Walking along the cozy streets of the city, looking at the stone architectural sights of Odessa, look at the street Novoschepnaya row, which is located in the city center near the famous market Privoz, and you will certainly plunge into a small oasis — a wonderful corner of wildlife, which will please you with the variety of its inhabitants. This is Odessa Zoo. It contains rare animals listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Red Book of Ukraine and the European Red List — more than 60 species, namely: the beautiful famous Indian elephants, Przewalski’s horses, Far Eastern leopards, Turkmen kulans, brown bears, owls, steppe cranes and many others.
The zoo itself traces its history back to 1889. It was then that the blueprint and plan of the «Menagerie on Police Street at the cliff» appeared, but the idea could not be realized. In 1914, the decision of the City Council still approved the project to build a zoo, it was to exist on the territory of the botanical garden. A partnership called «Odessa Zoological Garden» was created, the founder of which was one of the leaders of the society «Yugoklimat», Henryk Woldemarsen, «Henryk Vladimirovich Beisert». But the First World War and then the Civil War interrupted the idea, and the botanical garden was cut down.
In the period from 1919 to 1922, painstaking work was done and great efforts were made to organize the scientific part of the zoo and developed a number of questions on the selection of animals for it. It should be noted that in the organization of the first zoo in Odessa was a great merit of G.V.Beyzert. A connection was established with foreign and domestic institutions, which helped in questions of animal care. Soon the plot on the territory of the former Vorontsov Palace was leased for 9 years and work on the construction of the zoo was started, training processes took place there as well. «Yugoklimat» took all the financing and made every effort to make the animals feel as close to their natural habitat as possible. While the grottoes for the tigers and various enclosures were being built, the zoo was already welcoming its first visitors, despite the fact that the renovation was still in progress.
The then zoo was located at the end of Primorsky Boulevard, near the sea, and because of the constantly blowing sea winds, many animals were not suitable territory for living. In addition, financial difficulties began and the zoo had to be closed.
Another attempt to open the zoo was made in 1927, simultaneously on three projects. The works started in 1929 on the Arkady road, but this project was stopped and the reminder of it leaves only the name of the street — Zoo Street. G.V.Beizert was indefatigable and did not abandon the idea of founding a zoo. In 1933 he was entrusted with the management of the fourth menagerie at Privoz, belonging to the State Circus. At the same time, Ilyich Park, currently Preobrazhensky Park, was opened, and a zoo was opened on its territory in 1938. Breisert’s idea and vision finally came to fruition, and the menagerie still exists today.
In the times of the Second World War and occupation on the territory of the zoo were located and housed soldiers of our army, who during the defense of Odessa in every possible way helped the animals — fed everything they could and provided all kinds of medical care. G.V.Beisert stayed with his pets and fought for their lives, as the evacuation of animals was impossible. The zoo workers opened a knitting workshop to feed themselves and our lesser brothers. In 1944 the zoo resumed its activity. Work on improving the habitat was actively carried out.
In the summer of 1987 the aquaterrarium was opened in the zoo. In 1992, in accordance with the law of Ukraine, the zoo received the status of a protected area of national importance and is part of the natural reserve fund of Ukraine. There is an animal rehabilitation center here. Some of its patients return to the wild, and others stay in a new cozy home. In the collection of the zoo there are 2 thousand specimens of animals, which make up 245 species. There is a nursery for breeding birds of prey, owls and cranes. Odessa Zoo is the only one in Ukraine, where Indian elephants are breeding, which repeatedly became happy parents.
On the one hand, some people think that a zoo is a sad place where poor animals are locked up, but let’s look at it from the other side — a large number of animals are born in captivity and used to live in enclosures. Remember at least the cartoon «Madagascar», when the animals daily looked forward to the opening of the zoo to please their guests and show themselves in all their beauty. They liked to give people joy and good mood. Here and pets Odessa Zoo are always waiting to meet you — some want to show their character and temperament, others want to show their «coat» and beautiful colors of plumage, and some even want to show off their offspring.
You must come! Feathered and striped, long-eared and furry, flying and creeping — all of them are looking forward to meeting you.
Contacts:
Odessa, Novoschepnoy row, 25 (near «Privoz»)