The Almaty Zoo is one of the oldest zoological parks in Kazakhstan, located on an area of 21 hectares next to the Gorkiy Central Park.
The zoo has 7 separate zones: a zone of predatory mammals, a zone of ungulates, a zone of primates, a zone of birds of prey, a zone exotic birds, exotarium and aquarium.
It was founded in 1937. A land near the eastern border of the Gorkiy Park was given for the zoo. Tolebaev was appointed to the post of head of the zoo and head of its construction. To create the zoo, Tolebaev personally caught saigas, mountain goats and gazelles in the steppes. But most of the animals were brought from the Moscow and Leningrad Zoo.
In 2015, there were 345 animal species in the zoo: 74 species of mammals; 124 species of birds; 56 species of reptiles; 3 types of amphibians; 83 species of fish; invertebrates – 5 species. In 2003, giraffes, antelopes, many birds and reptiles, as well as a couple of white lions were brought to the zoo from Africa.
The zoo still receives many visitors who come to look at the animals from different parts of the world.
