The conditions similar to protected ones on the territory of the pushcha were established at the beginning of the 15th century. First hunting was prohibited and in 1588 the forest edict was issued, which prohibited even dead trees felling. The preservation of the pushcha was promoted by the fact that it was inhabited by aurochses, the extinction of which and the desire to preserve this species in Europe made first Lithuanian princes, then Polish kings and later on Russian tsars lake care of the protection of this forest ardently. Since 1775 Belavezhskaya Pushcha has been a hunting forestry of Russian tsars. In 1802 a decree about the protection of the pushcha and aurachs preservation was issued. A regular additional artificial feeding of aurochs was carried out, its registration was adjusted, but number was reducing constantly. In 1867 red deers were brought here for reacclimitization. During the wars time 4.5cubic metres of wood has been felled, however, in spite of this fact some tracts of virgin forests have preserved here. Since 1939 the total preservation has been established in the pushcha. The preservation has resumed its activity in October 1944 but only from its eastern Soviet part. In 1957 the preservation was elevated into a protected hunting forestry. Since 1991 Belavezhskaya Pushcha has become a National Park. In 1992 it was put into the list of the World Heritage of Mankind. In 1993 the park was awarded an international status of a biosphere reserve. For the purpose of preserving the biodiversity of Belavezhskaya Pushcha the whole territory of it was divided into 4 functional zones with various conditions of protection: a protected zone - the zone of untouched nature where all kinds of economic and other activities, except for the scientific researches and protection (15677 hectares of mainly native natural old-aged cornifer-diciduous forests); the zone of regulated usage - 57 thousand hectares (all measures in this zone must provide with optimum conditions for the development of natural ecosystems for the purpose of prevention and evolutional (henofund) development of the vegetable and animal kingdoms); a recreational zone 10712 hectares (the landscapes of the zone are distinguished by high esthetic and sanitary-hygienic properties and are intended for introducing to the sights of park, organized cognitive tourism, recreation and study of recreational loading of ecosystems); an economic zone - 3969 hectares ( is intended for the placing of the objects which have administrative and recreational significance, reception and service of tourists, accomodation and accomplishmend of economic activity of the park staff). Besides, the so-called protective or buffer zone with an area of about 90 thousand hectares is created around the park where lands are kept for their users but there are a number of restrictions for the economic activity. The National Park Belavezhskaya Pushcha is a large-scale natural scientific laboratory which attracts scientists from all over the world to itself.