site.btaSofia Zoo Stays Open Throughout Holiday Period Ending May 6

The Sofia Zoo is open throughout the holiday period ending on Monday, May 6, the company says on its Facebook page. As on a normal business day, the ticket offices at the main entrance and the western entrance are open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and visitors may stay in the zoo until 7 p.m. The indoor exhibits "Monkeys 2 and 3", "Big Cats, Terrarium and Aquarium", and "Giants" are accessible until 6:30 p.m. The "Monkeys 1" building is closed for technical reasons.

On the occasion of International Leopard Day, May 3, the Sofia Zoo notes that it has three Persian leopards which visitors can see. They are included in a special programme for endangered species, known as EEP (EAZA Ex-situ Programme, a population management and conservation programme by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria).

The leopard is an apex predator, meaning it is at the top of the food chain, without natural predators of its own. As such, it is vital for the maintenance and functioning of ecosystems. Leopards regulate the populations of herbivores as well as lesser predators which compete with them for food. Globally, the leopard population has decreased considerably over the last few decades due to the loss of habitats, poaching, and the conflict between humans and wildlife. The efforts to protect leopards are related to the protection of other species and entire ecosystems, the Sofia Zoo said.

There are several leopard subspecies which are native to Asia and Africa. The Amur leopard is the most endangered of them.

Visitors to the Sofia Zoo have a chance to see a particularly fascinating pair of birds called rhinoceros hornbills. They are found in Africa and Asia and have a distinctive horny casque over the bill, which helps them find food. It is interesting to watch the behaviour of these birds during the breeding season. The female gets into a tree hole and the male closes the hole off, leaving just a little opening to feed his partner as she sits on the eggs. When the young are ready to leave the hole, the opening is enlarged, and they fly out.