Why does the zoo keep the name Leningrad Zoo?

The institution retained the name to commemorate the staff who protected the animals and kept the grounds functioning during the Leningrad Blockade.

Where is the zoo located within the city?

The grounds are situated in Alexander Park on Petrogradskaya Storona.

What animals are exhibited in the Exotarium?

The Exotarium houses fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles.

Does the zoo have elephants or hippopotamuses?

No. The zoo lost those enclosures during historical renovations and transferred the animals to other cities.

Who originally established the zoo?

Sofia Gerhardt and Julius Gerhardt founded the zoological garden as private owners.

Are polar bears kept at the zoo?

Yes. The animal collection includes polar bears.

Saint Petersburg · Russia

Leningrad Zoo: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Petrogradskaya Storona residents walk past Alexander Park and the zoological grounds every day, trading expansive modern enclosures for a compact urban footprint preserved through wartime survival.

Leningrad Zoo · CC BY-SA 4.0

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About the place

Leningrad Zoo is among the oldest animal collections in Russia and remains one of the most northerly zoological parks in the world.

Sofia and Julius Gebhardt established the zoological garden within Alexander Park on Petrogradskaya Storona. Unlike many wartime institutions, the park continued operating throughout the Leningrad Blockade. Keepers kept animals alive during the siege through extreme deprivation. Disregarding the restoration of the city name Saint Petersburg, the grounds preserved the Soviet title Leningrad Zoo to honour those workers.

Read on

Protracted redevelopment on the historical grounds constrained expansion and caused severe losses to the animal collection. Construction delays forced the removal of large enclosures, leading to the transfer of the African elephant to Tashkent, the rhinoceros to Belarus, and the hippopotamuses to Kiev. The grounds retained their central footprint, later adding an Exotarium for reptiles and aquatic life rather than megafauna.

Associations

Leningrad BlockadeStaff maintained operations and protected the animal collection during the wartime siege.
Lost megafaunaDelays in reconstruction forced the relocation of elephants, rhinos, and hippos.
Alexander ParkThe zoological grounds share borders with this public Petrogradskaya Storona park.
Polar bearsThe park maintains these Arctic predators as a prominent northern species.

Facts

The zoo retained its Soviet name to honour the workers who kept the animals alive during the siege.
Sofia Gebhardt and Julius Gebhardt founded the zoological garden as a private enterprise.
The African elephant from the collection was relocated to Tashkent during site renovations.
The zoological park is situated within Alexander Park on Petrogradskaya Storona.

Updated September 9, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Leningrad Zoo: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

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Leningrad Zoo is among the oldest animal collections in Russia and remains one of the most northerly zoological parks in the world.

Getting there and staying

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