The I. Meier Segals Garden for Zoological Research
Founded in 1931, TAU’s Zoological Garden has grown into the largest research facility of its kind in Israel and a leader in zoological research. It contains a wide variety of animals, focusing particularly on those indigenous to Israel. These animals include 40 species of mammals, 100 species of birds, and 80 species of reptiles and amphibians. In addition, the zoo houses numerous fish and insects.
The zoological garden is linked to TAU’s Department of Zoology, and over half the department’s academic staff and many graduate students carry out research here. Their studies cover a wide variety of areas such as ecology, behavior, physiology, endocrinology and applied entomology.
Furthermore, the Zoological Garden serves as a center for conservation, in cooperation with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and the Nature Reserves Authority. Researchers investigate the reproductive strategies of many species, with the aim of releasing back to nature, when possible, the offspring born in the zoo. After over 20 years of this conservation work, the researchers have succeeded in returning the white-tailed eagle to the Hula Valley and the lanner falcon and griffon vulture to the skies over the Carmel mountains.