Warsaw Zoo

Zoo in Warsaw

The Warsaw Zoological Garden, known as the Warsaw Zoo (Polish: Miejski Ogród Zoologiczny w Warszawie), is a zoo in Warsaw, Poland, next to the Vistula River. It opened in 1928 and covers about 40 hectares (99 acres). The zoo gets more than 700,000 visitors each year. It is one of the most popular zoos in Poland. The zoo has more than 11,000 animals from over 500 different species.

During World War II, the Warsaw Zoo was a hiding place for Jews and people escaping the Warsaw Ghetto. Zookeepers Jan and Antonina Żabiński saved hundreds of Jews. They were honored as Righteous Among the Nations for their bravery and kindness. These events were told in the book The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman and in a movie with Jessica Chastain.