Tashkent Zoo

Tashkent, as a capital of Uzbekistan, has so many sightseeing places to offer. There’re ancient bazaars, mosques of Timurid era, madrassas, museums, art galleries, and gardens. This overwhelming variety of choices makes travelers forget about Tashkent Zoo. It might not seem like it, but Tashkent Zoo is worth visiting.

It was founded in 1924, which makes it one of the oldest zoos in Central Asia. The zoo was created on the basis of small menagerie in summerhouse of governor general of Turkestan. Back then it was about 3 hectares, but today it occupies area of 22,7 hectares.  70 years later, in 1994, Uzbek government made the decision to renovate Tashkent Zoo. It occupied a part of Tashkent Botanical Garden and after 3 years, in 1997, was opened.

Alongside with cages under open skies, there’re closed cages for reptiles, lemurs, and monkeys. There visitors can meet  big animals like gorillas and giraffes. The main tourist attraction place in Tashkent Zoo is aquarium, the only one in Central Asia with marine animals. Seawater for marine species is created artificially. In this aquarium complex each reservoir represents a certain ecosystem with it inhabitants: sharks, seahorses, moray eels. Apart from entertaining function, Tashkent Zoo specializes on breeding birds of prey: black griffon, griffon vulture, and condor.

The zoo is also concerned with preservation and reproduction of rare or endangered species. Tashkent Zoo cooperates with 46 zoos from different countries, this contributes to exchange of fauna and scientific information. Today there are about 500 species housed in Tashkent Zoo.

Due to favorable location, near to botanical garden and far from industrial areas, there’s a specific, comfortable climate.Renovated zoo met all international standards and became a member of EARAZA (Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums).