Ilsur Metshin about the new Zoo: “This is a true piece of Africa in the very heart of Kazan”

(KZN.RU, June 19, Ksenia Shvetsova). The main construction work has been completed on the creation of the “Zambezi River”, the first part of the Kazan Zoo for African animals. A few months remain before settling of African inhabitants. According to the plans, the Zoo will open its doors at the end of August. During this time, builders need to perform finishing work, which is now in full swing. During the press tour, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, along with journalists from the city and republican media appreciated what the Zoo looks like today, where elephants, giraffes, lions, and other animals will live. The head of the city reminded that the first African Zoo in Russia was being created in the capital of Tatarstan. He noted that it could become one of the best in the world.

Visitors will be able to plunge into the atmosphere of the African continent already on the way to the Zoo. The territory in front of the entrance will be decorated with large figures of elephants and unusual tropical plants. Today, work is in full swing in this adjacent territory. The builders are laying paving stones, creating a comfortable parking space, the artists decorating the walls of the enclosures with animal drawings.

The work on the creation of the “Zambezi River” came to the finish line. Finishing work requires attention and great professionalism from builders, said Fanis Nurmukhametov. the director of Kazan Zoo. “The minor work is being done that requires time and accuracy. We cannot let any mistakes. We need to do everything so as to protect visitors and animals. Therefore, there is no reason to hurry now”, he said.

Ilsur Metshin assessed built aviaries, almost ready to receive unusual inhabitants. The largest of them immediately attracts the attention of visitors: a future habitat of African elephants. According to Fanis Nurmukhametov, four elephants will settle there: 3 females and one male. The size of the enclosure makes it possible to accept more animals, but it is planned that they will breed. The open-air cage is already covered with sand, a water ditch will be created along the edge, and evergreen coniferous plants complement this picture. F. Nurmukhametov noted that this is the most optimal option for the Russian climate, where it is impossible to plant tropical plants like palm trees. By the way, 19 hamadryas will live in the same aviary together with the largest animals. The monkeys have already been brought to Kazan.

“We delayed the construction deadlines, but there were reasons. We were confronted with unknown things for us”, said the Mayor of Kazan. “Still, this is the first African Zoo in Russia. Setting such complex tasks for ourselves, we understood that there would be difficulties, but not in that volume. Headed by the President of the RT, we took such a weight, which is very hard to lift. But under his leadership, we did it. Now we have to finish acquiring, delivering and adapting animals”.

In total, 11 objects were built on the territory of the “Zambezi River”. Most of them are enclosures and insulated pavilions in which heat-loving animals will spend winter. The head of the city examined the habitats of cheetahs, lions, monkeys Brazza. The Mayor asked if there was a chance that wild animals would be able to jump over the walls and fences of the enclosures. As the director of the zoo explained, a security system will be provided for in the Zoo in order for this not to happen. In particular, almost all cages and pens will have a grid with low voltage. “This is a common practice for zoos. The voltage will be only 12 volts, but this is enough to prevent animals from coming to the fence”, he explained. “There will also be water moats, automatic opening and closing of doors, full security system”.

Only African animals will live here, marked the Mayor. “For example, an African elephant. An adult male elephant weighs 12 tons, and its Asian counterpart reaches 4-5 tons in weight, that is, almost 3 times less”, said I. Metshin. “We take only animals of real African blood that will breed and be valuable not only for ours, but also for other zoos of the world”.

A scientific base will be created on the territory of the Zoo, where research is planned in collaboration with the KFU, noted the Mayor.

Today 41% of the animals are brought in Kazan. Now they live in the old part of the Zoo. Hamadryas, ostriches, panther turtles, Brazza monkeys, meerkats, damans, wilds, lions, blue wildebeest, and others are among them. It is planned that 70% of the animals will be brought to Kazan in October of this year, and one hundred percent coverage will be achieved by 2021.

The program “Friend of the Zoo” played a major role. Patrons allocated almost 114 million rubles for the purchase of African animals, said I. Metshin.

According to F. Nurmukhametov, curators of gorillas and chimpanzees will arrive in Kazan in early August. They will examine the cages and assess their readiness to receive new inhabitants. “We are waiting for them with the confidence that they will give a positive response. Still, when designing, we took into account all their remarks”, says the director of the Zoo. Such inspectors will check the enclosures of all animals, therefore, the process of settling the Zoo will take a while.

“Each type of animal has curators, they are very strict and demanding and this is right. The delivery of animals and also the launch of each part of the Zoo will be phased. We do not decide when one or another part of the Zoo opens, the animal welfare society does”, marked the head of the city.

“It is necessary to understand that with elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, rhinos, giraffes this is a very complex exposition. It requires a long work, coordination with curators, specialists. And not all airlines take such animals on board. There are problems and we solve them”, said F. Nurmukhametov.

In addition to the habitats of African guests, comfortable public space will be created on the territory of the Zoo. There will be playgrounds for children, a mother’s and child’s room, a medical wing, restaurants, a cafe, a gift shop, and parking. All this will be adapted for people with disabilities.

Citizens could stroke and feed animals that are not dangerous: monkeys, lemurs, elephants, giraffes, and others. You will need to purchase special food at the Zoo.

The price of tickets to the new part of the Zoo will be 250 rubles for adults, 150 for children and 100 rubles for visitors of the privileged category. Citizens from vulnerable groups of the population, for example, children from large families, will be able to visit the Zoo for free.

In the course of work, it was often necessary to improve the project, change the original plans. However, all the efforts were worth the result, because zoos with African animals are the most visited in the world, noted I. Metshin.

“The impressions of what I saw today are very positive”, the Mayor appreciated the work. “It’s like we are in Madagascar. Remember that movie? There is a lion, an elephant, my dear zebras are waiting for the third year to already come here. The place for the king-lemur is ready. This is Madagascar, a piece of Africa in the very heart of Kazan! I want to thank everyone who participates in this. Special gratitude is to Rustam Minnikhanov, who not only keeps all this under personal control, but cares and does everything to make this Zoo a great gift to the citizens”.

The second phase of the renovation includes the reconstruction of the old part of the Zoo. According to F. Nurmukhametov, the technical assignment for work has been transferred to the Ministry of Construction of the RT. The reconstruction of the economic part of the old zoo will begin in the coming year. After that, it will be possible to proceed to the third stage of reconstruction: the construction of a new part of the zoo “The Amazon River” for South America animals. It is planned that all three parts will be interconnected by bridges and a tunnel.

Andrey Lobov, the head of the Vakhitovsky and Privolzhsky districts’ administration, Stanislav Shyrybyrov, the deputy director of the State Inspection of the RT, and others also took part in the press tour.