Latvia

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Riga Zoo, Latvia issued a set of three stamps featuring a lion (LVL 0.35, for regular mail within Latvia), a kiang (a wild donkey native to Tibet, LVL 0.55 for regular mail in the EU) and a European Tree Frog (LVL 0.60 for regular mail outside the EU).  The stamps were designed by Ludis Danilans and issued April 14, 2012.  This link to Latvia Post describes the first day ceremony and contest to win first day covers of each of the stamps.

The booklet pictured here was released in an edition of 5000 for the World Philatelic Exhibition in Essen, Germany, April 12-14, 2012.

According to the Latvia Post web site:  ”The need to create a    zoological garden in Riga was first discussed at the end of the 19thcentury. The day of birth of Riga Zoo was October 14, 1912. At that time, 88 species of animals were displayed. The layout of the zoo was created by the famous landscape architect Georg Kuphaldt, while the buildings were designed by the architect Hermanis Zeiberlihs.”  In 1988, the zoo launched a successful program to restore the European Tree Frog to Latvia.