filipinos
Well-Known Member
Followed by a discussion in another topic, i decided to open this to help other zoochatters follow the current situation of all the zoos in Portugal.
There are currently 36 zoological spaces in the entire coutrie. 10 of wich are aquariums. These are the most important ones:
I´ll make a little introduction to these zoos to help people know a little more about this little corner of Europe!
1. Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa
Also known as Zoo de Lisboa for short, it was built in 1884, but only later it estabilished in its current place. With a 26 Ha area in the middle of the city, the zoo doesn´t have a chance to expand, even if almost 10 of those 26 Ha are off-show. The zoo has more than 350 species and 2000 animals who attract 1 million people every year and it´s member of EAZA and WAZA.
A great collection of primates, felines, birds and hoofstock are some of the crowd-pleasers.
2. Aquário Vasco da Gama
One of the oldest aquariums in the world, it was built for the King to exhibit what he caught in his adventures. It was the only aquarium of Lisbon for 100 years, but it was surpassed in 1998 by the Oceanário. Also housing a museum with animals that lived in the aquarium or that were caught in Portugal, for example the Monk Seal family that lived in the Aquarium till the eighties. Portuguese Marine Life is well represented here, being an EAZA member.
3. Oceanário de Lisboa
Built for the 98 EXPO, this is one of the biggest and most impressive aquariums in the world. It´s member of EAZA and WAZA.
With the shape of an oil rig, it´s divided in 6 main areas. The central tank with 40 species of shark and ray and lots of other fish is the main area, and it´s rounded by an area of the north pacific with sea otters, a sub-antartic area with penguins and inca terns, the indo-pacific area with tropical birds and coral and the artic zone, with puffins and auks. There are also 35 other aquarium with smaller fish.
4. Zoo Santo Inácio
With 11 years, this young zoo is already has the 2º best collection of zoos in Portugal with more than 300 species! Member of EAZA, it´s found near Porto, in Avintes, and it´s a very pleasing place to visit. Highlights include the Insectarium, the Reptilarium and the overall colection with some rare subspecies. This is probably the zoo with the biggest future in Portugal and the one advancing the most in Europe, with lots of births and the arrival of new species every month. The next plans include a female cheetah and a group of giraffes.
5. Parque Biológico de Gaia
In terms of animal exhibitry, undoubtedly the best one in Portugal. Only housing portuguese species, it´s brilliant to see more than 120 specimens that live in this country. Even if it is a wildlife park, it´s one of the best i have ever been (my father doesn´t really enjoy visiting zoos but he was really happy touring for 3 km the Iberian Forest, in the rain). The inovative design with wooden huts with small square holes give the feeling we are watching the animals in the wild. Wich sometime we are. Exhibits for Iberian Wolf, European Brown Bear and (Plans are for Iberian, seems too hard said one of the builders
) Lynx are being built.
6. Badoca Safari Park
The 4ª zoo built in Portugal, it´s a safari park. It´s the second most famous zoo after Lisbon Zoo. The new island for primates are amazing, with mandrill, chimpanzee, hamadryas baboon and the lemurs islands are impressive and good for the animals. The hoofstock collection of the safari is great, with a couple of siberian tigers in a large space in the end of the safari ride. In a sunny country like portugal, it´s always a nice visit to do.
7. Lagos Zoo
The Algarve Zoo, as it is also known, it´s 12 years old and has a very pleasent future. The owner is a primate fanatic, and the has a great collection of these critters. One of the major problems of the zoo is the bad reptile collection, that includes the wild chameleon, african dwarf crocs and 2/3 tortoise species. Located in a place with lots of brits (one of the owners is English) a zoochatter form the UK with most surely love this zoo.
If someone has questions just ask them and i´ll try to answer them!
There are currently 36 zoological spaces in the entire coutrie. 10 of wich are aquariums. These are the most important ones:
- Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa
- Aquário Vasco da Gama
- Oceanário de Lisboa
- Zoo Santo Inácio
- Parque Biológico de Gaia
- Badoca Safari Park
- Zoo de Lagos
I´ll make a little introduction to these zoos to help people know a little more about this little corner of Europe!
1. Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa
Also known as Zoo de Lisboa for short, it was built in 1884, but only later it estabilished in its current place. With a 26 Ha area in the middle of the city, the zoo doesn´t have a chance to expand, even if almost 10 of those 26 Ha are off-show. The zoo has more than 350 species and 2000 animals who attract 1 million people every year and it´s member of EAZA and WAZA.
A great collection of primates, felines, birds and hoofstock are some of the crowd-pleasers.
2. Aquário Vasco da Gama
One of the oldest aquariums in the world, it was built for the King to exhibit what he caught in his adventures. It was the only aquarium of Lisbon for 100 years, but it was surpassed in 1998 by the Oceanário. Also housing a museum with animals that lived in the aquarium or that were caught in Portugal, for example the Monk Seal family that lived in the Aquarium till the eighties. Portuguese Marine Life is well represented here, being an EAZA member.
3. Oceanário de Lisboa
Built for the 98 EXPO, this is one of the biggest and most impressive aquariums in the world. It´s member of EAZA and WAZA.
With the shape of an oil rig, it´s divided in 6 main areas. The central tank with 40 species of shark and ray and lots of other fish is the main area, and it´s rounded by an area of the north pacific with sea otters, a sub-antartic area with penguins and inca terns, the indo-pacific area with tropical birds and coral and the artic zone, with puffins and auks. There are also 35 other aquarium with smaller fish.
4. Zoo Santo Inácio
With 11 years, this young zoo is already has the 2º best collection of zoos in Portugal with more than 300 species! Member of EAZA, it´s found near Porto, in Avintes, and it´s a very pleasing place to visit. Highlights include the Insectarium, the Reptilarium and the overall colection with some rare subspecies. This is probably the zoo with the biggest future in Portugal and the one advancing the most in Europe, with lots of births and the arrival of new species every month. The next plans include a female cheetah and a group of giraffes.
5. Parque Biológico de Gaia
In terms of animal exhibitry, undoubtedly the best one in Portugal. Only housing portuguese species, it´s brilliant to see more than 120 specimens that live in this country. Even if it is a wildlife park, it´s one of the best i have ever been (my father doesn´t really enjoy visiting zoos but he was really happy touring for 3 km the Iberian Forest, in the rain). The inovative design with wooden huts with small square holes give the feeling we are watching the animals in the wild. Wich sometime we are. Exhibits for Iberian Wolf, European Brown Bear and (Plans are for Iberian, seems too hard said one of the builders
) Lynx are being built.6. Badoca Safari Park
The 4ª zoo built in Portugal, it´s a safari park. It´s the second most famous zoo after Lisbon Zoo. The new island for primates are amazing, with mandrill, chimpanzee, hamadryas baboon and the lemurs islands are impressive and good for the animals. The hoofstock collection of the safari is great, with a couple of siberian tigers in a large space in the end of the safari ride. In a sunny country like portugal, it´s always a nice visit to do.
7. Lagos Zoo
The Algarve Zoo, as it is also known, it´s 12 years old and has a very pleasent future. The owner is a primate fanatic, and the has a great collection of these critters. One of the major problems of the zoo is the bad reptile collection, that includes the wild chameleon, african dwarf crocs and 2/3 tortoise species. Located in a place with lots of brits (one of the owners is English) a zoochatter form the UK with most surely love this zoo.
If someone has questions just ask them and i´ll try to answer them!
