I've never fully understood why is photography additives people so strong, until I tried to make a few shots too. After the experience with a landscape I wanted to continue. More than nature I love animals so it was logical solution go to Moscow Zoo, after my return my return in the city.
Moscow Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in Europe (about 140 years). We visit it often with my wife, a sample every 3 months, but all last year we didn't have opportunity to do it, because during the restoration of ZOO many of the passages to animals were closed. The main goal of restoration was replace all asphalt to the tiles on the pedestrian paths (it's the fetish of the mayor of Moscow), and put design's flowerbeds. But as it turned out it was only at first view...
I don't like in zoopark one thing - it's limited space for animals. Unlike the Safari Park, the limitations of the city doesn't let to create as many spacious enclosures for the animals. This fact always makes me feel compassion to the animals, they don't look happy. But after reading their stories i founded out that all of them were born in captivity and never seen anything except zoo, I had started to think not all so bad as looks like. Of course the instincts of their ancestors still work, and the power, locked in animals bodies, is wants to break free, but the zoo workers are trying to improve the lives of animals, and create for them all conditions, as they can.
Today animals look more cheerful and healthy than a year ago. And finally we can see lions in Zoo ( i was expecting them since my childhood), also was bought more animals of Africa. You should not think that humans try to earn more money on animals only. the main goal of Moscow Zoo is support endangered species, researchers looking for ways to increase reproduction in captivity to save all this animal for the next generations.
I used Canon 500 and lens with a good zoom. The main problem when shooting it's design of some cages. They have fine mesh, which doesn't let you make an animal's photo with full decorations of their space. To make a good photo you must use zoom on maximum to avoid defocusing from fine mesh, that's why portrait shots dominates. It was made about 1000 photos in that day, but I will share only some of it, the best of the best, as I think.
Two Cheetahs live in the park, male and female. But it's very difficult to keep them in captivity in a strange climate. They are active enough, but very vulnerable and don't want to multiply. Hard to get focus, because of his spots.
***
Puma –he’s a single boy. Today biologists are looking for girlfriend for him in other countries. In all my previous visits he was slept, but not this day. He is closing to old age, at soon it will hard to create a couple.
***
Celebrities of the Moscow zoo- White bears. They are always active -play, swim, ask food. As long as i remember myself they have cubs, every year. Usually Zoo sents them to other parks in 1 year age. But in this time they stay longer, don't know why. The father lives alone when cub is near. White bears don't nurture offspring together in the wild.
***
Asian lions. Son with his parents. It was wasted about 3 years to create a healthy couple, which will start reproduction (the first male didn't have communication skills with females, and even stole food from the female, he was replaced). Now the boy grownup enough to leave family and start his own life in another zoo.
***
Elephant's family. the father is very aggressive, even when they live together in the one corral he stays separately. The baby afraid him and hold closer to mother always. 1 year before he was smaller on the half.
***
It’s not strange for you to see raccoons, but we can meet them only in zoo. Big family with one male, he is too fat, when the ladies are slim :) hard to make good photo because of many people stay around all time.
***
And other animals, who are ready to photoset constantly. In the past i used to have some carrots for herbivores to feed them. But later i was knew that they all have a special balanced diets.
So, if you will be in Moscow, please try to find some time to visit this great place and see all these amazing creatures. it's incredibly feeling to find part of the wild in the center of Megapolis.