Yerevan Zoo / Երևանի կենդանաբանական այգի

One of the oldest cities in the world, Armenia's capital , is home to one of the youngest zoos in the former Soviet Union. After planning began in the 1930s, the main construction of the zoo began in May 1941 on a total area of around 3 hectares. At the beginning of its existence, the zoo experienced a difficult time due to the war, but recovered in the years that followed. In 1954, there were four areas in the park which were further expanded in the following years, with over 350 animal species reported in 1980. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the zoo in was also called into question. As a result, the animal population was reduced by 90 %. Today, the zoo presents its visitors with well over 100 animal species on 35 hectares and emphasises human-animal interactions and has developed several approaches for their implementation. Today, the zoo is not only a place of attraction or entertainment, but also carries out educational projects. The park cooperates with numerous organisations and takes care of the conservation and reproduction of endangered species of birds, mammals, reptiles and fish.