Ramat Gan Safari Holds Animal Election on October 27 - Tortoise vs. Gorilla
Ramat Gan Safari is reviving its animal election tradition on October 27 for the first time in four years, inviting visitors to cast ballots for animal candidates who each represent a different value.
The Ramat Gan Safari is reviving its beloved animal election tradition after a four-year break. On October 27, visitors vote for animal candidates representing values like family, sustainability, tolerance and compassion. Campaign T-shirts have already been printed. Democracy, apparently, has no minimum IQ requirement.
Should the animal with the most Instagram-worthy face win?
- Yes
- No opinion
- No
Every few years, Ramat Gan Safari turns its grounds into a campaign arena - and according to Israel Hayom, the tradition is back after a four-year hiatus. On October 27, visitors of all ages will find special ballot boxes placed around the safari and will be able to vote for one of several animal candidates, each representing a different core value. Among the contenders, Israel Hayom reports, are Noa the leopard running on a platform of family, Momo the tortoise representing safety and protection, Lucas the gorilla campaigning on sustainability, a group of birds making the case for compassion and mutual aid, and Yossi the elephant asking for votes in the name of tolerance. Staff have already thrown themselves into the campaign: election songs are being written, colorful signs are going up, and some employees have had T-shirts printed to back their chosen candidate. Safari spokesperson Hila Feldman Gra told Israel Hayom that media crews have been invited to cover the vote, interview visitors and staff, and document the candidates themselves. The event blends genuine wildlife education - each animal represents its own department and a value the safari wants to promote - with playful democratic theater. The question this poll asks is a lighter one: whether pure photogenic charm, the quality that drives Instagram engagement, should be the deciding factor rather than the values each animal is meant to embody.
Voting yes means you think an animal's most crowd-pleasing, camera-ready face is a perfectly good reason to pick a winner - fun and popularity are part of the point. Voting no means you think the election should be taken at least a little seriously on its own terms, with voters choosing based on the value each animal represents rather than on looks or viral appeal. The poll surfaces the tension between the event as lighthearted entertainment and the safari's stated goal of using it to promote meaningful values.