SAPPORO - North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in the southern district of Sapporo, closed its doors on September 30th after 20 years of operation, leaving around 300 animals including lions and wolves without a confirmed relocation plan.
Visitors flocked to the zoo until the final hours, with families recalling unique experiences such as feeding lions and camping near enclosures, while expressing concern for the future of the animals.
Founded in 2005, the facility became known as Japan’s “most dangerous zoo,” attracting more than two million visitors with interactive encounters ranging from feeding predators to handling snakes. However, from the outset it was built without city approval, leading to repeated administrative guidance and ultimately a decision by its operator, Success Tourism, to shut down by the end of September and dismantle all 118 structures by 2029.
As of closing day, Sapporo city confirmed that 319 of the 640 animals remained on site, including designated “specific animals” such as lions, which pose potential risks to humans. Securing relocation facilities has proven difficult, and authorities have not disclosed their destinations. On September 30th, local neighborhood leaders petitioned city officials to strengthen monitoring of both the illegal structures and animal management.
The operator issued a statement on its website apologizing for disappointing long-time supporters and thanking them for two decades of encouragement, while stressing that animal care costs were being supported by donations and that relocation talks were ongoing. Success Tourism had already purchased nearby land in January 2024 with the aim of moving animals there, but the site lies in a regulated zone where new construction cannot be authorized until the current illegal structures are removed.
City officials said they instructed the company to submit by the end of October a detailed plan for relocating the animals. The challenge now lies in balancing the swift demolition of unlawful buildings with ensuring the safety and welfare of the animals, an issue the city says it will continue to monitor closely.
Source: HBCニュース 北海道放送
