5 animal STARS of the Moscow Zoo (PHOTOS)
Over 10,000 animals live in one of the oldest zoos of Europe and millions of people follow their lives on social media. We’ve highlighted five “stars”, who have also become unofficial mascots of the zoo.
1. Katyusha the Panda
This is the first panda to officially be born in Russia. Katyusha was born in 2023 at the Moscow Zoo. Her parents are pandas Dingding and Ruyi and her name was chosen by Muscovites through an online vote. Katyusha is growing fast, works excellently with the zoo specialists and is especially happy about the recent heavy snowfalls [in January 2026 - Ed.]. Her favorite treats, meanwhile, are carrots and bamboo.
2. Timofey the Pallas's Cat
This wild cat is even depicted on the zoo's coat of arms, due to the significant contributions Soviet specialists made to the study of these wild cats. Timofey also made his own contribution: the term ‘zazhirovka’ (a period of weight gain, or “fattening up”, prior to winter), which zoologists used in stories about the Pallas's cat, became so popular that, in 2025, the word was officially included in the Russian language dictionary.
You can see and read more about Timofey here.
3. Zauri the Jungle Cat
The jungle cat, or reed cat, is a rare ‘Red Book’ predator, which is sometimes also referred to as the "swamp lynx" for its size and ear tufts. Zauri arrived at the Moscow Zoo from France at the end of 2016 as a six-month-old kitten. And, since then, he regularly appears in the lenses of journalists and visitors, especially often during training sessions with specialists.
4. Capybaras Kuzma and Malaya:
This is one of the strongest and charismatic pairs at the Moscow Zoo! Watching the gentle giants sunbathe or enjoy a relaxing bath is a real pleasure. In Fall 2025, they became parents once again: the couple had two female capybara pups, Simka and Verta. In total, Malaya and Kuzma have already had 11 offspring!
5. Terpey the Polar Bear
Although the Moscow climate differs from the natural habitat of polar bears, Terpey feels great and is thriving. Watching his powerful and yet graceful games in the large pool is especially captivating through the glass walls. Terpey regularly becomes the hero of the zoo's photo and video reports, demonstrating different facets of his character – from calm to very active!
