A visit to the zoo

This past weekend, the girls and Luke and I visited the Tallinn zoo. After a brief debate with the ticket counter lady about whether Luke and my student IDs were valid, being that we were from America and 22, we got our discount tickets (ha!) and headed inside.

The girls, having been to the Cincinnati zoo with Luke last fall, warned us that the Tallinn zoo wouldn't be as exciting or nice as our zoos. I was open to any experience involving exotic animals, and therefore heeded no mind to their warnings.

Directly inside the entrance, we were greeted by the average zoo layout. A big ZOO sign, maps of the exhibits, and path markers.


It is in the middle of the city, but is surprisingly spread out. Walking around, it took a while to get from one family of animals to the next, with long walkways between.


We then went in search of animals. To patrons of zoos in the USA, the Tallinn zoo presented a stark contrast. I was used to animals, behind plexiglass, in cages approximating their natural habitats-- even if only a rough approximation. In Tallinn, the cages were concrete boxed with attached concrete yards, all surrounded by chain link fence. It really looked more like an animal prison or gulag, a zoolag if you will.

We only managed to see a few of the animals. The rest were absent from their cells, possibly sent for reeducation. Here are some snapshots of the ones we managed to view.

There were an inordinate amount of ungulates in this zoo. Lots of species of deer, rams, some bison, and a few camels.

A decent amount of birds, but no large aviary habitats where they could fly around.


My favorites were the fish and the polar bear, the latter possibly being my favorite animal.


Overall I had a good zoo experience. I kept an open mind about the facilities, but I wish there were more animals that presented themselves for viewing. Considering how there are only a few months in Estonia where it is possible for people, let alone tropical animals, to survive outside for more than a few minutes, I can understand how the zoo would be lacking. Plus, from what Mary and Jane told me, it sounds like the government doesn't see much importance in funding a zoo. If it were up to me, the zoo would shrink in size, consisting of a few nice, comfortable (for animals and people) indoor facilities open all year round.