The ambitious Budapest Zoo biodome project is now three-quarters complete after workers finished building its roof, Zoo director Miklós Persányi announced this week.
The biodome will have a total indoor area of 17,000 square meters and will house 18 pools, including a large saltwater pool for sharks. The plan is for the biodome to house some 2,700 animals representing 150 species, including many rare finds such as the clouded leopard.
The government has so far provided HUF 43.7 billion (EUR 132 million) for the project, and another HUF 20 billion (EUR 60.6 million) is needed to finish the final phase of construction.
The biodome could end up more than doubling the number of visitors to the zoo, which is currently a steady one million per year and extremely popular with both locals and tourists.
Photo credit: zoobudapest.com