I went there quite a while ago - 1997, I think. It wasn't a great zoo, and some parts of it were pretty awful (the monkey enclosures in particular were simply ghastly), but it had some half-decent hoof stock areas, and one or two quite big pens. I think it has been completely remodelled in recent years; someone posted a film of it somewhere, and it looked quite promising. From my (again, ancient) experience of them, the other zoos in Morocco aren't up to much either: the place I saw in Casablanca was down there with the very worst I've ever seen (although I think there may be more than one public collection in the city).
The zoo has received 6 crocodiles (species not named) and 3 giraffe (again not specified) from Le Pal, Paris and Emmen. La collection animale du JARDIN ZOOLOGIQUE DE RABAT s?enrichit par l?arrivée de nouvelles espèces | Royaume du maroc || Jardin zoologique de rabat
I had a couple of stints in Rabat in early 2007 (about 6 weeks in total) but didn't even think about looking for a zoo! However when I finish my current stint in Jordan there is a possibility that I might be going back to Rabat, in which case I'll be at the zoo every weekend!
Woud it be very nosey to ask what your work is, that takes you to such interesting places? Unless it has changed a great deal, I'm not sure that rabat Zoo will repay multiple visits. Here is a bit more about it, on someone's blog: Parc Zoologique National de Rabat. It includes a link to a Youtube film. If you can head east a way, it'd be very interesting to hear anything about the zoo in Algiers. I had a chance to go in 1989, didn't - and have regretted it ever since.
MI6 Nah, joking! I’m a Quantity Surveyor. Been working overseas for the last 26 years and have lived and worked in Qatar, Saudi, Dubai, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and now Jordan. Dubai was my longest stay (13 years) and while there I made working trips to Morocco, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Unfortunately working trips don’t usually afford you any time to see the place you’re working in, although my stays in Morocco were a bit longer so I had a chance to see a little of it. Unless Rabat has changed a great deal since I was last there then no matter what the zoo is like it will be worth multiple visits as there isn’t much to see and do in Rabat. Anyway, it appears to be a new zoo and from what I’ve seen of it from the internet it looks like it might be ok.
It looks very much like Zoo Le Pal has taken leave of all / most of its hybrid giraffe herd. A local from France recognized male Kim. They had the male - Kim (born 2005 Knuthenborg Safari, Bandholm)- plus a female Nini (born 1999 Le Bourbansais, Pleugueneuc) as their breeding pair. The pair had 2 surviving offspring, a female Maribo / Kitale (born 1/10/2009) and a male Sanjio (born 28/10/2011). Would be interesting to know what species of crocodiles they have acquired from Emmen and Paris! Emmen exhibits both long snouted Crocodylus cataphractus and West African dwarf Osteolaemus tetraspis. Jardin des Plantes had … Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus (..) and West African dwarf Osteolaemus tetraspis.
Here is the old thread with the videos I linked to http://www.zoochat.com/16/rabat-zoo-morocco-313412/
Unfortunately it looks like I will not be returning to Rabat and instead staying on longer in Jordan. So a vist to Rabat zoo is no longer anticipated.
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
New hippo and croc facilities have opened at the zoo. https://www.facebook.com/RabatZoo/photos/pcb.1192005237476428/1192005207476431/?type=3&theater
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)
A seven-year-old girl has sadly died after a visit to the zoo where she was hit in the head by a stone which an elephant threw. Press release (in French): http://rabatzoo.ma/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/communique---de-presse-elephant.pdf
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 .
