Limpopo Zoo is the first private zoo in Russia, open since 2003. It is located in the Sormovo District of Nizhny Novgorod, on the southwestern edge of Shveytsariya Park's Sormovo Park of Culture and Rest. Founded by Vladimir Gerasichkin, it became the city's second zoo — after the Mishutka Zoo in Sormovskiy Park, which opened eight years earlier. The zoo's founder, Vladimir Gerasichkin, an honorary citizen of Nizhny Novgorod, was inspired to create it by an owl he had rescued from a crow attack: a cage was built for the bird, which over time grew into a full-fledged zoo; later, a circus from Kostroma presented Gerasichkin with a wolf named Norman, and loggers handed over six young squirrels.[1][2]

Collection and Grounds

As of the most recent description, the zoo's collection comprises 230 species of animals — over 1,300 individuals in total. According to current data from the zoo's official website, the Limpopo collection includes more than 270 species and over 1,500 individuals, many of which are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.[4] Among the zoo's residents are the Amur tiger, Far Eastern leopard, polar bear, two giraffes, Malayan tapir, cassowary, musk oxen, and Arctic wolves; in 2023 the collection was expanded with rare mountain goats and musk oxen.[1] The zoo occupies an area of 7.1 hectares. Its animals are housed across two sites. The zoo includes the Amazonia complex, featuring a tropical botanical garden and the Night World exhibition; the grounds also host three museums — "Back to the USSR," "Weapons of Victory," and the samovar museum "The Culture of Tea Drinking" — as well as the children's zoo club Sovenok. In 2012, the zoo's collection was expanded with Madagascar lemurs brought from the Czech Republic.[4] Also in 2012, the zoo opened the Empire of the Incas enclosure complex and the hands-on petting zoo Russian Village.[4][3][2]

Life of the Zoo

City-wide and district-wide celebrations are held on the zoo's grounds. Annual events include the "Plant Your Own Tree" campaign, World Animal Day, and birthday celebrations for the larger animals. Names for newborn animals are often chosen by Nizhny Novgorod residents through themed competitions. In 2007 the zoo joined the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and in 2011 it received the "Pine Branch" award for ecological initiatives. The Kultura television channel filmed a 16-episode documentary series, "Dialogues About Animals," at the Limpopo Zoo.[4][1] In 2007, a bag containing a two-month-old female bear cub was found near the zoo's ticket booths; staff named her Lyalya, and she became the symbol of Limpopo. The zoo's official mascot is an owl — the first animal kept by the founder.[1][2] The zoo is noted as a place with exemplary animal care that sets Sormovo District apart from the city's other industrial districts. On TripAdvisor, Limpopo ranks in the top 3 zoos in Russia and holds 25th place among European zoos.[1]

Links

Sources

  1. sormlib.nnov.ru — According to current data from the zoo's official website, the Limpopo collection comprises more than 270 animal species and over 1,500 individuals, many of which are listed in the Red (archive)
  1. mag.russpass.ru — The zoo was founded by Vladimir Gerasichkin, an honorary citizen of Nizhny Novgorod: the impetus for establishing the menagerie was an owl he had rescued from an attack by crows, (archive)
  2. Wikipedia (ru) — Limpopo (zoo) (archive)
  3. nnzoo.ru — The zoo includes the Amazonia complex, which encompasses a tropical botanical garden and the "Night World" exhibit; the grounds also house three museums (archive)
Materials from the following articles were used (4)

Sormovo District, Sormovskiy Park, Mishutka Zoo, Krasnoye Sormovo Plant