On 22 April 2026, the large-scale ParkSeason Expo forum took place in Moscow, bringing together professionals from the park and zoo sectors from regions of Russia, BRICS countries, and other nations around the world. One of the key participants of the event was Svetlana Akulova, President of the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA) and the Union of Zoos and Aquariums of Russia (UZAR).
As part of the forum, Akulova visited the exhibition where EARAZA and UZAR presented their latest achievements and projects. She delivered a welcoming address to participants and subsequently, in her capacity as President of UZAR, moderated the thematic session “Zoos, Ornithological Parks and Mini-Farms”.
Together with Akulova, the session featured leading industry experts:
Bishop Ngobeni — President of Johannesburg City Parks and Zoos and representative of the African Parks Association. He shared experience in attracting visitors and discussed operational standards on the African continent.
Svetlana Sokolova — Director General of the Kaliningrad Zoo, who spoke about why the modern zoo has every right to exist and develop.
Asiya Gizzatullina — Director of the Kazan Zoobotanical Garden, who presented a new approach to operations based on science, education, reconstruction, and the role of the zoo as a public space.
Andrey Erkin — Director of the Central Park of Culture and Recreation of Volgograd and member of the Parks Subcommittee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, who shared experience in effective zoning and creating year-round attractiveness for parks.
“A zoo is a museum of living nature, where the ‘exhibits’ breathe, run, fly, and require feeding. We combine three dimensions within our work: museum activities, park management, and nature conservation. It is precisely this balance — between visitor comfort, preservation of the ‘exhibits’, and animal welfare — that makes us unique,” Akulova emphasized.
She cited impressive figures: among UZAR members alone, total annual attendance amounted to approximately 20 million visitors. At the same time, in smaller cities, zoos receive between three and thirty times more visitors than the number of residents living there. This confirms that zoos and aquariums today are true drivers of tourism and a source of pride for their regions.
The culmination of the forum was the awards ceremony for the laureates and winners of the Third All-Russian “Parks of Russia” Award — the country’s main park industry event of the year, bringing together professionals who make parks and zoos better, more comfortable, and more engaging for people every day.
Akulova served on the Award’s Expert Council and, together with her colleagues, selected the country’s best zoos in the special “Zoo” nomination.
The Kaliningrad Zoo was named the winner of the nomination.
“This is especially gratifying for me: I know the zoo’s team well, and I know how much heart, effort, and love they put into their work. The Kaliningrad Zoo is not simply a place where animals live; it is a truly modern scientific and educational centre of which the entire country can be proud. Congratulations, friends! This victory is well deserved!” Akulova commented on her colleagues’ achievement.
She also congratulated all laureates and winners in the other award categories — from “Children’s Park” to “Person of the Year” — and thanked them for their work, which makes cities vibrant, green, and welcoming.
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