Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – In a landmark moment for the country’s environmental and public recreational sectors, President Luis Abinader made a historic tour of the Dominican National Zoo this Sunday, marking the first time a sitting Dominican head of state has visited the facility in over two decades. The trip comes just days ahead of the zoo’s 51st anniversary of opening to the public, and served as an occasion to outline ambitious, long-overdue upgrades to one of the capital’s most beloved community green spaces.
During his walkthrough of the zoo, President Abinader reviewed a full slate of modernization projects crafted to advance four core pillars of the facility’s mission: robust wildlife conservation, accessible environmental education, rigorous scientific research, and welcoming family-friendly recreation. To expand the zoo’s current collection and boost its conservation programming, Abinader proposed adding high-profile, iconic species that have been absent from the facility for years, including African elephants, giraffes, and common chimpanzees. The addition of these species is intended not only to draw more local and international visitors to the site but also to create new opportunities for ex-situ conservation and public learning about threatened megafauna.
Other key priorities outlined by the president include the long-awaited restoration of the zoo’s aviary, which has shuttered its doors to visitors for more than 20 years. Additional planned upgrades include comprehensive renovations to existing animal habitats to improve animal welfare, expanded investment in assisted breeding programs for vulnerable species, enhanced funding for on-site scientific research, and the installation of interactive QR-code signage that will give visitors on-demand access to detailed educational information about every species housed at the zoo. To further expand the site’s role as a tourism and community hub, Abinader also proposed the development of a new nature-themed park within the National Zoo’s grounds, which would broaden recreational offerings for both local residents and visitors to Santo Domingo.
Immediately after concluding his tour of the National Zoo, President Abinader traveled to the nearby Dr. Rafael María Moscoso National Botanical Garden, another of the Dominican Republic’s premier environmental and cultural attractions. There, he inspected the completed first phase of the garden’s most extensive renovation project since it first opened to the public, as well as ongoing work on the initiative’s second phase.
Planned improvements at the botanical garden include the construction of new on-site medical facilities and upgraded security infrastructure, fully renovated main entrance areas, new flexible event spaces for community and private functions, and comprehensive enhancements to the garden’s popular Japanese Garden, a long-time favorite among visitors. Dominican environmental authorities confirmed that additional infrastructure upgrades are already in the planning stages, with the dual goals of strengthening the garden’s native plant conservation work and elevating the overall visitor experience at one of the country’s most frequented outdoor attractions.