The Giza Zoo raised signs “closed until development work is completed” on its doors, in conjunction with the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation’s announcement of its involvement in the development plan aimed at raising the efficiency of all services and preserving its archaeological character and rare plants and trees.
Inventory of plants
In recent months, “Teresa” has been involved with a group of specialists in inventorying plant groups in the Zoo and Orman Gardens due to her extensive experience in the field, as she confirms to “Sky News Arabia”. During her work, she sensed the officials’ interest in completing development processes according to international standards in order to protect trees and plants from damage.
Teresa told “Sky News Arabia” about the task she recently assumed: “I developed a plan with my colleagues to collect the numbers of tree and plant species inside the Zoo and Orman Gardens with great accuracy and through clear stages for everyone, and we have been busy over the past 3 months in carrying out all the tasks and succeeded in Standing on all the details throughout the two parks
And in the early morning of every day, the seventy-year-old woman would wander inside the Zoo in Giza, amazed at the wonderful plants that she saw throughout the place, which numbered more than 300 species, most notably the rare “morinda” and “rahmans” and types of “buckthorn” that are not widespread. In addition to the “Desert Dates” tree and the “Philogue” plant, according to her statements to “Sky News Arabia”.
Exit from the international classification
The Giza Zoo had been excluded from the international classification of zoos in 2004 in an “unpleasant surprise”, as a result of many reasons, including failure to follow international standards, as well as the deterioration of the infrastructure in the place and the lack of steps to modernize it over many years.
Minutes away from the Zoo in Giza, the other destination was for the historical gardens consultant, as she enthusiastically headed towards the “Orman” to list more than 500 species of rare plants, including a 100-year-old aquatic tree located in the garden pond.
Teresa confirms to “Sky News Arabia” that she knows very well the properties of the Orman Garden of precious plants, as she worked in the place for many decades earlier, noting that it contains lotus plants and real papyrus, along with ancient pine trees, the tree of life (ginkobiloba) and the sequoia plant.
And Teresa’s heart was reassured, according to her description to “Sky News Arabia” when meeting the foreign experts responsible for the development operations in the Zoo and Orman Zoo, where she felt during the lengthy conversation with them their keenness to implement the experiment in the best possible way and transfer their extensive experience in this field.
The Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture intends to revive the Zoo and Orman Zoo as an open area and green spaces so that they become similar to the international open gardens without barriers, in addition to applying international safety standards in cooperation with major entities specialized in zoos such as the International Federation and the African Union.
And the head of the team for inventorying the botanical collections in the Zoo and Orman Gardens recalled: “The team of foreign experts took us on tours inside the two gardens, and we felt the extent of their care for plants and their passion for preserving them, and we received promises from them to transform the region into one of the most important gardens in the world.”
On the first day of the development work, the situation did not change much inside the Zoo in Giza, only calm prevailed in front of the places designated for animals due to the absence of visitors, while the zoo administration worked to provide all needs, whether food or medical services in their natural form, according to Dr. Maha Saber, director of the zoo. Park management
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture, all animals will remain inside the Zoo in Giza while the work teams are engaged in developing the area, and will not be transferred to other places, and all veterinary services will be provided during the coming period under the supervision of specialists in the Ministry.
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