Lory Park
Lory Park is a rehabilitation centre and animal sanctuary located just outside Midrand, between Johannesburg and Pretoria. Though the park opened its doors primarily as a bird park, the facility has grown to include more than 100 animal species as the need for animal rehabilitation and preservation in Gauteng has increased.
Blue crane at Lory Park. Photo courtesy 3sth3r
Today, the park is home to a variety of cats, reptiles and exotic birds that are either in the process of being rehabilitated or are permanently housed at the centre. Some of the species fall into the park’s CITES I and II (endangered species) breeding programmes; others are too vulnerable to be released into the wild.
The state-of-the-art animal care facility is also home to critically endangered and endangered species of birds and mammals, including the blue crane, Bengal tiger and king vulture.
Curator Eddy van Eck, the proud owner of the largest collection of lorikeets in the southern hemisphere, made it his life mission to open proper avian facilities where the public and schoolchildren can view birds and learn about bird habitats. The result is Lory Park, a 4ha site where all members of the public can enjoy a holistic learning experience.
The Lory Park tea garden overlooks the open-air parrot and lorikeet enclosure, and children are encouraged to touch and engage with the birds as their parents relax over a cup of coffee. In this way the children get to learn about the birds and experience being close to them.
Admission
Children under 12: R35
Adults: R55
Pensioners: R30
Guided school tours: R40 per child
Please note: This attraction is a cash-only facility
Visiting hours
Monday to Sunday from 10h00 to 16h00
Directions
From Johannesburg, take the N1 towards Pretoria. Take the Allandale off-ramp at Midrand and turn right. At the third traffic light, turn left onto the R101. Turn right onto Dale Road at the fourth traffic light, and then right onto Kruger Road. Lory Park is 800m along Kruger Road, on the right.