Political party ALMA has called for the permanent closure of Limassol Zoo and the gradual transfer of its animals to licensed sanctuaries and specialist centres, proposing that the site be transformed into a Biodiversity Park open to the public — entering a debate that has divided the city after the Municipal Council last week rejected a similar closure proposal.
The recent vote
The Limassol Municipal Council voted last week to reject a proposal by the Cyprus Centre for Environmental Research and Education (CYCERE) that effectively called for the zoo’s closure, with 14 councillors voting against and 10 in favour. Mayor Yiannis Armeftis said the zoo held historic significance for Limassol residents as a landmark connected with childhood memories, but stressed that discussions would continue to find a shared approach for the site’s future.
The council vote came despite a public consultation conducted by CYCERE on behalf of the municipality finding that 56.89% of respondents favoured closure, while 43.11% preferred upgrading. Among Limassol residents specifically, the result was almost exactly split: 49.79% for closure and 50.21% for upgrading.
The background
Limassol Zoo was opened in 1956 and was modernised in 2012, when iron cages were replaced with enclosures made of natural stone, wood, and glass. It has faced growing controversy in recent years. Protests descended on the zoo at the end of 2022 and the start of 2023 demanding its closure after a deer died when its antlers became caught in metal mesh, with protesters describing conditions as evidence of “unacceptable negligence and irresponsibility.”
ALMA’s position
In a position statement, ALMA said the debate concerned the zoo section of the site only — which has a separate entrance, ticket, and management — and not the Limassol Municipal Garden, which it said remained an integral part of the city’s history and identity and whose closure no one was proposing.
ALMA framed its position around EU Council Directive 1999/22/EC, which it said required zoos to contribute actively to biodiversity conservation, scientific research, environmental education, species protection programmes, and high animal welfare standards — rather than serving simply as venues for public display of animals.
Leading European zoos had evolved into large nature conservation and scientific centres with extensive natural spaces and international species protection programmes, ALMA said. Limassol Zoo, by contrast, was a small urban zoo embedded in the city’s dense urban fabric, which had faced repeated public criticism over animal living conditions and its overall operating philosophy.
The party pointed to the December 2022 deer incident as an illustration of the concerns surrounding the zoo’s operation.
“The question is whether a small zoo in the centre of a city can meet the growing demands that science today places on the welfare of wild animals. ALMA’s position is that the answer is no,” the statement said.
The party proposed that any closure be carried out under the supervision of competent veterinary and environmental authorities, with full transparency, and that animals be transferred to appropriate licensed facilities where the highest possible welfare standards could be guaranteed.
In place of the zoo, ALMA proposed a Biodiversity Park that would showcase Cyprus’s natural heritage, Mediterranean flora, endemic plants, and local ecosystems. The party said such a development would provide more green and open space for citizens, strengthen biodiversity in the city centre, create a modern landmark for Limassol, and bring the site into full alignment with contemporary animal welfare standards.
“The best way to honour nature is not to confine it behind fences in the centre of a city, but to create spaces that protect biodiversity and allow animals to live in conditions that meet their real needs,” the statement said.
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