International Zoo and Park Day celebrated on 9 August

On 9 August, the international community celebrates the International Zoo and Park Day. According to Alexei Hantatuc, the manager of the single zoo of Moldova, the role of zoos is to provide information on wild life and to increase the public awareness in environment protection and nature preserving matters, as well as to protect rare species by ensuring certain living conditions for animals and birds, similar to their natural habitats. Hantatuc notes that soon the Zoo of Chisinau will be extended 2.5 fold in order to ensure better living conditions to its inhabitants, becoming this way a safari park. The animals will not stay in cages anymore, but in houses where proper natural environment will be created. At the same time, the pond on the territory of the Zoo will be cleaned, and fish will be raised, and on its banks black swans, pelicans, mandarin ducks, ostriches and other rare bird species will live. Also the terrarium will be restored, previously concealed of visitors’ eyes because of poor conditions of keeping reptiles. The administration of the Zoo intends to attract additional resources to those promised by the local public administration in order to implement the project estimated at 1.5 million dollars. According to statistics, on the whole, there are 7 parks in Chisinau – Square of the Cathedral, dating since 1836 and having a surface of 9 hectares; Park "Valea Morilor", planted in 1951 on a surface of over 114 hectares; "Valea Trandafirilor", on a surface of 145 hectares, "La izvor", the youngest of Chisinau; Park "Ghidichici", having 124 hectares, „Alunelul”, situated on 11 hectares, and the Park Rascani, located on 321 hectares.