Meeting in extraordinary session on Thursday, November 28, the Casablanca Municipal Council approved the draft delegated management contract for the Aïn Sebaa Zoological Park. Nabila Rmili, mayor of the city, declared on this occasion that the Council aims to open it in June 2025, after approval of the specifications relating to its management.
The mayor specified that the municipal council had considered three options to reopen this zoological park, closed since 2008 for redevelopment: entrust its management to the services of the National Water and Forest Agency (ANEF), rent it to a private operator, or call on a company for its delegated management, while having the city bear any possible financial deficit. It was this last solution that was ultimately chosen.
As you can imagine, the operation of the Casablanca zoo will require a substantial budget. An amount of 50 million dirhams will be dedicated to the acquisition of animals, while 20 million dirhams will be allocated to securing the park and maintaining its infrastructure.
According to the draft delegated management contract, of which Le360 holds a copy, the price of the entry ticket will be set at 80 dirhams for adults and 50 dirhams for children. “We would have liked to open this park free of charge to visitors, but we absolutely had to preserve financial balances.“, explained Nabila Rmili.
Read also: Casablanca: while waiting for its opening, the Aïn Sebâa Zoological Park reveals its prices
As the mayor confides, the design of the premises was inspired by a zoo in Valencia, Spain, and its creation was based on cooperation between Moroccan and Spanish companies. With a total area of 13 hectares, the Aïn Sebaa Zoological Park will devote 10 hectares to housing approximately 45 animal species and 3 hectares to entertainment facilities.
The whole will be structured into three geographical zones representing Africa, Asia and America, and among the facilities, we will find in particular an educational farm, a veterinary clinic, two picnic areas, a restaurant, as well as a merchandising store and several kiosks.
The redevelopment of the Aïn Sebaa Zoological Park mobilized a budget of 250 million dirhams, financed to the tune of 130 million dirhams by the Ministry of the Interior, 80 million by the Casablanca municipal council, and 40 million by the council regional of Casablanca-Settat.
