For over four decades, the I. Meier Segals Zoological Research Garden at Tel Aviv University (also known as the Research Zoo) has quietly served as a unique scientific facility combining teaching, research, and public education. The new Animal Habitat Initiative will not only modernize the garden, but will also expand and transform its mission.
The Weisfeld Family Charitable Foundation Animal Habitat Initiative will vastly improve the animal enclosures and public spaces. It will have an unprecedented impact on the Research Zoo, boosting animal welfare dramatically and allowing TAU to open its gates to visitors after years of closure. As such, it will be a transformative undertaking, the results of which will be felt for years to come.
TAU’s Research Zoo was planned and constructed during the late 1970s. Since then, views on animal-holding facilities have undergone a significant conceptual change.
“The zoo was built 45 years ago,” says zoo director Prof. Gal Ribak. “Back then, the standard was cages, concrete, and bars — the priority was that animals shouldn’t escape. The entire issue of animal welfare wasn’t developed the way it is today.”
The Zoological Research Garden isn’t a traditional zoo. It was designed as a research facility to support controlled studies on wild animals. While some experiments can be conducted in the field, many require environmental control, specialized veterinary care, and customized enclosures.
“If you’re working with a mouse, it’s one thing. But if you’re studying hyenas, bats, or birds that need to fly, you need large, well-equipped spaces. That’s where the concept of the Garden comes in.”
At any given time, more than 20 researchers conduct experiments on a wide range of species, says Prof. Ribak. However, supporting such a diverse ecosystem of projects requires logistical complexity. “Feeding schedules, veterinary care, cleaning the cages, keeping things running — we need a support structure so researchers can focus on the science.”
Yet the facility’s aging infrastructure has become a growing obstacle. “We, the younger generation of researchers, inherited a facility designed decades ago. It was great in its time, but it doesn’t meet modern standards for animal care.
“We ended up with cages that were small, outdated and, in many cases, worn out. As things broke down or became obsolete, we didn’t have the resources to replace them properly.”
A Long-Awaited Vision
For nearly two decades, researchers at the Research Zoo dreamed of modernizing the facility and transforming it from a traditional zoo to a habitat-based experience that better reflects current animal welfare standards.
Thanks to a generous donation by the Weisfield Family Charitable Foundation from Canada, this is now becoming a reality. The plan is ambitious. It involves replacing the old cages with five large, open-air habitats.
“It will include big, semi-natural enclosures with room to move and room to fly. We’ll group the animals by species and create spaces that resemble their natural environments,” says Prof. Ribak.
What’s more, visitors will no longer simply peer at animals from behind bars.
“There will be pathways inside the enclosures. Visitors will walk through on marked paths and observe the animals behaving naturally, with minimal disturbance. It’s better for the animals, and better for people.”
The upgraded Research Zoo will continue to serve researchers, but will also be a space of learning and connection for the broader public.
“People won’t buy a ticket like it’s a zoo. All visits will be guided, in groups. And the guides will be scientists who can explain the science behind what we do.”
Visitors will learn not only about animals, but about evolution, environmental threats, physiology, and the connections between zoology and human challenges.
“We teach how animal research helps us understand diseases, improve technology, and more. It’s part of something called ‘Science Outreach’ — a growing movement in academia.”
Gone are the days when researchers were expected to stay behind lab doors.
“Today, we understand that scientists are responsible for communicating what we’re learning to the public. And the public wants to know. Especially kids. If you can ignite a child’s interest in biology or the environement, that’s powerful. This place helps do that. It creates that spark.”
Conservation
The Animal Habitat Initiative will play a key role in public education as well as wildlife conservation. The Research Zoo collaborates with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to care for animals that cannot be released into the wild, including injured eagles, hyenas, and illegally trafficked wildlife.
“Some animals are with us because they can’t survive in the wild. We give them a humane solution — a second chance. It’s not just research. It’s conservation,” Prof. Ribak adds.
Reimagining the Garden as a Living Museum
Beyond the five new habitats, the entire Zoological Garden is getting a facelift, shifting from its old identity as a zoo into something closer to a “museum with animals.”
“Visitors will walk through exhibits, learn about species, ecosystems, and conservation, and see the animals up close — all while connecting it to real-world science,” Prof. Ribak shares. “We hope to begin construction in December. We’re combining planning, intention, and excitement.”
For the scientists and staff, the project is a long-awaited dream come true.
“We’ve been waiting for this for almost 20 years. We always knew the potential was here, but without funding, it was just potential. Now, it’s becoming real.”
Written in collaboration with Tel Aviv University
