Erbil Zoo has become the first zoo in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to be accepted as a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, marking a significant milestone in the country’s zoological sector.
ADIL SALMAN, Director General of Erbil Zoo, said the achievement was made possible because the facility was built according to international standards, hosts a wide range of rare animals, and has continued to expand alongside growing visitor interest.
Among the newest arrivals is the zebra, brought to Kurdistan and Iraq for the first time. SALMAN noted that the animal adapts well when kept in an appropriate environment among its own species.
He added that the importation of distinctive animals such as the white lion, the black jaguar, and several other rare species played a key role in securing the zoo’s membership in the global organization.
Built on an area of two hundred dunams in eastern Erbil, the zoo is home to more than one hundred fifty species of animals and birds, including rare and endangered creatures. The site features three lakes and waterfalls and functions as an academic zoological park supporting scientific research and the study of animal behavior.
