Sofia Zoo
Encyclopedia
Sofia Zoo in Sofia
, the capital of Bulgaria
, was founded by royal decree on 1 May 1888, and is Bulgaria's oldest and largest zoological garden. It covers 36 hectares (89 acre) and, as of March 2006, housed 1,113 animals representing 244 species
.
caught in Bulgaria and exhibited in a cage in the garden. Later, pheasant
s and deer were added to the collection, but since the exhibits and facilities of the time proved inadequate to accommodate a pair of Brown Bear
s, Tsar
Ferdinand of Bulgaria ordered a grant of land to be awarded to Sofia Zoo on the grounds of the former botanical garden
, then in the outskirts of the city.
Sofia Zoo's exhibition of animals constantly increased, with both local and foreign species being added. Most notably a pair of lion
s in 1892, which were housed in a former stable and a lion cub was born the same year.
Between 1893 and 1895, new cages and buildings were constructed to accommodate the ever increasing collection of birds and mammal
s, including a solid three-room stone building in the back of the terrain designed to be inhabited by bears (1894), a pool where a few Pink-backed Pelican
s lived, a building to accommodate pheasants and another one for eagle
s (1895).
Sofia Zoo moved from its original (and smaller) location in the center of the city to a new 36 hectares (89 acre) site about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) south of Sofia in 1982.
Grazing Animals
The zoo is home to some 80 individuals representing 20 grazing species, including white rhinos
, hippopotamus
, elephant
s, zebra
s, red deer
, addax
, ibex
, wild boar, dromedary camels
, and American bison
.
Primates
Primates are housed in two pavilions. The zoo is home to 41 individuals representing 12 species, including ring-tailed lemur
d, drill
s, yellow baboon
s, white-headed marmoset
, common marmoset
, and macaque
s.
Predators
The predator sector houses big cats, bears and small predators, including lions, tigers, leopard
s, pumas, and brown bear
s.
Penguins
In January 2011 the zoo received 8 Humboldt penguin
s on loan from Germany. The penguins are on loan for about 18 months, after which they will be returned, with any offspring to stay at the zoo.
Birds
The zoo houses some 500 individual birds representing 60 species. Waterbirds are housed in a 1.5 hectares (3.7 acre) lake, and imperial eagles
, griffon vultures
, Egyptian vultures
, and buzzard
s in a large walk-through aviary. Other species of birds at the zoo include ostrich
es, silver pheasants
, peacocks, flamingo
s, blue-and-yellow macaw
s, owl
s, cockatoo
s, cockatiel
s.
(EAZA).
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, the capital of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, was founded by royal decree on 1 May 1888, and is Bulgaria's oldest and largest zoological garden. It covers 36 hectares (89 acre) and, as of March 2006, housed 1,113 animals representing 244 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
History
Initially, the zoo was located in the park of the former royal palace, with the primary attraction being a Eurasian Black VultureEurasian Black Vulture
The Cinereous Vulture is also known as the Black Vulture, Monk Vulture, or Eurasian Black Vulture. It is a member of the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.This bird is an Old World vulture, and is only distantly related to the...
caught in Bulgaria and exhibited in a cage in the garden. Later, pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
s and deer were added to the collection, but since the exhibits and facilities of the time proved inadequate to accommodate a pair of Brown Bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s, Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Ferdinand of Bulgaria ordered a grant of land to be awarded to Sofia Zoo on the grounds of the former botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
, then in the outskirts of the city.
Sofia Zoo's exhibition of animals constantly increased, with both local and foreign species being added. Most notably a pair of lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s in 1892, which were housed in a former stable and a lion cub was born the same year.
Between 1893 and 1895, new cages and buildings were constructed to accommodate the ever increasing collection of birds and mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, including a solid three-room stone building in the back of the terrain designed to be inhabited by bears (1894), a pool where a few Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
The Pink-backed Pelican is a member of the pelican family of birds. It is a resident breeder in Africa, southern Arabia and apparently extinct in Madagascar in swamps and shallow lakes.-Description:...
s lived, a building to accommodate pheasants and another one for eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s (1895).
Sofia Zoo moved from its original (and smaller) location in the center of the city to a new 36 hectares (89 acre) site about 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) south of Sofia in 1982.
Exhibits
The zoo is home to some 80 individuals representing 20 grazing species, including white rhinos
White Rhinoceros
The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
, hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
, elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s, zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
s, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, addax
Addax
The Addax , also known as the screwhorn antelope, is a critically endangered species of antelope that lives in the Sahara desert. As suggested by its alternative name, this pale antelope has long, twisted horns. It is closely related to the oryx, but differs from other antelopes by having large...
, ibex
Capra (genus)
Capra is a genus of mammals, the goats or wild goats, composed of up to nine species including the wild goat, the markhor and several species known as ibex....
, wild boar, dromedary camels
Dromedary
The dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
, and American bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
.
Primates
Primates are housed in two pavilions. The zoo is home to 41 individuals representing 12 species, including ring-tailed lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
d, drill
Drill
A drill or drill motor is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment, usually a drill bit or driver bit, used for drilling holes in various materials or fastening various materials together with the use of fasteners. The attachment is gripped by a chuck at one end of...
s, yellow baboon
Yellow Baboon
The yellow baboon is a baboon from the Old World monkey family.Cynocephalus literally means "dog-head" in Greek due to the shape of its muzzle and head. It has a slim body with long arms and legs and a yellowish-brown hair. It resembles the Chacma baboon but is smaller and its muzzle is not as...
s, white-headed marmoset
White-headed Marmoset
The white-headed marmoset , also known as the tufted-ear marmoset or Geoffrey's marmoset, is a marmoset endemic to Brazil....
, common marmoset
Common Marmoset
The common marmoset is a New World monkey. It originally lived on the Northeastern coast of Brazil, in the states of Piaui, Paraiba, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Alagoas and Bahia...
, and macaque
Macaque
The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
s.
Predators
The predator sector houses big cats, bears and small predators, including lions, tigers, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s, pumas, and brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s.
Penguins
In January 2011 the zoo received 8 Humboldt penguin
Humboldt Penguin
The Humboldt Penguin is a South American penguin, that breeds in coastal Peru and Chile. Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Magellanic Penguin and the Galápagos Penguin...
s on loan from Germany. The penguins are on loan for about 18 months, after which they will be returned, with any offspring to stay at the zoo.
Birds
The zoo houses some 500 individual birds representing 60 species. Waterbirds are housed in a 1.5 hectares (3.7 acre) lake, and imperial eagles
Imperial Eagle
An Imperial Eagle is a heraldic eagle used by an empire, notably:*the military standard of the Roman Empire, see Aquila .*the Byzantine imperial eagle*the German Reichsadler...
, griffon vultures
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
, Egyptian vultures
Egyptian Vulture
The Egyptian Vulture is a small Old World vulture, found widely distributed from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron. It has sometimes also been known as the White Scavenger Vulture or Pharaoh's Chicken...
, and buzzard
Buzzard
A buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below.-Old World:In the Old World Buzzard can mean:* One of several medium-sized, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings....
s in a large walk-through aviary. Other species of birds at the zoo include ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es, silver pheasants
Silver Pheasant
The Silver Pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia, and eastern and southern China, with introduced populations in Hawaii and various locations in the US mainland. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown...
, peacocks, flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s, blue-and-yellow macaw
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
The Blue-and-Yellow Macaw , also known as the Blue-and-Gold Macaw, is a member of the group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It breeds in forest and woodland of tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay...
s, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, cockatoo
Cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
s, cockatiel
Cockatiel
The Cockatiel , also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a household pet and companion parrot throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed...
s.
Other facilities
The zoo's veterinary clinic includes a separate entrance and is accessible to the public without entry to the zoo.The future
Sophia Zoo is currently in the process of upgrading its facilities to meet current European standards in preparation for becoming a full member of the European Association of Zoos and AquariaEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria
-External links:*...
(EAZA).