Firstly - please excuse my spelling!
First opened in 1940, Zoo di Napoli is located in the Campiflegrei area of Naples within a rather run-down and neglected looking campus, nestled between the Edenlandia amusement park and a closed outdoor bowling centre. By 1949, due to the war, the zoo was struggling and falling into a state of decay, and by the early 1990's was described as being delapedated and inadequate. In 2003 the Zoo closed, but has recently been re-opened with the new vision of becoming an establishment that 'promotes love and respect for animals, highlighting the importance of conservation'. There are ambitious plans for the site, which are heavily promoted throught the zoo, however, there is very little physical evidence of much progress, with many signs at enclosure stating re-development, but no tools/equipment anywhere to be seen.
After paying the 5 Euro entrance fee and passing through the newly spruced-up gates, you enter a beautifully planted piazza surrounded by tall palms and huge aloe vera. Despite the slightly irritating music blasting from speakers, it sets the scene for what is a wonderfully green space in hectic Napoli.
The route we took led us first to the former Rhino paddock, now housing a single Black swan in a small pool. Next door, in a small paddock with those dreadful spikes set in concrete as a barrier, is the Zoo's solitary Asian Elephant with a small and empty former hippo enclosure beside. Opposite the Elephant paddock are some rusty, but well sized and planted, open crane enclosures for Crowned and Paradise Cranes, and nearby a well covered Owl aviary set amongst a lush lawn with free-ranging peafowl and domestic rabbits.
Next is a large and comprehensive collection of domestic farm animals in the petting zoo, home to an (in my opinion) space-wasting range of cows, goats sheep, pony and horse. Here also are some old cages, now left empty and being used to demonstrate the sub-standard conditions in which the animals used to be housed. This 'museum piece' is ironically set right alongside the tiger cages, which are shocking at best. A row of 5 tiny, iron-bar and tile cages housing 7 pacing tigers which are completely inadequate and resemble circus trailers. The stand off barriers are also so close that you can lean across and touch the bars. Another small cage houses a pair of Leopard with a stand off of approx. 2 feet, and the animals were displaying clear signs of stress at the dangerously close proximity of visitors. Located close by is a newer Lion enclosure, with a high rocky backdrop and deep pit, housing 5 african lion in two sections. Still small in size, but an improvement on the other cat accomodations.
The most part of the remaining zoo is dedicated to small, barren paddocks, with mostly grass or gravel substrate. Here Fallow and Sika Deer, Bactrian Camel, Llama, Nile Lechwe, Yak, a pair of Zebra housed individually, Ostrich, Waterbuck, Emu, Rhea, Giraffe and Barbary Sheep are housed. There are no stand off barriers at all for these paddocks and they can be viewed from both sides, being very intrusive for there inhabitants. This area also has two small Leopard enclosures, a single crowned crane in what looks like a former cat enclosure and a rusty, but very spacious and well-planted tall aviary for vultures. This Aviary provides good flying opportunities and is well suited to the birds, namely single specimens of: European Black, Griffon, King, American Black, Turkey, Lappet-faced and Egyptian Vulture. The European Black Vulture was nesting with the Lappet-faced, so it would have been nice to have seen a pair of the same species given the opportunity to breed.
At the end of the paddock area are the bear pits, a small concrete mountain with four pits housing two elderly European Brown bears that share two of the sections, an Asiatic Black Bear and a 25 year old Fur Seal named Willie.
Completing the tour, and returning the visitor to the entrance piazza are the former monkey cages (now thankfully empty), a good aviary for demoselle crane and pheasants and a large, attractively landscaped lake home to pelican, common crane and waterfowl.
In conclusion, Zoo di Napoli is in desperate need of funding and re-development. It offers a valuble animal rescue service, however, I question whether a life at the zoo would be preferable to the conditions they were rescued from. The site is very pleasant and has some lovely green spaces with great potential, but without huge investment, I seriously question if the zoo should have been re-opened - something I rarely think! If I have the time, I shall post my photo's and vision for the site, but as it stands, I would not recommend a visit to the site to anybody who doesn't want to leave depressed.
First opened in 1940, Zoo di Napoli is located in the Campiflegrei area of Naples within a rather run-down and neglected looking campus, nestled between the Edenlandia amusement park and a closed outdoor bowling centre. By 1949, due to the war, the zoo was struggling and falling into a state of decay, and by the early 1990's was described as being delapedated and inadequate. In 2003 the Zoo closed, but has recently been re-opened with the new vision of becoming an establishment that 'promotes love and respect for animals, highlighting the importance of conservation'. There are ambitious plans for the site, which are heavily promoted throught the zoo, however, there is very little physical evidence of much progress, with many signs at enclosure stating re-development, but no tools/equipment anywhere to be seen.
After paying the 5 Euro entrance fee and passing through the newly spruced-up gates, you enter a beautifully planted piazza surrounded by tall palms and huge aloe vera. Despite the slightly irritating music blasting from speakers, it sets the scene for what is a wonderfully green space in hectic Napoli.
The route we took led us first to the former Rhino paddock, now housing a single Black swan in a small pool. Next door, in a small paddock with those dreadful spikes set in concrete as a barrier, is the Zoo's solitary Asian Elephant with a small and empty former hippo enclosure beside. Opposite the Elephant paddock are some rusty, but well sized and planted, open crane enclosures for Crowned and Paradise Cranes, and nearby a well covered Owl aviary set amongst a lush lawn with free-ranging peafowl and domestic rabbits.
Next is a large and comprehensive collection of domestic farm animals in the petting zoo, home to an (in my opinion) space-wasting range of cows, goats sheep, pony and horse. Here also are some old cages, now left empty and being used to demonstrate the sub-standard conditions in which the animals used to be housed. This 'museum piece' is ironically set right alongside the tiger cages, which are shocking at best. A row of 5 tiny, iron-bar and tile cages housing 7 pacing tigers which are completely inadequate and resemble circus trailers. The stand off barriers are also so close that you can lean across and touch the bars. Another small cage houses a pair of Leopard with a stand off of approx. 2 feet, and the animals were displaying clear signs of stress at the dangerously close proximity of visitors. Located close by is a newer Lion enclosure, with a high rocky backdrop and deep pit, housing 5 african lion in two sections. Still small in size, but an improvement on the other cat accomodations.
The most part of the remaining zoo is dedicated to small, barren paddocks, with mostly grass or gravel substrate. Here Fallow and Sika Deer, Bactrian Camel, Llama, Nile Lechwe, Yak, a pair of Zebra housed individually, Ostrich, Waterbuck, Emu, Rhea, Giraffe and Barbary Sheep are housed. There are no stand off barriers at all for these paddocks and they can be viewed from both sides, being very intrusive for there inhabitants. This area also has two small Leopard enclosures, a single crowned crane in what looks like a former cat enclosure and a rusty, but very spacious and well-planted tall aviary for vultures. This Aviary provides good flying opportunities and is well suited to the birds, namely single specimens of: European Black, Griffon, King, American Black, Turkey, Lappet-faced and Egyptian Vulture. The European Black Vulture was nesting with the Lappet-faced, so it would have been nice to have seen a pair of the same species given the opportunity to breed.
At the end of the paddock area are the bear pits, a small concrete mountain with four pits housing two elderly European Brown bears that share two of the sections, an Asiatic Black Bear and a 25 year old Fur Seal named Willie.
Completing the tour, and returning the visitor to the entrance piazza are the former monkey cages (now thankfully empty), a good aviary for demoselle crane and pheasants and a large, attractively landscaped lake home to pelican, common crane and waterfowl.
In conclusion, Zoo di Napoli is in desperate need of funding and re-development. It offers a valuble animal rescue service, however, I question whether a life at the zoo would be preferable to the conditions they were rescued from. The site is very pleasant and has some lovely green spaces with great potential, but without huge investment, I seriously question if the zoo should have been re-opened - something I rarely think! If I have the time, I shall post my photo's and vision for the site, but as it stands, I would not recommend a visit to the site to anybody who doesn't want to leave depressed.
Same species or different spp.? 