Follow The Sun: Come see the big 5 at the Joburg Zoo

SPONSORED CONTENT:  Morning Live visited the Joburg Zoo in Rosebank today as part of its Follow The Sun Campaign.

The team was welcomed by the sight of the elephants, Lame, Ramodiba and Mopani in their enclosure at the bandstand area.

The zoo, which started 120 years ago with a collection of only 11 animals, now boasts more than 282 species and 2284 animals in its collection, including the big five.

It houses more than 20 African antelope species, small cats, a variety of apes and monkeys and porcupines.

The average visitor number is 500 000 per year and in the previous financial year, it welcomed over 600 000 visitors to celebrate its 120th anniversary.

Although the Zoo has had an incredible journey, there have been concerns about the role and relevance of zoos, the team took a closer look at the family-friendly,  365-day outdoor award-winning destination that is a critical player in global conservation efforts.

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero says the zoo has evolved over the years.

“Over and above there there is a lot of activity that we do around this period, whether it’s the Festival of Lights in the evening where people are welcome to come and listen to music and generally enjoy the Zoo.”

VIDEO: Dada Morero at the Johannesburg Zoo:

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