Tunis Zoo
Two kilometers away from the railway station you’ll find the 15-hectare Tunis zoo which is located in the south-east area of the 126-hectare Parc du Bélvédère. Sister city Cologne helped the city of Tunis to establish its own zoo in the 1960's. Zoo Tunis receives 800.000 visitors every year. Can be crowded on public holidays and on weekends.
Observations
Architecture
Fauna and flora
German landscape architects have mainly planned this zoo leaving as much of the old trees in the original Belvedere Park intact as possible. Hundreds of different trees, shrubs and flowers can be found here.
The zoo has one or a few examples of many different species stamp collection of animals, like a stamp collection.
Mission
Zoo Tunis presents itself as a scientific and cultural institution including all corresponding goals:
- educating the public about animal species from five continents
- recreation
- teaching of respect for nature and environment
- breeding endangered species of animals
- Acquiring scientific knowledge through zoological and ethological research
Visit 2005
A walk in the Tunis zoo
On the left side the zoo boasts birds and some monkeys. The pathway is easy to follow and the view on date palms and the vistas get nicer and nicer. The animal compounds are shown correctly on the map at the time of our visit; only the dromedaries seem to be moved to the former elephant stay. March 2005, the only elephant Bambi has died after she had fallen into the ditch surrounding the enclosure.
On the left side you can see the most interesting animals. Some enclosures look cramped, which is softened a bit by the natural looks of the park. In the heat all big cats are sleeping and the emus are open mouth breathing. Bathing water buffalos, a hippo, seals and crocos not showing up and a brown bears. Every pen has a description of the animals.
The cranes and goats on the right have more space and are easier to see.
The road all round the park, reminds you it's a city zoo.
Barter trade
Zoo photographers are equipped with Polaroids cameras. Many visitors are feeding the animals endlessly with breadsticks and bananas, as part of their zoo experience. A brown bears stands begging on its hind legs. Barter trade.
Cup-a-zoo
You can relax under giant rubber trees on the shady terrace of a Maurian cafe and get the chance to enjoy a water pipe. Tunisian families take a break on other shady places and bring themselves a picknick lunch.
Zoo maps Tunis
Numbers
- Opened: 1963
- Species: 163
- Animals: 1000+
- 15 ha
- 800.000 a year
- Landscape architect
