Zoo Ave

Rescate Animal Zoo Ave
Rescate Animal Zoo Ave

Entrance to Zoo Ave
Type Urban park. Zoo, Botanical Garden.
Location Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Coordinates 10°00′44″N 84°16′32″W / 10.0123357°N 84.2756121°W / 10.0123357; -84.2756121Coordinates: 10°00′44″N 84°16′32″W / 10.0123357°N 84.2756121°W / 10.0123357; -84.2756121
Area 340,000 square metres (84 acres)
Created 1973[1]
Operated by Fundación Restauración de la Naturaleza
Status Open all year

Rescate Animal Zoo Ave, or simply Zoo Ave, is an urban park of approximately 14 hectares (34 acres), located in La Garita, in the canton of Alajuela, Costa Rica.[2] It has an average altitude of 814 meters and is bounded to the north by the bed of the river Rio Poas. The site includes the largest collection of bird species in Latin America.[3]

It is administered by a conservation nonprofit foundation called Fundación Restauración de la Naturaleza, which also is responsible for the country's largest rehabilitation center in the Zoo Ave campus.

History

Much of the land comprising the Zoo was a coffee and sugar cane plantation area. Initially it consisted of privately owned collection of about 50 animals. Because of its major expansion and pleasant climate, for many years appeared attempts to build on its premises a zoo, but none materialized until the early 1990s when the property was to be administered by conservationist Dennis Janik, who lead the introduction of over a thousand trees in substitution of the coffee plantations. In 1995 the Costa Rican government approved the creation of an animal rescue venture within the zoo.

In the following decades, various species of birds originating from various parts of the country, in order to promote the concept of conservation of tropical habitat, were introduced.

Zoo Ave devotes part of its activity to research, captive breeding of species of tropical flora and fauna, including reptiles since 1999, environmental education, conservation and rehabilitation of injured, orphan or recovered animal species.

Attractions

Zoo Ave has an area of approximately 35 acres with a main nature trail circuit that displays wild animal enclosures and education against animal mistreating. A breeding center and the veterinary rescue center are in the Zoo Ave campus but off limits to visitors.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bell, Catharine E. (2001). Encyclopedia of the World's Zoos, Volume 1. Taylor & Francis. p. 1387. ISBN 1579581749.
  2. ↑ Jean McNeil, Keith Drew (2012). The Rough Guide to Costa Rica. Penguin Books. ISBN 1405392010.
  3. ↑ DK Eyewitness Costa Rica Travel Guide. Penguin Books. p. 138. ISBN 146543268X.
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