Gaziantep Zoo
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| Gaziantep Zoo | |
|---|---|
 Entrance to the zoo | |
 Interactive map of Gaziantep Zoo | |
| 37°02′N 37°18′E / 37.033°N 37.300°E | |
| Date opened | 2001 |
| Location | Şahinbey, Gaziantep, Turkey |
| Land area | 1,000 daa (1.0 km2; 0.39 sq mi) |
| No. of animals | 4,000 (2023) |
| No. of species | 350 (2023) |
| Annual visitors | 5 million (2022) |
| Website | www |
The Gaziantep Zoo (Turkish: Gaziantep Hayvanat Bahçesi) is a zoo in Gaziantep, southeastern Turkey. Opened in 2001, it is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Municipality of Gaziantep. The zoo, located in a Wildlife Protection and Recreation Area, includes a safari park and a zoology and nature museum.
An area of 1,000 daa (1.0 km2; 0.39 sq mi) within the Burç Forests has been allocated as a Wildlife Protection and Recreation Area,[1][2] in Şahinbey district of Gaziantep Province, Turkey,[3] The Metropolitan Municipality started the construction of the Gaziantep Zoo inside the Burç Nature Park in 1998. The zoo was opened to the public in 2001.[2] In terms of area, it is the biggest in Turkey, and has a certain ranking in Europe.[1][2]
Safari Park
The zoo includes a Safari park, opened in 2018, with animals of Africa, stretching over 350 daa (0.35 km2; 0.14 sq mi).[4] It is the first safari park in Turkey.[5] There are 700 animals in 50 species.[6] The zoo provides buses for the visitors to ride around the safari park.[4]
Zoology and Nature Museum
The Zoology and Nature Museum was established on an area of 700 m2 (7,500 sq ft), where taxidermied specimens and fossils of zoo animals are exhibited. In the museum, there are 120 bony animals from 50 species, 427 winged animals from 128 species, 80 reptile animals, 78 sea creatures and seven giant skeletons.[5]
