Aitos municipality applied for €2.1m in EU funding to transform its zoo on 30 September 2026. The project uses the 2021-2027 Environment Programme to help protect endangered animals outside their natural habitats. Under the rules, the municipality could get up to 100% of the costs, with a maximum grant of exactly €2,096,296.71.
"This project is not just another building job. It is an attempt to save a place that has been part of our town's history for 57 years," Aitos mayor Vasil Edrev said. "The zoo is part of the childhood memories of many locals and helps define Aitos as a tourist spot. Our goal is to meet modern standards for animal care and nature protection. The project also includes teaching visitors about local protected species. The Environment Programme is meant to improve how we care for and protect endangered animals in controlled settings," Edrev said.
The plan includes building or renewing eight new specialist areas. These include:
- a new enclosure for brown bears
- a complex for Eurasian lynx
- a breeding and display area for Egyptian vultures
- a new aviary for white-bellied raptors
- special pens for spur-thighed and spurochelys turtles
- an aviary for golden eagles
- a veterinary block with three isolation rooms
- an information and education centre.
The project also covers engineering work and climate adaptation to make sure animal care is never interrupted. All repairs and rebuilds follow the official Aitos Zoo development plan. The main focus is on local protected species. The goal is to create a space where they can breed and thrive, meeting the standards of modern European zoos.
The local council has already backed the plan. They voted that all new and rebuilt sites must be maintained and kept for their original purpose for at least five years after the final payment. Mayor Vasil Edrev is officially in charge of the whole process, from the application to the work itself. If approved, the project must be finished within 36 months.