Zagreb Zoo

The zoo opened in 1925 inside Maksimir, the public park laid out from 1794 that was itself one of the first of its kind in this part of Europe, starting with a few animals around the park lakes. It grew through the twentieth century in the way most European zoos did, with small enclosures that would not be built now, and it has been rebuilding since 1990: newer sections for big cats, primates and African species have replaced older cages, and the zoo participates in European breeding programmes. Progress is uneven and some older enclosures remain, which is the honest state of it. The park around is worth the visit on its own.

History

The idea of a zoo for Zagreb was first put forward in 1905, and on 27 June 1925 the engineer Mijo Filipović opened one, with the support of the mayor Vjekoslav Heinzel, on Swan Island in the first Maksimir lake. It began with five animals - three foxes given by August Langhoffer of the Zoological Museum and two tawny owls that Petar Dimec brought in a green hat - and an entry fee of one dinar; it was the first zoo in south-eastern Europe. In 1926 it moved from the island to the shore, and in the summer of 1928 it was briefly moved to Jelačić Square to earn money to repay a loan for buying animals. Its grounds were reshaped in the 1930s and 1950s, a tropical house opened in 1972 with a Nile crocodile among its first residents, and in 1990 a long rebuilding began, with animals that could not be given enough space sent to other zoos; a new 1,800-square-metre lion enclosure replaced one of about two hundred square metres in May 2014, and an aviary of African birds opened on 4 June 2017. Today the zoo covers seven hectares and keeps 383 species, the largest in Croatia (Wikipedia, Zagreb Zoo).

The main sights

• A zoo in a park from 1794 - Maksimir, itself an early public park.
• Opened in 1925 - around the park's lakes.
• Rebuilding in stages - newer enclosures replacing old cages.
• European breeding programmes - the zoo's conservation role.

When to go

April to October, when animals are outside and the park is at its best. Half a day.

Practical notes

Some older enclosures are still small and visitors who care about that will notice. Building work is often in progress somewhere. It is busy at weekends with families. Maksimir park itself is free and open separately.

Nearby

Maksimir park surrounds it; the Dinamo stadium is across the road.

Key facts