Rabat Zoo Rabat Zoo, Morocco

A Barbary macaque confiscated last week was too old and too imprinted to be released and was therefor placed at Rabat Zoo.
 
It seems tha you are very interested in some non-EAZA zoos vogelcommando?

Such zoos in Kazakhstan, Morroco, Ukraine, India (I think that was your thread)? Do you ever visited such zoos, let say in peripherial nations to EU?

Have you visited some Balkan zoo?

Actually It is quite interesting to me too, how all these zoos are developing... or not developing
 
It seems tha you are very interested in some non-EAZA zoos vogelcommando?

Such zoos in Kazakhstan, Morroco, Ukraine, India (I think that was your thread)? Do you ever visited such zoos, let say in peripherial nations to EU?

Have you visited some Balkan zoo?

Actually It is quite interesting to me too, how all these zoos are developing... or not developing

No not visited sofar a zoo in the countries you mentioned and yes I'm very intrested in zoos in such "unknown" zoo-countries. From my active time as zoo-keeper I still have some contacts with quite a number of persons and zoos.
If I would have some more time and some more money I surtainly would visit a lot of these countries to take a view myself ;).
 
(Idk if this is considered as ''bumping'' or such , if it does I'm really sorry)

I visited Rabat Zoo not so long ago (Around March - April 2016 , the fourth time I visit it after it's renovation in 2012) and I must say it changed a lot (in a good way) from for example my visit in 2006 .

Now the zoo is housing about 130 ~ species (Mainly common ones in captivity with some exceptions such as the Campbell's Mona Monkey - 6 holders in Europe , the Indian emerald dove - 8 holders in Europe , or the Barbary Squirrel - No holders in Europe and (I think) in America etc... ). It (the zoo) has a surface area of 50 hectares (about 123 acres) divided in 5 sections each representing a ''biome'' : Atlas Mountains , Wetlands areas , Tropical rainforest , African Savanna , Desert .

IIRC they are part of an Atlas lion's breeding program , and they are currently holding 32 (33 ?) of them ...

I wish , I still had the pictures ... (I lost them with my camera and practically all the photos of zoos I visited previously in what seemed to be a crash :( ) .

(Oh and btw , just so you don't worry they are renovating the Ain Sebaa (Casa) zoo to ''international norms'' (inspired by the Bioparc Valencia) and are planning to make an aquarium in the same city with ~ 500 species (inspired by L'Aquàrium de Barcelone and by the Oceanarium de Lisbonne)
 
Thats realy sad ! I remember that an African elephant ( breeding ) male at Opel Zoo - Gemany had to put down while he also enjoyed throwing stones to the visitors :( .
 
If all goes well, I'll be visiting Rabat next September. It will be my first contact with a country I've never been to, and even more so, with a new continent I've never been to.

The reason for this visit is to fill a free weekend that I have and, talking with friends, they recommended the Rabat Zoo, with an interesting collection of species rarely seen in Europe. The impresión I've of this zoo from what I've seen and heard is quite good, since it was completely renovated and now seems to be quite similar to the Spanish Bioparcs, a zoo concept that you may or may not like, but which, aesthetically, I think is undoubtedly attractive.

As I always say in the forum, I would appreciate any advice or recommendations regarding the visit, in this case, to the Rabat Zoo.
 
I was there in March - see my pics in the gallery. There's plenty to like (the vivarium is top quality for example) but still quite a few 'less than good' bits.
One thing I would say is that it isn't an easy place to get to - or at least it wasn't during Eid, it may be better outside of the holidays. They are building a football stadium (actually reconstructing one used in Qatar) right next door (literally) so lots of construction traffic around the entrance and closed roads.
Have a great time - overall, I very much enjoyed it (the 3.5 hour walk back to the riad not so much) and there are a lot of species that are very rare in captivity (particularly herps), and of course, the only Forest Elephant anywhere near Europe.
 
Yes, I have to admit the zoo looks pretty nice, although a friend told me there's a specific area with pretty horrible parrot's aviaries. I'll probably get that area right.

Our plan is to spend a whole day at the zoo; we have time for a leisurely visit.

I was surprised to learn they have a forest elephant. I was in Japan a few months ago and thought they had the only ones currently in captivity in the world. A friend told me they also had one in Rabat, and I was very surprised. I'm actually more interested in birds, reptiles and rare small mammals, having seen the forest elephants in Japan. Still, I'd obviously like to see them and try to photograph them again.
 
Yes - the older bird areas (near the vivarium) are pretty poor. The newer ones (at the other end of the zoo) are better, but the vulture aviary was very cramped when I was there.

There are a few bird rarities, but not many. Not very many small mammals altogether and most species you will have probably seen before - although they do have Barbary Striped Squirrel. There are a few interesting sub-species (local Red Fox for example), but others (e.g. Serval) are, I think, of doubtful provenance. Overall though, it's a large mammal/ herp focused zoo.
 
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