Johannesburg Zoo – Dedicated to Conservation
Established in 1907, the Johannesburg Zoo was until recently owned by the City of Johannesburg, but is now a non- profit organization. The Zoo of Johannesburg is built on 54 hectares of land, providing a safe home for more than 2,070 animals, representing 365 different species.
The core function of the Johannesburg Zoo is the protection,
conservation
and medical treatment of wild animals. Through its educational
programmes,
the Johannesburg Zoo strives to educate the public and make them aware
of
the need to protect our wildlife. It is important for the
public to
know that the present wildlife is all we have, and we need to be
vigilant
in the fight for their survival. Night tours are also available at the
Zoo,
which gives the visitor an entirely new perspective on the animals. The
Johannesburg Zoo, works closely with other organizations, such as
local,
national and regional authorities, NGO’s and landowners, to preserve
and
protect all forms of wildlife. The Zoo in
Johannesburg
participates in biological conservation as well. This is an essential part
of
conservation, as the research and studies conducted, enable the
Johannesburg
Zoo, to understand and prevent diseases, and to be able to give the
animals
the best medical care available.
The Johannesburg Zoo also supports a healthy life style, and
together
with the organization Run/Walk for Life International, they have
created The
Zoo Trot. Participants pay a small entrance fee, and are able to enter
either the 5km or 10km challenge. This event takes place every second
Sunday of the month.
There are also designated feeding times for certain enclosures,
which are
open for public viewing. Some of the feeding times are accompanied by
a
short informative talk, while others are just for you to watch. On the
feeding time timetable, are enclosures such as Seals, Wild Dogs and the
Polar Bears. Also seen around the park are green flags, these indicate
to
visitors that there is a new addition to the family within that
enclosure.
Another proud moment for the Johannesburg Zoo was when Teresa
Slacke
won the Chairman’s Award at the African Association of Zoos and Aquaria
Conference held in East London. This proves, once again, that the
dedication and
passion the staff members show towards the animals and the Johannesburg
Zoo does bear fruit.
