Warsaw Zoological Garden shared sad news about one of their beloved meerkats. Mama, the senior-leader of the meerkat clan, passed away.
“Mama came to the zoo from the Czech Dvůr Králové in 2008, when she was just over a year old and quickly won the hearts of both us and our animal relatives. Despite her inconspicuous build and tiny body, she was very charismatic and did not let herself get in over her head, placing other meerkats in the corners. During the almost 15 years that she spent in Warsaw, Mama raised 65 offsprings, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren live in many European gardens. She was a wonderful and caring mother, a strong leader, and simply, a lovely Mama.”, we read on Facebook.
An important year for the zoo
Despite the sad news, 2023 is an important year for the zoo in Warsaw. Not only it turns 85 years old but also changes its official name to Antonina and Jan Żabiński Municipal Zoological Garden in Warsaw.
After the unexpected death of the ZOO director, the city authorities launched a competition for this position. On 1 June 1929, the garden was taken over by Jan Żabiński, a young talented zoologist, assistant professor at the Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences.
During World War II, Jan Żabiński, the director, together with his wife Antonina and their son Ryszard, saved more than 300 Jews from the Holocaust. Read more about them here.