l83

It would seem, how can 5.5 hours spent with Tsar-Father Boris of Krasnoyarsk be stretched into several parts of a story? But I have already delayed telling it as it is, so let it at least appear in installments. That way, there will be an incentive to finish what I started.
October 18, 2026
The last time I visited Boris was on December 21, 2025. Now I know what he is like in winter—he sat on one favorite shelf for three hours. And now I need to see him during the fattening-up process.
In autumn, the zoo holds several public feedings and even invites visitors to two time slots—11:30 and 16:00—promising the most active manul at that time. Borenka lived up to every expectation.
It is 11:00, and so that manul admirers do not waste time searching or accidentally wander over to the deer, there is a sign right at the entrance!

My heart skips a beat, my mind wonders—has Boris already come out to keep watch for the keeper with the food?

More and more travel photo reports featuring our toy manuls are appearing on the website. I have a team of my own that travels with me to different places, including on manul tours.

The team is led by a Saint Bernard from Switzerland named Baron. But we have manulization going on here! Recently, he has been joined by manuls too—Namika, a pin from the Moscow Zoo, and a Pallas's cat pin from the Russian Geographical Society (the earring on the ear). There is also a small Saint Bernard pin from Liechtenstein and a pin featuring the cat from Lizyukov Street (a famous Russian cartoon). 

And so here is the sixth part of my story (and I had wanted to fit it into one post).
One of the places where manuls live in the wild in Russia is the Altai region. In zoos, manul kittens are also called Altai. But our Russian manul named Altai lives in the Republic of Udmurtia (the city of Izhevsk).
If you look at the map of Russia, you will find two regions with similar names. I can’t say for sure, but I’d say Russia has one of the most complicated federal structures. I’m sure there are people here who don’t fully understand it either. So. On the map there is Altai Krai (its capital is Barnaul, and Chip lives here) and the Republic of Altai (this is where manuls live in the wild). The Republic of Altai is mountains and steppes. The Saylyugem National Park is located here, where snow leopards (irbises) and manuls live. And the republic also borders Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan, i.e. countries where manuls also live in the wild.
The Republic of Altai is a tourist destination, so I combined a visit to Chip (https://manulization.ru/manuls/chip.html) in Barnaul with a trip around Altai.

Until January 26, Chip lived in Barnaul with his sister Pepe, who has now become a star of St. Petersburg and is raising 4 children by Shu. Which means our hero is the full brother of Moscow’s Timofey.

Saint Petersburg has several “names” — the Northern Palmyra, the Northern Capital, the Northern Venice. Some people call the city simply Piter. It has also been Petrograd and Leningrad. And it is precisely the zoo in Saint Petersburg that is called the Leningrad Zoo (abbreviated as Lenzoo). This name was kept in honor of the feat of the zoo workers during the blockade years (September 1941 to January 1944).
Saint Petersburg is a “young” city; it was founded and made the capital of the Russian Empire by Peter I in 1703 (Moscow traces its history back to 1147). That is why Namika (https://manulization.ru/manuls/namika.html) has earned the title of empress among manul fans. If we delve once more into Russian history, there were only three empresses: Catherine I (after Peter I’s death), Elizabeth (Peter I’s daughter), and Catherine II the Great. I wonder whom Namika resembles more? Elizabeth loved balls, dressing beautifully, and entertainment. Catherine II (she did not have a drop of Russian blood, and Namika is also a foreigner — she came from the Czech Republic) did a great deal for the country and deserved the addition “the Great” to her name.

Namika’s husband — the manul Sven (https://manulization.ru/manuls/sven.html) — is second in seniority and first among the males in Russia (the oldest is Lastochka). He is very modest and, as befits the husband of an empress, stays in her shadow. He rests more, regularly keeps up his water balance (drinks from a cup). But he remains a good hunter — during lunch he is always on the lookout, waiting for tasty food.

Moscow admiration for Timosha

Moscow is the capital, which means that the Moscow manul Timofey is the country’s main manul! The son of the legendary Zelenogorsk and the no less legendary Lastochka!
Much ink has been spilled over the phrase “Moscow prince,” which is applied to Timosha. Some say it goes against the rules of the Russian language, while others say that for Timosha anything goes! I am one of those for whom Timofey is the Moscow Prince. It is no secret that in Moscow, before Ivan the Terrible (1530–1584), the throne was held by the Grand Princes of Moscow and All Rus’ (after the unification of the principalities). Ivan IV was first crowned as tsar in 1547. And since the time of Peter I and the proclamation of the Russian Empire (1724), the capital was moved to Saint Petersburg, and rulers were crowned as emperors. Why am I saying this? For me, the phrase “Moscow prince” is a reference to patriarchal, old, pre-Petrine Rus’, when there was still no empire. That is why I really like this form of address, and I use it myself when speaking to him — Prince. It feels so cozy)
My first conscious visit to Timofey took place a year ago (August 25). I had exactly two days after returning from vacation. If he had not granted me an audience on the first day, I would have come on the second. But Timofey was very gracious. And he gave me more than two hours of company. Even a light rain did not dampen Timofey’s spirits — he disappeared for a little while, and I walked around the other animals in my raincoat. As soon as the rain stopped, Timosha came out again. It was very unexpected. After all, back then we all thought he was a recluse. Now, of course, thanks to Pavel (https://manulization.ru/manulover/pell/posts), we know that Timoshenka is a very active manul, with his own rituals for every day and every event.
I also got to see the enclosure being cleaned, but they never brought food while I was there:(

A trip to Izhevsk to see Altay

Over the past two years, I’ve started traveling very often for one or two days. I choose the train so that the night there and back is spent on the train, and I have one day in the city. And in that mode, the first city for me was Novosibirsk, and then things took off. And now I travel like that not only to see manuls, but also to theaters — active weekends) All right, that’s a digression. Now to the point!
Altay is the younger brother of Miya and Klyon. The son of Karaganda and Markiza. A famous recluse and the owner of a gorgeous house with a BALCONY!
https://manulization.ru/manuls/altay.html

The Krasnoyarsk trip

In July of 2025, manul fans learned that Boris (the son of Eva and Zhora) had moved out of his parental home (the large Novosibirsk dormitory) into his own individual enclosure. Now his home became Krasnoyarsk and the Roev Ruchey Flora and Fauna Park. The climate for Boris did not change much. He didn’t leave Siberia; on the contrary, he went even deeper into it)
The zoo staff began posting absolutely mind-blowing photos of Boris on their social media. And when the fattening-up contest started, Boris immediately, even as a newcomer, made himself known as a contender for first place. Such a handsome guy, and not that far from me — I had to go see such a marvelous manul!
On one trip to Krasnoyarsk, you can also drop by Novosibirsk. That’s how I combined these two cities on December 20–22, 2025. The weather in Krasnoyarsk was good — Boris had done his part — only minus 10 degrees. But the next day in Novosibirsk it was already very harsh (in part 1 I wrote about minus 30).
Roev Ruchey is located some distance from the city. I waited until daytime so that Borya would wake up and get ready to wait for food. 
The ceremonial moment: I come closer — Boris is on his favorite shelf! It allows him to keep the entire enclosure under control and even the Yenisei River, which is nearby. Boris thoroughly prepared for his first Krasnoyarsk winter — the shape of a ball and a thick coat were already with him.

On August 8 of this year, what I could not have imagined two years ago finally happened — I visited every zoo with manuls in Russia.
Novosibirsk, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Izhevsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Barnaul.

How it all began

Timofey isn’t the only one famous for hunting quail. Today Shu figured out a new toy and fished prey out of it. At first I thought it was just a new toy. Shu was fussing around it, and then I saw feathers appear from the hollow cylinder, and then the whole appetizing little body. And this was already the second quail for lunch!