Riga Zoo in Mežaparks combines a wooded lakeside setting with a history of animal care, public education and conservation. Founded through donations, it reopened after the First World War and later helped reintroduce tree frogs to Latvia.
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Riga Zoo began with a signed document rather than a grand opening ceremony. On 14 October 1912, a committee accepted the new zoological garden into operation. Today its wooded setting in Mežaparks, beside Lake Ķīšezers, connects the experience of watching animals with a longer story of public support, interrupted work and conservation.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Riga Zoo considers 14 October 1912 its official opening date.
- After closing during the First World War, the zoo reopened in 1933.
- Zoo-bred tree frogs were released in southwestern Latvia between 1988 and 1992.
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