Tallinn Zoo turns 87: from a modest corner in Kadriorg to a modern Tiger Valley
Tallinn Zoo celebrated its 87th birthday with festivities for both visitors and animals. Since its founding in 1939, the zoo has relocated and expanded significantly.
Tallinn Zoo marked its 87th birthday with a celebration for visitors and residents alike. Environmental education specialist Jana Emilia Harjula noted that the zoo has reached a rather respectable age, having been founded on 25 August 1939 as a small facility in Kadriorg.
From Lasnamäe to its current site
Tallinn Zoo was originally located in the Lasnamäe district. That is why the pedestrian bridge at the start of Laagna tee is called Ilvese sild, and the lynx (Estonian: ilves) became the zoo's symbol. In 1983 the zoo moved to its present location, where there is far more space and the animals are more comfortable.
Since then, development has continued steadily, with new facilities regularly built or improved. Among the additions are a tropical rainforest house and a Tiger Valley.
Around 300 species and visitor favorites
Today, Tallinn Zoo is home to roughly 300 animal species. Visitors have their own favorites, with polar bears, elephants, rhinoceroses and tigers proving most popular.
The birthday celebrations also included gifts for the animals, who received treats and new toys. According to Harjula, the polar bears, for instance, were given ice cream made from blood, meat and vegetables.
