Zoo News

Thanks to our supporters, the aviary for rescued birds of prey at the Margaret Island Mini Zoo has been renovated. The 1% personal income tax donations offered to our zoo were used for this important project, just as we had previously announced.

Our zoo is open to visitors every day of the year, including winter. While some animals prefer warmer weather, they have heated enclosures where visitors can still see them comfortably, even in the colder months.

Our zoo closed the past year with the highest visitor numbers of the last two decades. In 2024, the number of visitors exceeded 1.1 million, not including an additional 200,000 visitors to the Margaret Island Mini Zoo. Last year also saw several major upgrades, such as improvements to the enclosures for prairie dogs, wombats, and Asiatic wild dogs. Additionally, new animals arrived, and we successfully bred rare species, contributing to their conservation.

The voting has ended, and the zebra foal born in mid-December has been named Zuhara. This Persian and Arabic-origin female name refers to the Evening Star but also means brightness and radiance—an excellent choice for this beautiful little animal!

One of our wild ducks—more precisely, a mallard—has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past year. Over two molting cycles, the female replaced her typically brown-patterned plumage with white feathers. The other wild ducks have accepted their companion’s color change without issue.

In addition to showcasing a variety of exotic wildlife, our Zoo also offers visitors the chance to encounter horses. Beyond simply presenting them, we take pride in our deep equestrian traditions, with notable achievements in enhancing the bond between humans and horses, as well as in conserving a Carpathian horse breed.

The renowned British writer, conservationist, and zookeeper Gerald Durrell is well-known in Hungary, primarily due to his successful books and nature documentaries. Often referred to as a modern-day Noah, he played a pivotal role in promoting the conservation mission of zoos worldwide.

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, the zoo treated many of its residents to special surprises, including Christmas trees and treats tailored to their tastes. These gifts not only brought festive joy but also provided excellent environmental enrichment for the animals.

Today, Indigo, the youngest member of the zoo’s gorilla troop, celebrated her seventh birthday. To mark the occasion and the upcoming Christmas holiday, her keepers treated both her and the rest of the gorilla family to a variety of special treats.

Tomorrow marks the 30th birthday of our zoo’s oldest penguin, who is also one of the oldest African penguins in the world. Her remarkable age is comparable to that of a 90-100-year-old human. Despite her advanced years, this female enjoys relatively good health.

From time to time, the public can see our Zoo’s youngest resident, a zebra foal born last week. At this young age, the foal’s coat is still fluffy and features soft, brownish stripes that differ slightly from those of adult zebras. Romy, the experienced mother, has successfully raised numerous foals in the past.

Cockroaches are rarely mentioned in a positive context, largely due to the presence of certain species in human habitats. However, not all cockroaches are pests; in fact, some are even strikingly beautiful.