Ethiopian Zoos

Quick Facts on Zoos in Ethiopia

Anbessa Bet or Lion Zoo

At the moment, Ethiopia only has one major zoo, a 1.2 hectare zoo located in the capital city Addis Ababa, in the Sidist Kilo area.

This zoo opened it's doors in 1948 to house the pet lions belonging to the late Emperor Haile Selassie.

Today, it recieves about 2,000 visitors a day, according to officials.

Plans are underway to move this zoo to a larger 26 hectare site.

In the meantime, it is home to nineteen adult and four young lions, the gelada baboons, the Lesser Kudu, the Egyptian Geese, monkeys, rabbits, ducks and turtles.

15 of the lions with dark manes and little bodies are believed to be different from the ones existing in the wild, and some claim they might be the only ones left in existence.

In the past 20 years, two workers at the zoo were killed by the lions, due to carelessness on thier part.