Deputy mayor János Schiffer opened the jubilee memorial year on Thursday and Minister of Culture András Bozóki opened new exhibits for papua birds and parrots. Zoo director Ilma Bogsch presented plans for further developments this year and handed out awards for a campaign that aimed at the protection of rhinos.
The Ministry of Culture plans to spend HUF 300 million on supporting the maintenance and refurbishment of Hungary?s 12 zoos this year. Of this, HUF 270 million will be available through application and HUF 30 million will be shared among local councils on the basis of demand. The amounts to be available to local councils will be adjusted to own resources and the Minister of Culture will make a decision about the allocations on the basis of the recommendations of professional advisory boards.
The Budapest Zoo opened on 9 August 1866 and it is one of the oldest zoos in the world.
A photo exhibition presents interesting moments of the zoo?s 140-year history in the Barlangterem (Cave Room).
Marking the anniversary, new boards have been placed at exhibits, presenting the history of various animal types in Budapest, such as the appearance of the first giraffes and ponies in the Hungarian capital. The new boards also include games for young visitors.
As part of an ongoing refurbishment project, a new panorama exhibit for arctic animals will be opened this year. This project costs a total of HUF 430 million, shares equally by the ministry and the zoo.
Preparations have been made for the construction of a new building for crocodiles because they have outgrown their old homes in the palm house.
The long-awaited revamp of a large rock wall built in 1912 has started recently and is expected to be finished in 2007.
Last year?s successful series of summer concerts will continue this year and the zoo will also commemorate important dates, such as international Earth Day and Animals Day. For the Easter holidays, the Budapest Zoo awaits visitors with a bunny-petting exhibit where bunnies can also be symbolically adopted.
