo authorities blamed poisoning of the animals as cause of the deaths, while animal rights activists accused the substandard living conditions, negligent handling and unqualified zoo administration.
In 2009 a Ukrainian postage stamp was introduced to mark the 100th anniversary of the zoo.
s. 130 different kinds of trees and bushes decorate the zoo's islands.
The zoo is also a research centre, working on acclimatization
of far land animals, preserving and reproduction of rare animals, such as the Amur tiger
s, bison
s, Przewalski's Horse
s and some others.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the only zoo in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Situated on about 40 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s, the zoo is cared for by 378 staff members and receives about 280,000 visitors annually.
History
The Kiev Zoo was first founded in 1908 by the Nature Lovers Society and was financed by various private donations. During its first years in business, the zoo experienced some hardships and therefore, did not contain many animals, just 17 different types. During the first winter the zoo was opened, the animals had to be kept in the food storage of the main Kiev railway stationKiev Passenger Railway Station
Kiev Passenger Railway Station is a complex of Kiev's Central Station and adjoining "Southern Station," plus the adjacent Suburban Station, together serving more than 170,000 passengers per day . "Southern Station" is a misnomer in virtually universal usage in Kiev, referring to an entrance on the...
, as the zoo's founders had not found a suitable shelter to keep the animals in during cold weather. Eventually, the shelter was found in the Kiev Botanical Garden. As the zoo prospered, the number of animals had increased, limiting the space available. It was reported that stray animals frightened the employees of the garden.
Only 4 years after the zoo was founded it was given a relatively large, permanent area in the outskirts of Kiev. In 1913 the animals premises received heating.
Since 1914, as the political instability in Imperial Russia tightened, the development of the zoo was held up. Only after the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
ended did the zoo recover. During the 1940s (World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
), Kiev was occupied by the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
forces, and the zoo was being used by the German garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
. Fortunately, the animals were evacuated out of Kiev, and later returned after the end of the war.
In 1970 the bird's pavilion was added, which is considered to be the largest in Europe to date. In 1982, the Animals Island was presented, separated from the visitors by small canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s. The Animals Island houses the zoo's large cats (like lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s and tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s).
In 1996 the zoo was admitted to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria
-External links:*...
. However in 2007 it was expelled from the association over poor conditions and mistreatment of animals.
In 2008 some 51 animals died in the zoo. A series of controversial deaths also unfolded in 2010 when the 39 year old elephant of the zoo died on April 26, followed by a camel on May 26, and a bison on May 31. The city administration and the zoo authorities blamed poisoning of the animals as cause of the deaths, while animal rights activists accused the substandard living conditions, negligent handling and unqualified zoo administration.
In 2009 a Ukrainian postage stamp was introduced to mark the 100th anniversary of the zoo.
Description
Nowadays the zoo occupies a territory of 40 hectares. The different landscape allows the relative comfort for animals in their artificial habitat. According to CBC "the zoo has 2,600 animals from 328 species", including a pair of elephantElephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s. 130 different kinds of trees and bushes decorate the zoo's islands.
The zoo is also a research centre, working on acclimatization
Acclimatization
Acclimatisation or acclimation is the process of an individual organism adjusting to a gradual change in its environment, allowing it to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions...
of far land animals, preserving and reproduction of rare animals, such as the Amur tiger
Amur Tiger
The Siberian tiger , also known as the Amur tiger, is a tiger subspecies inhabiting mainly the Sikhote Alin mountain region with a small subpopulation in southwest Primorye province in the Russian Far East. In 2005, there were 331–393 adult-subadult Amur tigers in this region, with a breeding adult...
s, bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
s, Przewalski's Horse
Przewalski's Horse
Przewalski's Horse or Dzungarian Horse, is a rare and endangered subspecies of wild horse native to the steppes of central Asia, specifically China and Mongolia.At one time extinct in the wild, it has been reintroduced to its native habitat in Mongolia at the Khustain Nuruu...
s and some others.
| Group | #Species | #Specimens |
|---|---|---|
| Birds | 98 | 593 |
| Mammals | 59 | 192 |
| Reptiles | 49 | 135 |
| Amphibians | 21 | 135 |
| Fish Fish Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups... |
58 | 530 |
| Invertebrates | 54 | 362 |
| Total: | 339 | 1947 |