The Novosibirsk Zoo named after Rostislav Alexandrovich Shilo (Russian: Новосибирский зоопарк имени Ростислава Александровича Шило) is a scientific institution as well as a tourist attraction.

[1] The history of Novosibirsk Zoo began with a little zoological garden headed by Maksim Zverev, which was a part of West Siberian Krai Children's Technical and Agricultural Station founded in 1933.

But the construction of new zoo began only in 1979 due to difficulties in choosing new place in rapidly growing city.

Simultaneously with the relocation, the zoo was conducting the extensive scientific research work for a cultivation and preservation of rare animal species.

[3][4] John Spence, a South African zoo director, had always been fascinated by stories of these grand lions scaling the walls of General van Riebeeck's castle in the 17th century.