Dushanbe Zoo

Dushanbe Zoo is located in the central part of the right bank of Dushanbe . In 1961, its area was 1.5 hectares. In 2004 , the territory of the zoo already amounted to 6.7 hectares, of which 4 hectares were occupied by animal expositions, farm buildings and reservoirs, 2, 17 hectares - a park zone. The number of species ranged from 41 (in 1961) to 384, the number of livestock ranged from 121 to 2524. Various species of animals were kept. Of the contents of the zoo, 138 species are listed in the Red Book in 1991 and 24 species in 2004. The zoo has sections of predators, ungulates, monkeys, birds, reptiles and fish, in addition, a section has been prepared for keeping a hippopotamus. The terrarium contains more than 18 species of snakes. Vivarium for growing and breeding rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, frogs - for reptiles.

The opening of the zoo in Dushanbe took place in 1961. In 1991, 813239 people visited the zoo. The zoo had strong ties with the zoos of the republics of the former USSR, as well as Germany, England, the USA, Kenya, etc. As a result of the civil war, 95% of the animals that were on display at the zoo fell. ^[1] Since the beginning of the 2000s, restoration work has been carried out at the zoo, and new specialists have been brought in. Contracts have been concluded with dekhkan (farmer) farms for the supply of animal feed. The replenishment of the collection of the zoo continues, including contracts with the zoos of Moscow and St. Petersburg for the supply of certain species of animals. ^[2] Today the zoo contains 130 species of animals. Since 2007, Dushanbe Zoo has been a member of the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (ERAZA) and maintains constant communication between zoos in the CIS and Baltic countries, as well as with Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. In 2015, they announced the construction of a new zoo. This zoo is being built as a safari. ^[3]

None of the animals in the Dushanbe zoo live in their natural habitat, all are contained in cages, which often have unacceptable sizes. The conditions of the zoo are very harsh for animals, especially since there is no specialized medical care in the institution.

The hippo was acquired by the zoo. An aviary with winter and summer pools was prepared for its maintenance. Almost all local media reported the appearance of a hippopotamus named Tursunboy in the capital zoo in July 2011 . The appearance of a hippopotamus was expected for almost 20 years, and the process of negotiations with the zoo of the city of Shymkent of Kazakhstan lasted four years. In early February 2012 , a 7-year-old hippo Tursunboy died. In caring for the animal, it happened due to the fact that in the city zoo there is no such specialist who could know the physiology and psychology of this animal. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Dushanbe Zoo will move to Victory Park