Zoo News

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.

Our zoo is home to several majestic trees of impressive size and age. Among them, the largest and oldest are mostly plane trees and poplars. However, the most ancient-looking of all is the massive plane tree standing on the lakeside promenade.

In our zoo, visitors can encounter many species that are increasingly rare in their natural habitats. The red-eared macaw in the picture, for example, is critically endangered. In its native Bolivia, located in South America, the wild population is estimated to be less than 300 individuals.

Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden is famous for its Nile hippopotamuses. Famous because of the long and rich tradition of hippo management and husbandry here, and also because of our hippos can bathe in medicinal thermal water.