Zoo Definitely to Be Moved to Ada Safari, Plan of Construction of Sava Gondola to Be “Resurrected”

The Belgrade Zoo is to change its location for the first time since its founding in 1936, and the new location will be Ada Safari, as confirmed by the mayor of Belgrade, Aleksandar Sapic.

– The zoo has been a frequent topic, due to the conditions in which the animals live and also due to the cultural good of Kalemegdan. There have been some previous propositions. Even Vuk Bojovic had an idea to move it to the Great War Island, but it turned out that it was not feasible because of the frequent floods on the island. There have also been propositions regarding Krnjaca and Surcin. The periphery is not a good idea. The problem is how to find a place for the animals to feel safe in the urban part of the city. We have thought about it and discussed it in the sense of having the zoo not be far away from the city, to retain the kind of environment that the animals came from, which is nature. The best place is Ada Safari – Sapic announced.

He also explained the reasons for such a decision.

– There are plenty of trees, rivers, we are in the city center. The space is twice as big as the current one. There are 14 hectares here, as we’ve planned. We believe that it is the best solution of all. This place has the required peace and quiet, something we could be proud of. If we manage to do so – Sapic said.

Still, there are plenty of things that need to be solved before the Zoo is moved to Ada Safari.

– Of course, there are settlements here, around 250 families. They won’t be left homeless, we will provide for them everything that belongs to them under the law. We have already commenced talks with them. Parallel with that, we will try to use the plan that was adopted over 10 years ago, which is the Sava Gondola from Delta City to Kosutnjak. This is a big thing, a pedestrian-cycling bridge, it takes about a year for the works to be completed. And a gondola is simpler, the route is not long, you only need to cross the river – Sapic said.

– People who live here are backed by law, they won’t be left without anything. When they know where they are going, we can commence the project. And then we can make these other steps in parallel. The Zoo deserves to have the right conditions, and so does the Kalemegdan Fortress, which will be a historical cultural good. We will have a zoo in the city center, but under better conditions – the mayor assures.

When can the new Zoo be expected?

– I wouldn’t like to speculate about the dates. We don’t know how long the negotiations will take, or the moving of the animals. We don’t have that kind of experience. The most important thing is that the political decision has been made for this to be resolved and that we have found a suitable location. I expect all this to be completed within two to three years – Sapic says.

He adds that money has not been set aside and that the decision has just been made.

– Interest groups will get involved here, for sure. They’re saying that buildings are to be raised where the lion area is now, that a restaurant will be built where the alligator area is now. It’s all a lie. In sanitary terms, that area will be better protected than now – Sapic assures.

The city manager of Belgrade, Miroslav Cuckovic, said the day before that the decision on the moving of the Zoo from Kalemegdan to Ada Ciganlija had been made by the new city administration.

Grad Beograd

Beo zoo vrt doo Beograd

City of Belgrade

Belgrade Zoo

Aleksandar Šapić

Miroslav Čučković

Ada Ciganlija

Ada Safari

moving of the zoo

pedestrian cycling bridge between Ada and New Belgrade

gondola from the Sava do Košutnjak

Sava Gondola

Zoo at Ada ciganlija