The Leningrad Zoo (), sometimes called the Saint Petersburg Zoo or Sankt-Peterburgskiy Zoopark (), in Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), Russia, is located in Alexander Park in the Petrogradskaya Storona. It was founded by Sofia Gerhardt and Julius Gerhardt in 1865. It has about 2,000 animals from 410 species, including polar bears. It is one of the oldest zoos in Russia, as well as the most northernly. The zoo was renamed from "Zoological Garden" to "Leningrad Zoo" in 1952. In 1991 the name was retained, even after the city resumed its former name of Saint Petersburg, in commemoration of the zoo workers' deed of saving the animals during the Leningrad Blockade. History Saint Petersburg Zoological gardens, today called Leningrad Zoo, was one of the first zoos in Russia, and was opened in Alexander Park. The first owners of Saint Petersburg zoo were Sofia and Julius Gebhardt. The zoo's first collection of animals included tigers, bears, lions, small predators, birds and parrots. The zoological gardens fell into decline and closed in 1909. In 1910, S. H. Novinkov became the new owner of the zoo. The zoo was nationalised in 1918. An academic board was formed to manage the zoo. The Scientific Library and Animal Programmes Department was also created. World War II started. The zoo suffered greatly during the war, but did not stop its work even during the most difficult times of the Leningrad Blockade. The workers were able to save part of the collection of animals, and the animals even had offspring. On site lectures were held and in the summer the zoo was open to visitors again. In memory of the heroic actions of the workers who saved the zoo during the Leningrad Blockade, the zoo, disregarding the city's renaming to Saint Petersburg, remained named as Leningrad Zoo. The zoo was opened permanently in the spring of 1944, and since development in the new area was not possible, restoration work began on the old site. The most intensive construction was carried out in 1951. In 1952 the zoological gardens was renamed to zoological park. At this time, the zoo's collection was one of the largest in the Soviet Union, but the majority of buildings and facilities were in unsatisfactory condition. Therefore, the decision was made to carry out complete renovation work, which started in 1967. Since the renovation was planned to last 3 to 5 years, the plan was