Havana is a city of over 2 million inhabitants. Some times of the year it has also many tourists. As the capital of the country of Cuba it has various important cultural institutions. Havana has 3 animal collections: Zoologico Nacional de Cuba, Zoologico de Habana and Acuario Nacional de Cuba. It is surprising that a caribbean city has so many animal collections. For example, San Juan Puerto Rico, only has a feline sanctuary.
I visited all 3 in March, 2015.
Zoologico Nacional de Cuba
This large zoo was founded in 1984. It covers 340 hectacres,not all of which are opened to the public. This is the zoo that recieved most of the animals from the famous Namibia import of 2012 and 2013, which are doing quite well here by the way. The zoo has basically 2 sections, the large african savana area and the walk through section.
To get to the zoologico nacional you must take a taxi, because the park is outside of Havana city, in the Boyeros area, past the airport. It is quite a ride, but the scenery is lovely. When you finally arrive to zoologico nacional
Negotiate with the taxi driver so he will come back for you. Do not even think of taking local public transportation, if it passes you will get lost.
After the entrance you will arrive at the bus station where you pass a nice mural and enter the lines for the guagua or bus. Be aware that the driver will make almost no stops and your camera must be ready. There is a guide on board, who only speaks spanish. She mentions the species but the drivers justs speed through the enormous african savana. It really does look like an african plains and the species are numerous. Many are from the great Namibia import. Here is what i saw, sometimes very briefly. Red Hartebeest, roan antelope, springbok, kudu, impala, eland, ankole cattle, reticulated giraffes, cape buffalo, many white rhinos, 1 elder african elephant and various namibian juveniles, ostrich, grants and grevy´s zebras. The red hartebeests are the only ones in any zoo out of africa and they have a juvenile. There was a large hippo pool there. There are two open feline areas, one for african lions and another for cheetahs from Namibia, which were a no show.
Then the guagua arrives at the walk through area at which everyone gets off. There is a very large pond for cuban crocodiles, which are the largest animals in Cuba and always seemed to have nice exhibits in the Havana zoos. Besides the other side of a bridge are carribean flamingos with mallard and peking ducks.
Next are the carnivore and primate sections, with very uneven sections. There is very large open pen for 2 black backed jackals, from Namibia, quite active. Also in separate large pens are 3 species of hyenas, spotted, brown and striped. Only the later were active. Of course, the brown and spotted hyenas are from Namibia. Another open pen for a small pack of canadian grey wolves which breed here.
Next is the worst part of the zoo, the feline section with small heavily barred cages. It like the east berlin tierpark with a terrible predator house, but worse. Here are bengal tigers, a white lion, jaguar, puma and a very unlucky black bear. Here are also african leopards from Namibia, which despite the cages, have already bred. There were 2 lovely african leopard cubs. Actually the leopards were the only namibian animals i saw in older and ugly exhibits.
After some adequate reptile exhibits for the cuban iguana, rhino iguana and leopard tortoise.
The primate area is also ugly with concrete cages with heavy bars and netting. Here are white faced and brown capuchins, olive and hamadryas baboons, crab eating and rhesus macaques, vervet monkeys, mandrill and some unfortunate chimpanzees. Fortunately I saw a new primate area being constructed near the old area.
Behind the primate area, i saw large open paddocks, one for a herd of grevy´s zebra males and the other for kulan, which must be the only herd in any latin american zoo.
After are various ample new netted areas for caracals, bat eared foxes and crested porcupines. All from Namibia. The caracals have already bred. Also 2 small cages for raccoon and coati.
Next is a large domestic and farm animal section. Nice pens for dromedary camel, dwarf zebu and cuban burros, which are very popular in the havana zoos. Also a nice large pen for collared peccary. There was a young water buffalo and some sheep as well. The bird collection at zoologico nacional was very dissapointing. Here were 2 breeds of domestic chicken, blue and white peafowl, collared pheasant, mandarin duck, grey goose and guinea fowl. All in pens of regular size. Maybe there is a parrot show, but i did not see one.
And finally on the way out a large barred cage for binturongs.
The signage at zoologico nacional is minimal and bleak, which is surprising for Cuba which does have a high educational level for latin America. I went on a sunday and saw people trying to feed animals when not watched by zoo personnel.
Zoologico Nacional is definetly worth seeing but be prepared for uneven exhibits. As sooty mentioned it rather like an eastern european zoo from the eighties. It must be mentioned that the animals from Namibia are doing quite well and various have bred, such hartebeests, kudus, impala, leopards, caracals. I think that the Namibian animals are actually doing much better than would have been expected and i think that is good news.
I am tired now, so the acuario nacional and havana zoo will come later.
