Addis Ababa Zoo, Addis Ababa (must see)

Addis Ababa Zoo, locally known as Anbesa Gebi (Lion Park), was founded in 1948 by Emperor Haile Selassie with seven lions captured in southwestern Ethiopia. For many decades, it served as the main public animal park and became closely linked to imperial history and national identity. The zoo later gained international attention for its population of genetically distinct black-maned lions, confirmed through DNA testing in 2012. These lions were considered part of a unique lineage often associated with Ethiopia’s royal past.

For most of its operation, animals were kept in small, concrete-floored cages with limited space and enrichment. These conditions led to long-standing criticism from the public, animal welfare groups, and international observers. As concerns grew, the zoo’s role gradually declined rather than being modernized on site. Most of the rare black-maned lions, including much of the later generations, were relocated to newer facilities designed to provide better living conditions.

Today, the original Lion Park is widely described as run down and holds very few animals, mainly monkeys, baboons, and sometimes a single lion or hyenas. Visitors who want to see animals now usually go to newer parks. These include Addis Zoo, a large 26-hectare site with open habitats, and Unity Park Zoo, where black-maned lions live in spacious enclosures designed to resemble forest environments, alongside other African species such as giraffes and zebras.