It was established in 1979 and today it is an important city attraction. The official birthday of the zoo is April 29, 1980. The total area is 54 ha. A beautiful park is set up on 34 hectares of the exhibition area, about 3.5 thousand ornamental and 50 types of fruit trees, 10 types of hybrid tea rose bushes are planted there. The first collection of the zoo included 75 species and 350 animals and birds. Deer, argali, ponies, tiger pythons, lions and other animals are propagated there.

Today Shymkent Zoo is a unique corner of wildlife. Since July 2010 it is a member of the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

One of the main missions of the zoo is preservation and breeding of rare animals listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. Also, zoo employees conduct excursions, radio lectures and talks where biologists and leading experts share their knowledge about animals. Zoo is one of the most popular sites for citizens and visitors of Shymkent. More than 300 000 people visit the zoo each year.