Rabat Zoo

Rabat Zoo, also known by its Arabic name Ḥadīqat al-Ḥaywānāt bir-Ribāṭ and formerly as "Temara Zoo," is a zoological park situated near the city of Rabat in Morocco. Established in 1973, its origins are tied to lions previously housed in the royal palace. These lions are significant as they are believed to be descendants of the Barbary lion, a subspecies now extinct in the wild, and they form the ancestral line for the zoo's current lion population.

Conservation Efforts

The zoo plays a crucial role in wildlife conservation, aiming to establish viable populations of endangered animals. This effort is intended to strengthen the animal collection and facilitate the reintroduction of certain species back into their original natural habitats. Rabat Zoo reportedly houses over 1,800 animals across nearly 180 species and actively participates in more than 22 conservation programs focused on rare and endangered endemic species. Notably, eight of these species are part of reintroduction initiatives, including five species that are extinct in the wild in Morocco. In the first quarter of 2024, the zoo reported the birth of over 70 animals from endemic Moroccan and African species, many of which are classified by the IUCN as endangered or critically endangered.

Barbary Lions

A significant focus for Rabat Zoo is the conservation of the Barbary lion. Given the extinction of this subspecies in the wild, the zoo has invested efforts in identifying and housing possible Barbary lions or their descendants in captivity. While genetic tests indicate that the zoo's lions are not pure Barbary lions, they are recognized as descendants of the original Barbary lion population, which included individuals kept by Moroccan royalty captured from the Atlas Mountains. As of November 2024, the zoo maintained a group of 33 Barbary lions, with a balanced representation of males and females across various age groups, and has documented approximately 18 births since 2012.