Until the breakdown of the Soviet Union and independence in 1991, the zoo was considered one of the best sightseeing attractions in Dushanbe.

[2] National independence in 1991, followed by a civil war lasting until 1997, posed a great threat to the zoo in terms of the loss of species and economic hardship; public financing was no longer available to the extent it was before.

However, because it is the only public institution to present to the population species of local and foreign fauna, zoo attendance is now being restored.

Of the large cat family there is a male and female lions, a jaguar and snow leopard.

Working with mentors and sponsoring organizations, the work of the two groups of students resulted in the zoo receiving a $75,000 grant in 2007 from the American Alliance of Museums, which will allow the zoo to develop a volunteer program, repair fences, add signs, and put in a garden area, picnic area, and playground.