The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Topreserve rare animals and species threatened with extinction. Prominently featured in the collection are animals from the Land of Israel, with special emphasis on those species mentioned in the Bible. To develop and conduct educational activities and outreach programs that will cultivate and nurture the values of nature conservation and wildlife protection among the general public; to enhance public awareness of environmental issues and encourage a love of animals. To create a rich and diversified recreational atmosphere in beautiful surroundings, which subtly promote an appreciation of nature and of the environment. To conduct research that involves the preservation, breeding, ...

Bringing Biblical Deer to the Holy Land

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Animals

The Persian Fallow Deer (Dama dama mesopotamica) is one of the kosher animals mentioned in Deuteronomy 14:4-5. Thought to be extinct by the 1940's, a small population of this species was rediscovered in Iran in 1956. They are nearly extinct in the wild today, inhabiting only three small habitats in Iran and two areas in Israel where they have been successfully reintroduced since 1996. This conservation program focuses on their reintroduction into the wild at Nahal Soreq near Jerusalem, Israel.

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You Can Save Israel's Unique Aquatic Habitats!

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Environment

Israel is home to varied and unique marine and freshwater ecosystems including the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River and various wetlands habitats - all facing many difficult challenges. In accordance with the Ministry of Environmental Protection's National Biodiversity Plan, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem is establishing a state of the art aquarium facility, to inspire, educate and empower visitors to save these magnificent environments.

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Education as a Bridge Between Communities

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Education

Bringing together all communities - Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and others - in Jerusalem, through environmental education to inspire members of divided communities to conserve the environment and local wildlife. Finding common ground facilitates mutual respect, understanding and dialogue as well as a sense of the wider community between diverse ethnic and religious groups so that together we can strive toward a shared future.

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Animal Assisted Therapy for Special Needs Children

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Children

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo's Animal-Assisted Therapy Program for children with special needs serves approximately 70 groups annually. Participants suffer from a wide-range of physical and cognitive challenges including autism; and this cross cultural project includes participants from all of Jerusalem's diverse communities - Jewish, Christian and Muslim, both secular and orthodox, from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, of various ages, and with disabilities of varying degrees.

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Help Save the Sumatran Tiger

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Animals

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo participates in the Sumatran Tiger European Endangered Species Program, the most intensive type of population management for a species kept in European Association of Zoos member institutions. This program plans the future management of this magnificent species, of which only around 400 remain in the world. The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo is home to a male and female pair - Avigdor and Hannah - who have successfully produced three cubs in recent years.

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Save Israel's Birds of Prey

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Animals

Birds of prey are referred to in the Bible many times as a symbol of might and power but are declining in Israel today. Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) are the largest birds of prey in Israel but less than 40 nesting pairs are left, as opposed to nearly 1,000 before the establishment of the state. The population of Egyptian vultures has also dwindled by nearly 70 percent, and two other impressive species, the bearded vulture and the cinereous vulture, disappeared more than two decades ago.

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Bring Brack Israel's Diving Ducks

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Animals

The Diving Duck (Aythya nyroca) inhabits wetlands from Europe to Asia but is threatened by the destruction of wetland habitats and has markedly declined in Europe. Chiefly migratory, the species is listed as Near Threatened on IUCN Red List and has all but disappeared from Israeli wildlife as a nester. The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo has begun a captive breeding and reintroduction program coupled with raising public awareness of wetlands habitat preservation to stimulate a local population recovery.

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Saving Israel's Otters

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Animals

The Israeli native Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) population underwent a dramatic decline since the 1960s due to illegal hunting, water pollution, depletion of water sources and the disappearance of wetland habitats. Recently the regional status of our otters has been categorized as "Critically Endangered". With less than 100 individuals estimated to be remaining in the wild, dramatic measures must be taken if otters are to be saved from extinction in Israel.

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Save the Negev Desert Tortoise!

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Animals

Testudo werneri is one of the smallest tortoise species in the Mediterranean region, with a historical distribution in northeastern Egypt, Sinai, and parts of the Negev desert in Israel. Populations in Egypt are already practically extinct due to factors affecting their habitat and collection for the pet trade. Currently, T. werneri has a national Israel Red List status of Endangered and in 2003 it qualified globally for listing as Critically Endangered under current IUCN Red List Criteria.

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Gifted Students Environmental Education Program

by The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

Israel Education

The Zoo Bagrut High School Graduation Program allows highly gifted students from the 11th grade to participate in a sought-after and elite academic course presented at the Biblical Zoo and approved by the Israel Ministry of Education as a high school graduation credit. The goal of this program is to create the next generation of leadership in nature conservation by focusing on the exceptional students. Each year 15 participants from diverse backgrounds are selected to participate.

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The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem

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