National Zoological Garden

14/02/2025

’sDay 💞

For a wildly romantic experience, visit the National Zoological Garden, South Africa’s largest zoo, home to over 4,800 animals. Stroll through beautifully landscaped enclosures, enjoy close-up encounters with rare and endangered species, and explore the aquarium and reptile park. Bring your special someone and pay only half the price for entrance as a couple

The NZG is offering half price for couples and R50.00 for adults and children visiting the Zoo on the 14 February 2025!

13/02/2025

Daily School Programmes

The NZG’s daily lessons are facilitated to school groups visiting the zoo from Mondays to Fridays. Schools are encouraged to book for these lessons, but many schools arrive unannounced. Lessons for learners in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases are conducted at different stations scattered throughout the zoo. Teachers are thus encouraged to guide learners through the zoo, making use of the educational lessons at the stations. As these lessons are relatively short and interactive (15 – 20 minutes) and are interspersed with viewing animals in enclosures, they are within younger learners’ attention span.

Lessons for the Senior and FET Phases are more structured. These start in the NZG’s Education Centre and are followed by further activities in the zoo.

The following Daily Lessons are facilitated:

Themed Lessons

Themed lessons are facilitated during a certain time of the year only. These last for about one hour, leaving schools enough time to view the rest of the zoo, aquarium and reptile park. Most of the lessons consist of a number of stations (usually five or six) where different aspects of the lesson are dealt with. The learners from a particular school are thus divided into smaller groups, which then rotate from station to station. Themed lessons are usually linked to a national or international focus event, such as National Water Week or National Marine Week, and explore the theme in depth.

Information: https://www.pretoriazoo.org/initiatives/school-programmes/

For bookings:
Karabo Mabuse
[email protected]
012 339 2728

Mavis Kwinda
[email protected]
012 339 2844

12/02/2025

Visit the Aquarium 🐠🐟

11/02/2025

Industrial processing of manure at the zoo versus vermicomposting 🌿🌱

~Vermicomposting is a process that relies on earthworms and microorganisms to help stabilize active organic materials and convert them to a valuable soil amendment and source of plant nutrients.

10/02/2025

’sDay

Love is WILD! 🐾 💞

For a wildly romantic experience, visit the National Zoological Garden, South Africa’s largest zoo, home to over 4,800 animals. Stroll through beautifully landscaped enclosures, enjoy close-up encounters with rare and endangered species, and explore the aquarium and reptile park. Bring your special someone and pay only half the price for entrance as a couple

The NZG is offering half price for couples and R50.00 for adults and children visiting the Zoo on the 14 February 2025!

09/02/2025

08/02/2025

Can you ID? 🤔

07/02/2025

National Zoological Garden reinforces commitment to conservation on Reverse the Red Day

On Reverse the Red Day, observed annually on 7 February, the National Zoological Garden (NZG) in Pretoria reaffirms its dedication to the preservation of endangered species through conservation initiatives. Reverse the Red is a global movement that ignites strategic cooperation and action to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems. By participating in this worldwide effort, the NZG aligns with international partners to reverse negative trends on biodiversity loss and species survival.

Currently, 15% of the species housed at the zoo are classified as threatened, including the Scimitar-horned Oryx, Southern Ground Hornbill, Cape Vulture, and the Sungazer Lizard. These species are at risk due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife interactions. Through dedicated breeding and conservation programmes, the NZG plays an important role in both ex-situ conservation, preserving species outside their natural habitats, such as in zoos and botanical gardens, and in-situ conservation, protecting species within their natural environments, like national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. These initiatives aim to reverse the decline of these species.

The Scimitar-horned Oryx (Oryx dammah), once found across the Sahara Desert, was declared extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2000 due to excessive hunting and habitat destruction. Thanks to conservation breeding programmes, including efforts at the NZG, the species has been successfully reintroduced to protected areas in Chad and has recently been downlisted to Endangered. The NZG has housed Scimitar-horned Oryx for 58 years, maintaining a carefully managed breeding programme. Two calves were successfully born in September 2023 and July 2024, with another birth expected later this year, marking a significant success for conservation efforts.

Since 1996, the NZG has been at the forefront of breeding Cape Vultures (Gyps coprotheres), a species classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to southern Africa, these birds play a crucial role in the ecosystem by disposing of carrion and preventing the spread of disease. This ongoing effort aligns closely with the recently published Multi-species Biodiversity Management Plan for Vultures in South Africa. This plan aims to implement strategic conservation actions across the geographic ranges of all nine vulture species found in South Africa, with a particular focus on the seven resident breeding species. The plan’s ultimate goal is to recover these populations to acceptable levels by 2033, reinforcing concerted, collaborative, and coordinated international efforts.

The Sungazer lizard (Smaug giganteus) is facing increasing threats due to habitat loss and poaching, with 99% of its population existing outside protected areas. The National Zoological Garden (NZG), in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the Sungazer Working Group, is leading conservation efforts by breeding and rehabilitating confiscated lizards. Currently, the NZG houses 30 Sungazer lizards, many of which were rescued from illegal trafficking. With five successful births since 2020, the NZG remains the only facility in the world that has successfully bred this species in controlled environments. The NZG hopes that by sharing research and husbandry techniques, the establishment of a protected conservation area will become a reality in the near future.

The NZG has been a key player in the conservation of the Southern Ground Hornbill since 19991995, when chicks harvested from Kruger National Park were reared at the facility before being released into the wild at Mabula Game Lodgeinto eSwatini. Today, the NZG continues to support this initiative by housing birds destined for reintroduction, with two breeding pairs and additional females being carefully monitored for future releases.

Tracy Rehse, Director Animal Collections and Conservation at the NZG, emphasises the importance of these efforts: "Our commitment to conserving these species reflects our broader mission to protect biodiversity. Through dedicated breeding programs and habitat preservation, we aim to secure a future for these remarkable animals."

As the world marks Reverse the Red Day, the NZG reaffirms its commitment to saving species from extinction. Through dedicated efforts in conservation breeding, habitat protection, and scientific research, the NZG continues to lead in safeguarding South Africa’s natural heritage.

07/02/2025

You're Invited!

Senior Citizens, Come One, Come All!

Free Entry at the Zoo!

Dress up in your most vibrant attire and get ready for a ROARing good time!

Join us for a fun-filled day at the zoo, exclusively for senior citizens! Enjoy a day of adventure, excitement, and nostalgia as you explore the wonders of the animal kingdom.

Take a stroll through our beautiful gardens, visit with your favorite animals, and relive the magic of your childhood. We can't wait to see you there!

Dress Code: Come dressed in your most colorful, playful, or even wild outfit! We want to see your personality shine!

Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience! Mark your calendars and get ready to unleash your inner child at the zoo!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

SENIOR CITIZENS FREE ENTRANCE 2025:

11 February 2025
Theme - The Month of Love
Dress - Red and White

08 April 2025
Theme - Let’s get Moving
Dress code - Sports Wear

10 June 2025
Theme - Braving the Winter Chill
Dress code - Kofifi

12 August 2025
Theme - Mad Hatters Tea Party
Dress code - Best Decorated Hat

07 October 2025
Theme - Celebrating our Heritage
Dress code - Traditional Attire

09 December 2025
Theme - Let’s be Happy and Merry
Dress code - Colour Blocking

07/02/2025

06/02/2025

🐺

Currently, there are two universally recognized species of wolves in the world, the red and the gray. However, there is a growing debate over if some subspecies are actually distinct species of wolves. Wolves once roamed almost all of North America.

05/02/2025

Come along and explore 🪶

04/02/2025

Celebrating the Year of the Wood Snake with the National Zoological Garden 🐍

Conway Shirindza, Senior Conservation Officer at the NZG - shares some valuable insights into the fascinating world of snakes on The Drive By show on Lotus FM

Sound up! 🔊

Click link: https://www.gate5.co.za/read/134067/qv/110182278/19095473/156912/p

04/02/2025

NZG Valentine’s Day Couples Half Price 💞♥💕

For a wildly romantic experience, visit the National Zoological Garden, South Africa’s largest zoo, home to over 4,800 animals. Stroll through beautifully landscaped enclosures, enjoy close-up encounters with rare and endangered species, and explore the aquarium and reptile park. Bring your special someone and pay only half the price for entrance as a couple

The NZG is offering half price for couples and R50.00 for adults and children visiting the Zoo on the 14 February 2025!

Couples : R 100

Family (adult) with children: R50

Celebrating love in the beauty of Nature 🥰

04/02/2025

and become a Zoo parent! 🐾

For more information, reach out to Heloise Stanworth via email - [email protected]

https://www.pretoriazoo.org/adopt-an-animal/

03/02/2025

NZG's

Morning session with the junior animal keepers engaging and assisting conservation staff in the practical animal husbandry at the National Zoological Garden

02/02/2025

🌱🪷