MOSCOW, January 16. /TASS/. More than 1,500 animals were born at the Moscow Zoo, and approximately 300 new arrivals came from various regions in the past year, Mikhail Bragin, the Mammals Department head, told reporters on Thursday.
"Around 1,500 animals were born, and about 300 joined us from other regions," Bragin said.
He described 2024 as a notable year for animal births and arrivals. "Three Malayan bear cubs, named Masha, Zvezdochka, and Luchik, joined the zoo. They are the smallest bear cub species worldwide, and this type of bear doesn’t even hibernate. The animals originated from South Asia," Bragin noted.
Octopuses also arrived for the first time in years. "These invertebrates have short lifespans but are highly intelligent," he added. The zoo welcomed a 2.5 kg Giant Pacific Octopus, which could potentially grow to 50-80 kg.
Additionally, rare and endangered species such as Red-crowned cranes and bison were added to the zoo’s population. In 2024, the zoo also opened a new snow leopard enclosure and celebrated the birth of six musk oxen, contemporaries of mammoths, Bragin shared.
Other animals born or brought to the Moscow Zoo included baby squirrel monkeys (Saimiri), cat lemurs, a bush dog pup named Bubblegum, and a hyena cub.