New Developments at Budakeszi Wildlife Park

Budakeszi Wildlife Park, located just west of Budapest, awaits its visitors with several new developments - aviaris, outdoor enclosures and an activity area - for the start of the spring season., the state news agency MTI reports.

According to the Director of the Wildlife Park, Péter Szabó, the establishment is one of the most popular ecotourism destinations in the Budapest area, welcoming 200,000 visitors a year. The most spectacular of the recent additions are the eight aviaris, which house forest birds on 200 square metres, with a ceiling height of six metres at the highest points. The new outdoor enclosure will provide a permanent home for the wildcat cubs rescued in partnership with the Danube-Ipoly National Park as part of the Wildcat Conservation Program.

Next to the entrance, an activity area has been built to accommodate more than 80 visitors, providing a rest and dining area as well as a venue for environmental education programs. A 200-meter road network, with associated utilities and electricity lines, has been built, adding some 15,000 square meters to the area available to visitors. A real highlight, the director said, is the thematic playground and educational trail, which raises awareness of the importance of bees and wasps.

The developments were made possible thanks to the cooperation of the Hungarian Nature Walkers' Association and Pilisi Parkerdő ('Park Forest') Plc., the operator of the Wildlife Park, with a HUF 120 million grant for the part of the project concerning the Wildlife Park.

Gábor Reinitz, CEO of Pilisi Parkerdő Plc. said that in recent years, forty investments have been made to develop the forest tourism infrastructure of Budapest and its surroundings. Almost all projects were made possible by state and EU funds.