Novosibirsk zoo is the largest zoo in the entire territory of Russia and the world's only zoo, located in this pine forest. The total area of the zoo is about 60 ha.

Huge zoo has grown from a tiny living area, which is housed at children's agricultural station. The founder of the zoo in the mid 30-ies of the XX century by the famous writer and zoologist - M. Zverev. In just three years he managed to turn a small living area in sostanze, and after that at present, the zoo and the nursery. Originally the nursery was mostly inhabited by animals of the surrounding forest, for example, badgers, hares, deer and grouse. Under the zoo was given to former Novosibirsk garden of the Alhambra. During the war years the zoo has not closed, he continued to work and filled with evacuees from other affected during hostilities, circuses and zoos animals.

In 1947, the city opened the first in Siberia zoo. He was placed in a small area in the center of Novosibirsk. In 1953, the collection of animals there were 230 inhabitants belonging to 72 species, and three years later the zoo showed more than 80 species of animals. At the end of 1957 at the zoo there was a strong fire. The restoration required a huge effort. In order to avoid repeating the tragedy of all the wooden cages of a zoo replaced the metal.

In 1959 the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR issued a decree on construction in 1960-1961, the new zoo. From 1969 to 1980, the zoo was rebuilt several times. Its population is actively growing, so again the question was raised about the construction of the new zoo. New territory for the construction of the zoo with an area of 53 hectares has been allocated in Zaeltsovsky district of Novosibirsk. Zoo project was designed by the architect V. M. Galyamov.

Currently in Novosibirsk zoo has more than 740 species, 120 of which are listed in the Red book. It houses one of the country's best collections of representatives of the Russia and felines (tigers, lions, cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, bobcats). The emblem of the zoo is the snow leopard, which has been preserved only in the Altai and Siberia. In addition to large predators, in Novosibirsk zoo is home to many wild cats – reed beds, sand dunes, forest and steppe.