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Moscow Zoo to Stay Open All Night for Visitors

The Moscow Zoo will open its gates after dark Saturday so visitors can watch animals after the zoo closes and the crowds leave. But don't hope to watch — the free tickets are already sold out.

The event, called "Night at the Zoo," will feature guided tours from the main entrance at both 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., for an hour-long excursion each, Interfax reported Wednesday, citing a zoo spokesperson.

But a limited amount of tickets means the tour is already sold out, however, and visitors had to sign up for the event in advance by calling the park's main office.

"Emphasis will be placed on wild cats, since at night it is more likely that they will come out," an employee of the Moscow zoo said.

Those who are not able to attend the Night at the Zoo are invited to visit the zoological garden during the day. "A May day at the zoo is perfect. Now you can experience a special zoo, one that is in full bloom," a statement on the official site of the park said.

Opened in 1864, the Moscow Zoo is Russia's first zoo. It covers an area of 53 acres and houses over 8,000 animals from more than 1,000 species of the world's fauna. It participates in multiple international endangered species conservation programs and cooperates with conservation organizations throughout the world.

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