SQUARES AND PARKS
Architects: Grigor Aghababyan, Babken
Hakobyan, Nora Hakobyan, Spartak Knteghtsyan
The
zoo is located on Myasnikyan Avenue, near the ancient fortress settlement of
Aghvesaberd and the medieval canal of the same name.
It
was founded in 1940; construction began in 1941 and was completed in 1950. It
was reconstructed in 1959 and 1975, during which the territory was expanded.
The main entrance is from Myasnikyan Avenue.
A
wide main alley from the entrance leads to the beginning of the zoo, where a
pond and a playground are located. Nearby are flowerbeds with fountains,
surrounded by pavilions for leisure.
To
the left of the main alley is the administrative building. In the area of a
former quarry, enclosures and fenced zones for animals are located.
During
the design of the pathways, special attention was paid to the good visibility
of the zoo’s “inhabitants”.
In
the early years, the zoo housed around twenty animals, brought from the 12th
State Zoological Exhibition held in Yerevan. As a result of reconstructions,
both the number and variety of animals increased, reaching about 350 by 1980.
In the early 1990s, the number of animals significantly decreased, but the zoo
was later restored and enriched.
Today,
the 35-hectare zoo keeps more than 160 species of animals and birds living in
Armenia, the Caucasus region, and various continents. A significant number of
these species are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, as well as
in the Red Book of Armenia.
The
zoo is a founding member of the Eurasian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and
a candidate member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
