I've just booked cheap flights to Riga - anyone know what the zoo there is like and what animals they have?
Just found this map for it http://www.rigazoo.lv/img/tmp/map.jpg it looks like they've got a decent enough collection, but I don't know what the conditions are like...
Thanks for that - I love maps with not to scale animals, imagine a frog as big as a lion and I love the pouncing tiger. Do you think that's a maned wolf on it too and I wonder what kind of bear that is - spectacled, brown?
It does look like a maned wolf... I did a quick flickr search and the bear must be a brown one, but they (and the polar bears) live in quite 'traditional' bear pits...
The map shows an elephant, but the exhibit was closed in 2003 when the last two elephants (Radza and Rupa) were send to The Netherlands. Riga will reopen the exhibit but I didn't hear they already did.
Looks like they have some animals I've yet to see - kinkajous, raccoon dog, coyote. Also it says Angolan lion - what subspecies are african lions in zoos usually - is this any different? Also are Indian crested porcupine to porcupines I've seen at Blackpool and South Lakes? Thanks Susan
A friend of mine went to the Tallinn zoo (idd, it's not Riga but also in a Balctic state). He said he became quit depressive. Very small exhibits, very few natural enrichment... A picture that he made: Of course it's not the Riga zoo, I hope it's much better!!
Susan, Hi. If you haven't been to Riga yet, make sure you find time to see the amphibian collection. Not everybodys first stop at a zoo I know, but they have been incredibly succesfull in breeding a wide range of unusual species (including caecilians and the freaky fantastic vietnamese mossy frog). Riga is actually a pretty progressive collection, they do a lot of really important work with the conservation of European Mink, as well as a lotof other native species. Some of their enclosures are in the 'old style' but then others are much improved.
Hi everyone, I'm back from my trip to Riga - a fantastic city and as planned I went to the zoo. I will be back online later to write up a report and then I will have to sort out lots of photos for the gallery. I liked the zoo it was very peaceful and they are making improvements to it. The elephant house is no longer used but you can still go inside - it's a dismal building and used to hold tapir and hippo too - the hippos (two) are in the enclosure adjoining. I don't know what the long term plans for it are but it stands as a stark reminder of the worst kind of zoo enclosures. There are now large pictures on show inside including information on the moving of the elephants to the Netherlands and a large whale skeleton. The best buildings are the new giraffe house which really impressed me and the tropical house which had loads to see inside including a nocturnal section - I got to see my first kinkajou! They also have loads and loads of great frogs - I took photos of different Madagascan ones for my Dr Midas website which I don't already have. The zoo is about a 30 minute tram ride from the centre and stops right outside - 40lats each way (about 50p) and entry is 4lats for adults (about £5.) Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. Any questions in the meantime let me know. Susan
10 years old Amur tiger Pans Janeks 1,0 arrived on 16th December 2013 from Krakow to Riga to accompany Katrina. Tiger Pans Janeks returns to the home of his ancestors
Amur tiger cubs (2x1.0) Thor & Odin born on 13th of August to Katrina and Pans Janeks. LSM / Zoo kept birth of twin tiger cubs top secret / Eng.lsm.lv
Humboldt penguins send to China : Turkish Cargo transports Humboldt Penguin to China from Riga Zoo | Air Cargo
Black panther, owl, monkey, wolves, crocodile, lynxes .... all confiscated in Latvia and send to the Riga Zoo : Police confiscate black panther and other wild animals