The new Tbilisi Zoo will open to visitors in August 2026. Construction began after the 2015 floods, and the zoo is opening in stages. Although work is still under way, visitors will soon be able to explore the new site. One of Tbilisi Zoo’s best-known residents, Shani the lion cub, has already moved to the new zoo. As David Taktakishvili, deputy director of Tbilisi Zoo, explains, the new zoo covers a large area, and the site is being developed in stages. Some animals have already been moved, but construction of the enclosures is still under way.