The Night world

The exposition of small mammals is located in the basement under "Animals of Russia" exposition. Opened in May 1996 it was named "The Night world". The exposition design is a result of a long term scientific research of the Research Department.

The rodents represent the majority of species at the exhibition as they are the most numerous mammals' order. Nevertheless, the rodents' expositions are unusual in zoos, especially in Russia. It is due to such rodents' specific characteristics as their small size, night activity as well as their ability to destroy all decoration elements that could be gnawed.

While developing rodents' exposition in the Moscow zoo we followed the principle of so-called "landscape groups". We introduced the representatives of other mammals' taxa from the corresponding areas to the exhibition. While decorating the enclosures we modelled the specific habitats of these animals on the base of numerous pictures and slides from the books and our field trips.

The exposition looks like a dark cave with illuminated windows of enclosures. Each enclosure has shelters imitating burrows, cavities and hollows similar to the type of shelters the animals naturally inhabit. The shelters are constructed to make one open side visible for visitors and are red lightened. So the animals could be observed even in leisure time when they feel safe in the shelter. Some animals have closed nestboxes constructed in the shelter. The walls of enclosures are covered with paintings visibly enlarging them. The enclosures are decorated with artificial trees and stones.

During the visitor time the area is semi-dark. At the night time the shelters have day-lights on. As a result we were able to invert night mammals' activity rhythm. However they are more active in the morning or in the evening now, while at day time at peak visitors hours, they are rather passive.

Many of the "Night world" inhabitants are well bred in captivity and the visitors may observe funny and active offspring. The exposition consists of 14 enclosures of a different size.