MOROCCO TO FINALLY A REAL ZOO
This is the weekend that the new Rabat Zoo opens its doors. Achieved with an investment of 460 million dirhams, the new site includes five ecosystems including tropical forests and savannah
It is the Crown Prince Moulay Al Hassan inaugurated today, Monday, January 9, the big zoo in Rabat. The public opening is scheduled for next weekend. Meanwhile, an open day for the press and a communication campaign to announce the event will be organized. This zoo is considered the second largest in Africa after that of South Africa. Indeed, its implementation required 460 million dirhams, entirely covered by the sale of the site of the former menagerie of animal Temara. "We now have a zoo that meets international standards. Its implementation has enabled us to acquire and develop specific skills and complex, which will be of great use for future projects in the remaining landbank, "said Abdeladim Lhafi CEO of National Zoological Garden and High Commissioner waters and forests in the fight against desertification. According to him, this knowledge will be used to perform the Night Safari, the other component of the project. It will present the life of the nocturnal wildlife. According to the business plan, it is expected 900,000 visitors per year, or 10% of a population within a radius of 100 km and an estimated 9 million people. And operating costs amounted to 50 million dirhams.
Abdeladim Lhafi setting revenue to cover maintenance costs. If the world, zoos are funded through the state or region, Rabat is quite different. But it has found a solution by encouraging sponsorship animal species like the lion of the Atlas and spies bald. For the latter species, Morocco is the only country in the world where there is a viable colony in the wild, he recalls. Several companies have responded positively to the sponsorship system. BMCE Foundation, OCP, of cement ... decided to sponsor animal species endangered or extinct. Many corporate citizens who use these symbols to give the label of sustainable development into their products.
The second approach is to generate resources in the concession of three restaurants inside the zoo circuit. In addition, there are five kiosks selling crepes, cotton candy, juice and ice. At the entrance, another restaurant, independent of the zoo, where it is possible to dine in front of Atlas lions separated by a bay window. These institutions will not be sold immediately. Lhafi expects the opening to negotiate better contracts. Several offers were submitted.
