ZALA, which stands for Zanzibar Land Animals, is a park dedicated to showcasing Zanzibar’s native species in their stunning natural habitats. Established by a local school teacher who grew weary of witnessing the fear-driven killing of local wildlife—often endangered—ZALA aims to promote conservation and education within the community.
Under the guidance of Muhammed, the park ranger, ZALA initially began as an effort to educate local children, and it has since become a popular stop on many local tours. Muhammed has created natural homes for various species, including snakes, monitor lizards, crabs, turtles, dik-dik (small gazelles), and hyrax (the closest living relative to elephants, resembling a rabbit without ears). He is also working to attract frogs to the park, although they have been elusive; their calls can be heard during the rainy season, but they often hide from visitors.
If you express interest in the park and its inhabitants, Muhammed will gladly offer you a personal tour, giving you access to his various projects, such as an aviary, frog-catching, and salamander hatching. He might even allow you into the python area, securely enclosed with chicken wire, where four large pythons reside. I once had the opportunity to handle one, and at 35 kilograms, it was quite a challenge! While Muhammed mentions that the baby pythons tend to escape before he can catch them, he is continually learning more about these fascinating creatures. Your generous contributions are greatly appreciated, as he operates without formal grants, making this time-consuming and costly endeavor possible. Consider also donating any naturalist books to help enrich his library.
