Visitors are eagerly anticipating the reopening of the Giza Zoo following its comprehensive redevelopment.
For many decades, the zoo has been a sanctuary for wildlife and a place for families, especially children, to have fun. Despite its history and cultural significance, the zoo lost its charm over time, however, as facilities became old-fashioned, visitor pathways were damaged, and the standards of animal care decreased and no longer abided by international standards.
Officials instructed the management to redevelop the zoo not only to modernise it but also to maintain its legacy.
The Giza Zoo has been closed since July 2023 for renovation based on instructions from President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, who also asked for the neighbouring Orman Gardens to be redeveloped to meet international standards.
The facilities are to be connected after improvements to enhance their historical value as some of the oldest urban gardens in the world. This comes within the framework of ensuring that they abide by international environmental standards and can continue to serve as a recreational haven for visitors from across the country.
According to Mohamed Al-Qersh, official spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, the renovation aims to merge tradition with modernity. It introduces advanced animal enclosures, modern exhibition methods, and the latest in animal welfare practices to ensure that the animals are accommodated in environments that resemble their natural habitats.
It also preserves the zoo’s historic architecture and green heritage as vital threads in the site’s living tapestry.
Al-Qersh said that the zoo’s long-neglected pathways have been smoothed out and its amenities have been rejuvenated thanks to infrastructure upgrades. Soon, families will be able to spend whole days at the zoo once again thanks to more hospitable recreational facilities that include interactive places, shaded seating, and carefully trimmed gardens.
“The goal of the updated services, such as the new information centres and cafés, is to make every visit more interesting and seamless,” Al-Qersh said, who added that one thing will persist throughout this change: reverence for the zoo’s dual identity as a historic site and an ecological sanctuary.
The reconstruction embraces the past rather than erasing it and guarantees that the zoo will continue to represent a living legacy and meet international standards when it reopens.
“The Orman Gardens have been integrated into the development plan, giving visitors a comprehensive experience that combines viewing animals and rare plants together within a larger and more diverse space,” he said.
“The ministry has also signed agreements with leading international companies, as well as global experts and consultants, to provide technical support and train staff in efforts that will enhance human resource development, raise professional standards, and ensure the adoption of modern management practices in wildlife care.”
Al-Qersh said that the General Authority for Veterinary Services (GAVS), which includes a distinguished group of vets specialised in dealing with wildlife, will cooperate with the ministry to enhance the healthcare provision and ensure the quality of services at the zoo.
This, he noted, reflects the government’s commitment to offering visitors a safe, comprehensive, and enriching human and recreational experience.
DEVELOPMENT: The redevelopment of the Orman Gardens and the zoo is being carried out under the supervision of both the World and the African Associations of Zoos through a syndicate of national companies led by the National Military Production Company for Projects.
The zoo will remain under the ownership of the Ministry of Agriculture and under the technical supervision of the GAVS. Al-Qersh said that spending on the development so far is estimated at between LE1.7 billion and LE1.8 billion, while the total cost of the project is estimated at nearly LE4 billion, equivalent to around $80 million.
“This amount is not large compared to the scale of developing one of the most important historical gardens in the region, especially as the social, tourism, and economic returns involved will eventually cover the cost of the expenditure,” Al-Qersh said.
Maged Al-Serti, CEO of the National Military Production Company for Projects, Engineering Consultations and General Supplies (under the Ministry of Military Production), said that the inauguration of both the Giza Zoo and the Gardens would take place at the beginning of 2026.
“The coalition is fully committed to applying the highest international standards in the field of veterinary care, making use of specialised local and international expertise to ensure the health and safety of the animals in accordance with approved global protocols,” he said.
Three Asian elephants will be brought to the zoo, with special areas prepared for them covering up to 4.5 feddans to suit their needs. Their enclosures will be equipped with a special bathing pool, and there will be dedicated areas for hippos that meet international standards.
Already, more than 118 new species have been brought to the zoo, including four lions and three tigers arriving for the first time, all in good health and of ages that allow them to remain on display throughout the 25-year contract period.
Al-Serti said that an agreement had been made to expedite the import procedures for 362 new animals from abroad, while also supporting provincial zoos in Egypt with surplus animals from Giza Zoo under the supervision of the ministry.
He said that reports on social media that rare species of lions and tigers had been euthanised at the zoo were incorrect, as this had only happened in cases of animals suffering from incurable health problems.
“While some animals were treatable, others suffered from infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis, that could not be cured. This required the application of globally recognised euthanasia standards to safeguard the remaining animals, workers, and visitors,” he said.
He noted that the zoo’s infrastructure work included water and sewage systems, as well as the restoration of more than 90 per cent of the historical buildings and archaeological areas inside the facility, a key requirement before starting the redevelopment of the animal display zones.
The historic buildings and heritage areas will not be completely separated from the rest of the zoo but will instead be used as part of the “night zone” where sound and lighting systems have been installed to host different activities, helping to attract visitors and restore vitality to the zoo.
The development overall will restore the zoo to its original purpose as a dedicated space for animal display in a suitable environment. This includes designated seating areas for visitors and banning the entry of food or the feeding of animals except through organised experiences where visitors can feed certain species under specialist supervision without harming them.
The new plans, Al-Serti noted, rely on international standards for animal displays, with larger spaces allocated for each species, as some require several acres and cannot be kept in small enclosures. Direct interaction with visitors will not be allowed, except under controlled programmes. Specific dining areas will also be designated, and visitors will not be allowed to leave those areas with food.
The work also takes into account international standards on animal numbers. The number of each species in the zoo will not exceed recommended limits. “For example, we are limited to four lions or tigers, and any surplus will be exchanged or transferred to other regional zoos to maintain the ecological balance,” Al-Serti said.
He said that the zoo currently has 22 lions, all of which are over display age, making it necessary to bring in younger and more suitable animals. The aim is to ensure that the animals on display are always in the best possible health and behavioural condition, restoring the zoo to its place among the world’s most important zoological parks.
VISION: Al-Serti outlined the economic vision for redeveloping the zoo, saying it was also meant to generate tangible returns for society and the national economy.
He explained that the zoo in the past had lacked the necessary licences for marketing and advertising, which had limited its ability to attract visitors. Now, there was a clear plan for more than 35 per cent of the zoo’s revenue to come from tourism, both international and domestic, with tourists visiting the Pyramids or the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) wanting to see the zoo as a key stop on their itinerary.
The new strategy will make the zoo the world’s first “edu-entertainment zoo”, he said, blending entertainment and knowledge. Too often, traditional zoo models are non-challenging, whereas the new development adopts an educational entertainment model through three educational centres inside the zoo specialising in biology, laboratories, and animal-related studies, in addition to programmes tailored for kindergarten pupils.
Former minister of education Tarek Shawki, also a board member, is in charge of the educational and academic aspects of the zoo, Al-Serti said, while former minister of culture Ines Abdel-Dayem is responsible for the cultural side of the facility. The zoo has also organised an art competition for top sculptors, selecting four of them to design statues to be installed as part of the redevelopment and aiming to integrate art and culture into daily life.
The new redevelopment project will make the Giza Zoo the “smartest zoo in the world”, Al-Serti said, with technology integrated into services from ticketing to animal databases. Visitors will be able to access each animal’s history and details through advanced smart systems, supported by full surveillance camera coverage to ensure the highest level of organisation.
The strategy is not just about attracting one-time visitors, but rather about encouraging repeated visits, ensuring that people return multiple times to discover new aspects of the zoo on each visit. Al-Serti said that the success of the experience depends upon the public’s commitment to order, noting that clear and strict rules will be necessary in order to make the new zoo a success.
A transparent and disciplined system at the zoo will encourage visitors to engage responsibly and respectfully with the new services, enhancing the success of the zoo’s redevelopment and turning it into a landmark worthy of its historic stature.
Abdel-Fattah Faizi, managing director of the Hadaeq (Gardens) Company, one of the companies responsible for the development, management, and operation of the Orman Gardens and Giza Zoo, said that 60 agricultural engineers have been appointed to provide care for the zoo animals in terms of nutrition, environmental enrichment, hygiene, and other services.
He added that these engineers have been trained by leading international experts.
Faizi said that an agreement has been made with the Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI) to carry out periodic tests to protect the animals from disease and to ensure that trainers, keepers, and visitors are not exposed to infection. He noted that the institute’s laboratories are equipped with the latest equipment in this field and that its analyses are internationally accredited.
He explained that temporary alternative shelters have been provided for the animals currently in the zoo until the completion of the renovation and that these have been built to the highest international standards.
Regarding plans to preserve the zoo’s historical areas, Faizi confirmed that the heritage landmarks inside the Giza Zoo are undergoing restoration to maintain their unique architectural and artistic character. Many of them were installed when the zoo was established during the reign of the Khedive Ismail in the late 19th century, when the zoo was the first in Africa and the Middle East and one of the oldest in the world.
“The Giza Zoo is still one of the largest urban zoos in the world at 112 feddans. It contains about 3,000 trees and rare plants, in addition to more than 180 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles,” Faizi said.
He added that the development plan aims to restore the zoo’s landmarks while preserving their original character, so that the facility remains not only a home for rare animals, but also an open-air museum of architecture and heritage that attracts visitors, researchers, and tourists from Egypt and abroad.
The zoo will thus serve not only as a place of recreation, but also as a cultural landmark combining nature, history, and architecture, strengthening its position as one of Egypt’s most important tourist destinations.
Faizi said that the development works also extends to the zoo’s bridge, one of the first iron bridges in Egypt, along with the caves and artificial rocks that were built using distinctive techniques, as well as the ponds, artificial lakes, and historic towers that were once used for observing birds and animals.
The plans will also preserve a number of other historical landmarks, such as the Royal Hill (Gabalaya), one of the oldest animal houses, the Reptile House, which contains rare collections of snakes, turtles, and crocodiles, the Hippo Pool, the Zoological Museum, established in 1906 and housing taxidermy collections of rare animals, birds, and reptiles, and the Japanese House.
A number of modern activities for adventure lovers will also be introduced, including live shows with sea lions, birds, and elephants, the creation of a glass dome dedicated to meerkats, a ring-tailed lemur experience from Madagascar, and the opportunity to watch hippos underwater.
In addition, there will be other interactive activities for children and families, such as animal feeding and guided tours with animal keepers.
According to Faizi, the range of new facilities and services included in the zoo will provide an exceptional experience for nature lovers. They include the establishment of the Giza Zoo Safari Glamping Hotel, which combines nature with luxury to offer guests an unforgettable stay, as well as the creation of the Zoo Antique Bazaar, featuring a unique collection of handmade antiques and souvenirs, along with a variety of restaurants, cafés, and other services.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 4 September, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: