February 02, 2021

The Zoo Animals Who Outlasted the Hermitage Cats


The Zoo Animals Who Outlasted the Hermitage Cats
The polar bear enjoys a rare clear sky in St. Petersburg. Amanda Shirnina

This week, on January 27, St. Petersburg celebrated the 77th anniversary of the lifting of the blockade of Leningrad during World War II. The Leningrad Zoo found a way to save its charges rather than sacrificing them to human hunger during the 872-day ordeal.

About 100 of the zoo's animals survived the war, including some of the largest ones – a tiger named Kitty and a hippopotamus named Beauty. For Beauty, St. Petersburg resident Evdokiya Dashina recalls toting 400 liters of Neva River water every day.

The siege-era menu for zoo animals was often the same as for humans: sawdust, pine cones, acorns, and other found objects, both organic and inorganic. For the animals, zoo staff would grind these objects into kasha to make them more palatable. In the absence of meat, workers convinced Vera the vulture to eat old animal skins stuffed with vegetables.

Zoo residents continued to entertain children in the Animal Theatre – undoubtedly a much-needed distraction from a very unusual childhood – throughout the more-than-two-year-long blockade.

The residents of the Leningrad Zoo fared better than the Hermitage cats, who did not survive the war but whose population was restored later and are today probably the most famous animals in St. Petersburg. An exhibit is currently on at the zoo about "The Zoo During the Siege."

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955