Tiraspol Zoo draws huge crowds on opening day

Visitors to the Tiraspol Zoo can get up close and personal with exotic animals

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - Did you know hummingbirds can fly backwards? Or that western lowland gorillas live in a family group led by a dominant male known as a "silverback"?

For more fascinating animal facts, and to see exotic animals in the flesh, visit the new Tiraspol Zoo and get up close and personal with the weird and wonderful creatures which are kept there.

Exotic birds and animals inhabit the zoo, including a collection of ten different species of pigeons: From the classical white pigeon to an exotic and rare Egyptian red turtle dove. Noisy parrots compete for the visitors' attention, singing and talking out loud constantly.

With a wide variety of species of animal in a lush setting of green space, and a range of exhibits and children's activities, the Tiraspol Zoo is bound to be a new 'must see' destination for holiday goers coming to Pridnestrovie.

Tiraspol Zoo's Anaconda python. (Photo: Olvia Press)

" - Some of the exhibits are even more exciting because visitors are actually walking right in the exhibit with the animals," said a 16 year old resident of Tiraspol after her first trip to the city's new zoo.

From Abkhazia

Tall ostriches who tower 2,5 meters over the visitors became a first-day favorite and had their photos taken more often than any other animal. But male peacocks, showing off their large and colorful tail feathers, also caught the attention of many shutter-bugs.

" - At first, we started with blue, decorative hens and other birds," says Victor Levkov, press secretary for the Ministry of Justice who helped fund the zoo. "Then we began to bring exotic animals."

One of the male peacocks at the Tiraspol Zoo. (Photo: Olvia Press)

Some of the animals come from semi-tropical Abkhazia, which recently opened one of its first-ever embassies in Tiraspol and has stepped up its trade- and cultural ties with the PMR. Pridnestrovie and Abkhazia recognize each others' statehood mutually. At a wider international level, both of them are still unrecognized countries. Both of the ex-Soviet breakaway republics have stepped up their drive for international recognition since Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence on February 17. Abkhazia and Pridnestrovie (also known as Transdniester), along with South Ossetia, have since asked Russia's parliament, the United Nations and other organizations to recognize their independence.

None of this matters to the exotic animals that frolic around in Tiraspol's brand new zoo. For them, just as for the 550,000 residents of the new and emerging state, Pridnestrovie is simply home.

The zoo is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Entrance is free.

See also:
» Against odds, Tiraspol reaches out to tourists
» Destination: Transdnistria

On the web:
» Visit PMR