Zoo of Almaty: inmates, photos and reviews

Zoo in Almaty is a unique landmark of Kazakhstan. Here you can see a lot of wild animals, including those listed in the Red Book, to admire the rare birds, fish and reptiles. Despite the fact that the administration of the institution in recent years has been criticized and attacked by the public, the authorities insist that the zoo of Almaty and its inhabitants is waiting for a bright future.

History of the complex

The history of the zoo begins back in 1937. The founder is Murzakhan Tolebayev, who was not only a professional hunter and connoisseur of wildlife, but also a great enthusiast. As a site for the future zoo, he chose the Gorky Central Park. On an area of more than 30 hectares in the fruit forest on the bank of the river, large-scale construction work began. Tolebayev not only personally followed their progress, he was engaged in the selection of animals. He went to Moscow to buy some species, for example, a bear and a lion. And the animals living in the Kazakh steppes, the director of the zoo caught personally. He replenished the collection with saigas, gazelles and mountain goats.

In November 37, the zoo opened for visitors and the first 2 days worked for free. Here you could see, besides the local ungulates, also a tiger, exotic snakes, a crocodile and other animals, birds and fish. The director's plans were to purchase an elephant, an apiary organization and other projects, but only after 2 months Tolibayev was arrested, documents on scientific and financial work of the zoo were confiscated, and in 38 he was shot. Later it turned out that the charge was false, and the name of Murzahan Tolebayev was included in the Book of Remembrance and rehabilitated.

In the future, the zoo continued to replenish its collection of fauna. So, here were kept animals from the Red Data Book of the USSR, for example Tien Shan Bear, Manul, Flamingo, Black Stork, Pink Pelican and others. From exotic animals Soviet citizens could see the black panther, Amur and Bengal tigers, jaguar, cheetah, Indian elephant and other rare and small representatives of the animal world. In total, in the Soviet era, the zoo of Almaty numbered 2,000 copies, of which 95 mammal species, more than 100 bird species, 80 fish species and nearly two dozen reptiles.

Park today

Back in the 80s of the last century, the zoo was allocated a large amount of additional space on the nearby slope of the hill under the expansion of the territory, but up to the year before last, these lands were not mastered, moreover, they were sold for the construction of residential complexes. This did not allow the ambitious plans of the old authorities to turn the Almaty zoo into the largest in the country.

In addition to the square, the zoo has problems with financing and even bigger - with its own image. Increasingly, the administration gets into scandalous headlines, which are connected with the death of animals, then with cutting down trees, then with corruption. The biggest scandals in the latest history of the zoo are the long-lost death of snow leopards and the deceased tigress. In the zoo of Almaty, nevertheless, there are also pleasant events, which are not very noticeable among these scandals, for example, the replenishment of local giraffes in the family.

Reviews about the zoo from residents and visitors of the city are often contradictory. Someone scolds the leadership for the lack of change and poor care for animals, however many reviews with good comments. Many people say that the zoo is developing, offering visitors new interesting objects.

Despite the problems with financing, new modern aviaries without cells are being built on money from the treasury and donations from patrons, new animals are being bought, and the already existing ones are looking good overall. Therefore, the modern zoo in Almaty is worthy to visit it, for example, with children or take a walk on a pleasant sunny day.

Collection of animals and birds

In total there are 7 different sections in the zoo, of which animals are represented in 4, this is:

• Predators;
• Mammals;
• primates;
• Ungulates.

And 2 more sections are devoted to birds - exotic and local. Many waterfowls live on six local water bodies, which are equipped with a zoo in Almaty. Photos of birds, especially such picturesque as flamingos, always please visitors of the park.

The most interesting animals, invariably leading visitors to delight, are elephants, zebras and rhinoceroses, giraffes and hippos. A large number of various ungulates and a lot of representatives of predatory felines live here.

Aquarium

In the pavilion of the "Marine Aquarium" is always crowded, which is not surprising. Here you can see the bright and unusual fish, for example, piranhas or a bright parrot fish, a scaly and a goldfish, as well as a variety of motley Asian fish. In addition to fish, live in the aquarium:

• Mollusks;
• crustaceans;
• Amphibians.

Exotarium

Relatively recently built indoor pavilion contained a large number of different turtles, reptiles and even insects. At different times for entry into the exotarium required an additional fee or entrance was free for a single ticket to the zoo.

Turtles here contain as many as 11 species, so that you can compare what the Caspian differs from the Seychelles, and the red-nosed - from the red-nosed. Lizards and snakes are waiting for visitors in the department of reptiles. There are pythons, cobras, and chameleons.

From insects and other small living creatures - spiders and various kinds of cockroaches, which are bred here both as exhibits and as food for other inhabitants of the zoo.

Events

Zoo Almaty, like many other entertainment and educational institutions, conducts a variety of activities aimed at drawing attention to its work and simply resting citizens on its territory. In addition to events timed to various holidays, state, public, religious, traditional Kazakh and dedicated animals (for example, World Polar Bear or Bird Days), interesting concerts, exhibitions and lectures are held here.

For example, in winter there was an exhibition of drawings prepared by a local chimpanzee named Tomi. In summer, the zoo was celebrated the birth of a new giraffe, because the appearance of the baby is an event in any zoo in the world. And every Sunday you can participate in the interactive "In the footsteps of mysterious animals."

How to get there

Being in the southern capital of Kazakhstan, be sure to visit the zoo in Almaty. The address is Yesenberlin Street, 166.

If you are coming from Salem station, you will have to make a transfer. First, look for bus number 16, and then at the bus stop "Zhetysuskaya" take bus number 20 or 31.

Departing from the international bus station Sairan, look for bus number 16, the road will take a little over an hour.

From the Sayahat railway station, you can reach the park by bus number 135 in just half an hour.

If you are going by taxi, then just focus on Gorky Central Park in Almaty, the zoo is on its territory.

Ticket prices

Ticket for adults in the zoo costs 700 tenge, this is slightly more than 134 rubles. Children's ticket (from 5 to 12 years old) is 200 tenge, that is about 40 rubles, and children under 5 years old, as well as pensioners, servicemen, disabled and orphans, are free to enter the corresponding certificate.

Zoo of Almaty: operating mode

The zoo awaits guests daily without meals and weekends all year round. True, the exotarium is always closed on Tuesday, this is a sanitary day.

In winter, namely from October 1 to April 15, the park is open from 10 am to 6 pm, and in the summer it starts work at 9 am and closes at 21 pm, but remember that the cash departments always finish their work an hour earlier.