From ancient times people endowed the feeling of love with special symbols, and each nation had its own archetype of love.
Today most countries turn to classical symbols, but national images have not lost their significance.
There are many international symbols of love and fidelity. The "classics" of the language of love a person learns from the farthest corner of the world. Such symbols are often depicted on postcards: even if a love message is written in an unknown language, the recipient will understand what the letter is about.
One of the ancient symbols of love is the koi. In Japan and China koi is especially important. This fish is a symbol of love, as the word "koi" in Japan means not only "carp" but also "love". These beautiful symbols of love live in Mykolaiv Zoo. They have many different colors. Koi live in a decorative pond, 4 meters deep, built especially for them.
Among the birds there are also symbols of love.
Lovers are often called "doves". If you watch the pigeons, you can see how they gently touch each other with their beaks, how gently they clean each other's wings, how they bill – just like a couple in love. To these birds, according to mythology, was benevolent the patron saint of lovers Venus. Not surprisingly, the birds were honored to become an eternal symbol of deep feelings.
Swans are also considered a symbol of fidelity and eternal love. Swans are always together, they share the care of their chicks. Songs and poems are composed about the swan's fidelity.
And in China a newly formed family is given mandarin duck figures to make the union strong. According to legend, once they saved the marriage of the Chinese emperor: he wanted to leave his wife, but on a walk he saw the reverent courtship of mandarin ducks and changed his mind to part with his chosen one, remembering his former feelings.
The stork is a symbol of goodness and harmony in the family, a symbol of procreation. In Ukrainian culture there is a sign: "If a stork has built a nest on the house, then the family should live in peace". Therefore, people have a special respect for these birds.
All these symbols of fidelity and eternal love also live in our zoo.
There are many beautiful legends about the devotion and loyalty of the wolf pair. Wolves live with their partner all their lives, not just during the breeding season. A pair of wolves lives together until the death of one of them. At this time, the partner is really sad, thus showing his eternal love for the one with whom he lived for many years. You can see wolves of Mykolaiv Zoo on exhibit in the enclosures which are located opposite to summer enclosures of primates.
Dear visitors! Mykolaiv Zoo congratulates everyone on Valentine's Day and invites to visit the zoo! We have something to surprise you!