Türkiye’s prominent zoo closes after 33 years of operation

KOCAELI

Darıca Zoo, one of Türkiye’s best-known zoological parks and a major tourist attraction in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, has ceased all operations after 33 years following a closure decision by the founding family.

Under the careful supervision of expert veterinary teams and regulatory bodies, all residents of the zoo have been successfully rehomed to various zoological parks across Türkiye, local media reported.

Each transfer was executed in strict accordance with international health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of the animals.

Opened in 1993 in the province’s Darıca district, the zoo — also known as Darıca Zoo and Botanical Park — became a landmark destination for domestic and international visitors, as well as school groups.

At its peak, the facility housed around 3,600 animals representing 286 species.

Its botanical park included more than 600 plant species and over 8,000 individual plants.

Sources familiar with the matter said the closure followed long-running inheritance disputes within the Yalçın family, which founded and operated the zoo.

Years of legal battles reportedly deepened internal disagreements, while rising operating costs added financial pressure, ultimately leading to the decision to shut down the facility.

The founding family has not issued a public statement detailing the specific reasons behind the closure.

Questions persist regarding the redevelopment of the site, which remains shrouded in uncertainty as no official plans have been announced.

Beyond its role as a tourist attraction, Darıca Zoo was a vital center for global biodiversity.

Spanning across 65 acres of meticulously designed landscapes, the park provided specialized habitats tailored to the natural environments of its diverse inhabitants.

From hyenas and monkeys to crocodiles, brown bears, giraffes, and rhinoceroses, the facility housed a vast array of species, including various birds and reptiles.

Due to its successful efforts in breeding and protecting endangered species, the park was widely recognized as a "gene bank.”