Parque Zoológico Nacional Simón Bolívar
| Parque Zoológico Nacional Simón Bolívar | |
|---|---|
| Parque zoológico y jardín botánico nacional Simón Bolívar | |
|
Entrance, Simón Bolívar Zoo | |
| Type | Urban park. Zoo, Botanical Garden. |
| Location | San José, Costa Rica |
| Coordinates | 9°56′19″N 84°04′24″W / 9.9386739°N 84.0732481°WCoordinates: 9°56′19″N 84°04′24″W / 9.9386739°N 84.0732481°W |
| Area | 14 acres (57,000 m2) |
| Created |
1916 (Botanical Garden); 1921 (Zoo) |
| Operated by | Fundazoo |
| Status | Open all year |
| Website |
fundazoo |
Parque Nacional Simón Bolívar (Zoológico Simón Bolívar) is an urban park of approximately 14 hectares, located in downtown San José, Costa Rica. It is the oldest botanical garden and zoo in Costa Rica. The name pays homage to Latin American national founder Simón Bolívar. It is administered by a conservation nonprofit foundation called Fundazoo.[1] All animals in the zoo are orphaned, injured or have been disabled and are nursed back to health in hopes of releasing them.[2]
Since 2013, activists have been procuring legal means to close this and other zoos in Costa Rica, requesting animals be relocated to cage-free rescue centers.[3][4]
History
Simon Bolivar Zoo has its origin in the "Jardín de Plantas y Animales", a park created in 1884 by Swiss naturalist and botanist Henry Pittier. It was founded as an institution associated to the Costa Rican Geographic Institute. It was first located near Liceo de Costa Rica, but had to be later relocated because neighbors complained about the noise of the animals. It was eventually moved to its current location in Barrio Amón. It was established on 5 July 1916 and added a botanical garden on 24 July 1921, part of the anniversary celebration of Simón Bolivar's birth.[5]
The park was managed by neighboring Museo Nacional de Costa Rica until 1953, when it was transferred to the Department of Fish and Wildlife of the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock). In 1959 it was transferred to the Department of Lands and Forests of that ministry. In 1969 it was transferred once more, this time to the Department of National Parks of the Forestry Department. With the future transformation of this department into the National Park Service, the new department managed the zoo until in 1986 when it was placed under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mines (MIRENEM), currently Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET). MINAET underwrote an agreement with the Pro Zoological Foundation in 1994, which is currently managing the site.
Exhibits
- Fish pond with 5 fish species; about 80 individual fish.
- Amphibian pond with 3 species of amphibians and about 15 individual animals.
- Reptile building with 16 species of reptiles; about 113 animals.
- Bird aviaries with 30 species and over 80 birds.
- Wildlife mammal stage with 17 species of mammals and over 50 animals.
The mammals in the zoo include:
- Margay;
- Central American tapir;
- Greater grison;
- Brutus, the jaguar;
- Kivú, the lion; the only animal in the zoo not born in the wild.[2]
- Ocelot;
- Raccoons;
- Rainforest Kinkajou;
- Two-toed sloth;
- Coatis
See also
References
- ↑ Rafael, Romo (8 Aug 2013). "Costa Rica to close zoos, release some animals". CNN. Retrieved 21 Sep 2016.
- 1 2 Kahler, Karl (20 May 2016). "Costa Rica zoo can be a depressing sight, but easy alternatives are few". The Tico Times. Retrieved 21 Sep 2016.
- ↑ Fendt, Lindsay (22 Jul 2013). "Impending San José zoo closures spark court battles, celebrations in Costa Rica". The Tico Times. Retrieved 21 Sep 2016.
- ↑ Fendt, Lindsay (28 Jul 2013). "Protesters clash with San José police at Simón Bolívar Zoo's anniversary party". The Tico Times. Retrieved 21 Sep 2016.
- ↑ "Historia del Zoológico Simón Bolívar". FundaZoo.org. Retrieved 21 Sep 2016.