Only through our joint efforts will we save the world of wild animals.’ This is the slogan of the Mykolaiv Zoo, which has been put into practice here every day for 120 years.

The zoo in Mykolaiv is one of the oldest in Ukraine. Its history dates back to 1901, when the mayor, Mykola Leontovych, collected a private collection of about 50 species of aquarium fish, amphibians, reptiles, and exotic birds and set up 75 new-fashioned aquariums right at his home in the centre of Mykolaiv. There were only seven such collections in Europe at that time.

Having seized power in Ukraine, the Bolsheviks nationalised Leontovych’s private aquarium, and the former mayor himself became its director. Revolutionary events brought significant losses to the animal collection. The aquarium was reopened in 1922. Since 1925, ungulates and predators were brought here, and this place became a zoo-aquarium.

The animals were not evacuated during World War II, so the zoo ended up under occupation. It did not stop working, however, and the staff took care of the animals as before. The zoo gradually began to recover after the war and was renamed the Mykolaiv Zoo in 1948. The site was in the very city centre, and 213 species of animals lived in an area of ​​only 7,417 m². Only in 1968 was a decision made to allocate a spacious territory of 10 hectares to the zoo, which was later expanded to 19 hectares. More than 100 organisations in the city and region carried out the zoo’s construction. It lasted a long time, but finally, the brand-new Mykolaiv Zoo opened its doors in late 1977 and became the best zoo in the USSR.

At the time of Ukraine’s regained independence, the Mykolaiv Zoo was the first to be accepted into the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) in 1993. Moreover, it became the only Ukrainian zoo to join the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2003. The zoo participates in 18 European rare species breeding programs and is a member of the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Mykolaiv Zoo has 5,690 animals of 452 species, 220 of which are listed in the International Red Book. 232 specialists work at the zoo. It also houses a botanical garden with about 400 species and breeds of trees and shrubs. Zoo therapy is provided here for children with disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays.

There is also a museum here. In the spring of 2022, a projectile that the Russian military hit the city with became a new exhibit in its collection. On March 7, Russian troops fired missiles at the zoo, and one of the shells fell right next to the tiger’s and polar bear’s open-air cages. On April 19, it was again hit by a bombardment. Due to the Russian occupation of a large part of Ukraine’s south, the zoo encountered difficulties with the supply of feed for the animals. The Mykolaiv Zoo’s director, Volodymyr Topchiy, appealed to the world community to save animals. People started buying e-tickets to Mykolaiv and other zoos in Ukraine in order not to enjoy the beauty of rare animal species but to save them from dying of hunger and thirst.

The site that has been preserving life for years is now fighting for the right to live.