The zoo has a branch "Cīruļi" in Liepāja District, Kalvene parish, established in 1996, it has an area of 135 hectares (330 acres).

In 1908 a society was established to coordinate the formation of the zoo, and in April 1911, 16.4 ha (41 acres) of land was allocated for this purpose.

In 1988 the zoo began work on the reintroduction of the European tree frog; as a result, the species now can be found in the wild in many parts of Courland.

The latest big addition to the zoo has been African Savannah exhibit in 2019 with animals such as geladas, impalas, zebras and elands.

The animal exhibitions planned in Himalaya include snow leopard, manul, takin, bearded vultures and other species.

Riga Zoo enacts several scientific research and wild life conservation projects.

The aim of the project is to collect information of owl migration in northern Europe and compare annual differences.

In 1989-1993 expeditions were made to various places in the former Soviet Union (Ukraine, Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Southern Siberia, Primorsk, Sakhalin and Kunashir Island).