Wildlife in Egypt
Egypt’s animals live in deserts, plains and other ecosystems, and there are zoos in cities across the country. Giza Zoo in Cairo is the most visited. Alexandria Zoo, close to the Smouha district, keeps common hippopotamuses, lions, striped and spotted hyenas, California sea lions, zebras, scimitar-horned oryx, several kinds of bear, monkeys, dromedary and Bactrian camels, Barbary sheep, a black leopard, golden jackals and llamas. It also has a reptile house, a section for birds and small mammals, and hawks, eagles and falcons. Smaller zoos are found in Fayoum, Beni Suef, Tanta, Mansoura and El Zaqaziq.
Giza Zoo
Giza Zoo is a good choice if you are interested in wildlife. It keeps many endangered species and a selection of native animals, and it is considered one of the largest collections in Africa of animals and birds that are now extinct in Egypt, such as Barbary sheep, Nubian ibex, Egyptian gazelles and herons.
More than ten million visitors, Egyptian and foreign, come each year. As well as seeing the animals, they walk the paths paved with coloured pebbles set in mosaic patterns, past streams, lakes, bridges and the hilly enclosures where the animals live.
Places to see include the Citadel Grotto, the Girandole Grotto, Tea Island, two artificial hills, the Suspension Bridge and the Animal Museum, whose three halls display rare mummified animals, skeletons, skulls and the skins of most wild animals, birds and reptiles.
For children there is a reptile house, electric cars, a 3D cinema showing films about animals, a play garden and a petting zoo where they can hold some of the mammals and reptiles.
Animal species at the zoo:
- Mammals: the large red kangaroo with its short red-brown fur, the Asian elephant, the African elephant (the largest living land mammal), black and brown lemurs, and others.
- Birds: ostriches, the solitary southern cassowary, the emu, which lays clutches of 15–25 eggs, the great white pelican, the grey heron, and others.
- Reptiles: the Nile crocodile, the American alligator, the Egyptian cobra, the common egg-eater, the Montpellier snake, and others.
- Baby animals: hatching Egyptian geese, a yellow-faced Amazon, a greater kudu calf and a baby kangaroo called Revo.
The zoo’s history goes back to Khedive Ismail (1863–1879), who planned to open it officially for the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869. Captain Stanley S. Flower was its first director and held the post until 1924.
The zoo covers about 80 acres and was first laid out as a botanical garden. It is near Cairo University and has 5 main gates on all sides. Students and researchers in zoology sometimes use it for study.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see Egypt's wildlife?
In the wild, protected areas such as Wadi El Gemal, St Katherine and Lake Burullus have gazelles, ibex, foxes and huge numbers of birds. Zoos include Giza Zoo, which has been closed for redevelopment in recent years, and Alexandria Zoo.
What animals live at Alexandria Zoo?
Hippopotamuses, lions, striped and spotted hyenas, California sea lions, zebras, scimitar-horned oryx, bears, monkeys, camels, Barbary sheep, a reptile house and birds of prey. It is near Smouha.
Which native animals are hardest to see in the wild?
Species such as Barbary sheep, Nubian ibex and Egyptian gazelles are now rare or gone from most of Egypt. Zoos and remote protectorates such as Gebel Elba are among the few places they survive.
Are there zoos outside Cairo and Alexandria?
Yes, smaller zoos are found in Fayoum, Beni Suef, Tanta, Mansoura and Zagazig.
