Riga Zoo, located at Meza Prospekts 1, in Riga, Latvia , was founded in 1912 and the first elephant arrived in 1912. The last elephant left in 2003.
The Zoological Garden in Riga, Capitol of Lettland, was founded 1912, as the first zoo within the Baltic states. 16,4 hectares it exhibits 2200 animals covering 400 Species, including 110 Species of mammals. The Riga Zoo is home to 41 of the Species listed on the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'>IUCN Red data book of Endangered and Extinct Species. Most unique record is the oldest inhabitant in the Zoo, a Mississippi alligator (Alligator mississippienses) that has lived here since 1935.
1990 was the elephant Zuzanna born, but only three months later, her mother Zita (on breeding loan from Moscow Zoo) died. Zuzanna was brought up with milk and bottle. She was sold 1996 to Kobe Zoo in Japan, where she is now living with a bull of the same age. The elephant cow Rupa was send from Basel Zoo in Switzerland to Copenhagen for cover in the 80s, but she never accepted the Bull Chieng Mai there, and was therefore sold to Riga Zoo in the 90s. Later both elephants was transfered, Radsch to Emmen Zoo, and Rupa to Arnhem Zoo, both in Netherlands.
