Cali Zoo

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Cali Zoo is located in the city of Cali in the country of Colombia. The Zoo belongs to a foundation that carries its name and whose mission, since it took the Zoo's administration in 1981, has been to improve the animals' diet, their natural environment and the medical care of the existing fauna.

The Zoo is a thematic park focused on the environment which offers a unique experience of direct contact with nature and culture of this South American country. Cali Zoo promotes and performs different educative, recreative and investigative programs in order to preserve Colombian biodiversity and create an environmental social conscience. Cali Zoo is committed to quality in all its areas, processes, and researching projects.

With an excellent collection of diverse Colombian native species, Cali Zoo is easily the best zoo in the country. Its 10 hectares (25 acres) are home to about 1200 animals, representing some 180 species - from lemurs to condors. Cali's River runs through the zoo's park-like grounds, making it a great place to stay an afternoon with the animals.

Contents

[edit] History

It started as an old place where the animals were carried in narrow and dirty cages, with basic levels of caring and feed. However, with the local government support and contributions of some respectable citizens, Cali Zoo began an impressive transformation that now ranks it in the first Colombian's Zoo and one of the most cutting - edge Zoos in Latin America. The first change was made to the old cages which were replaced for new comfortable and spacious places. The animals' physical distribution was the second change because the animals were located according to their species and not in an indistinct organization. Animals' diet was another major change because the Cali Zoo Foundation started focusing on each species requirements. Finally, prevention was the medicine's focus. In the same way, the Zoo's surroundings were redesigned and restored which brought more touristic attention to the zone.

Later, Cali Zoo's administration started a complete medical collection of each animal's records which allowed it to have accurate and organized information in order to offer a better quality of life for all animals. Being satisfied these basic necessities, Cali Zoo could lead its objectives to research and preserve the different Colombian wild species.

[edit] Zoo's collection

The Zoo has five big places for different kinds of species: primates, butterflies, ocean and river fish, amphibians and reptiles, and birds.

  • Primates: These species have six different environments with artificial trees, walls and elements that resemble own features of the ecosystems where primates inhabit. Colombia has more than 450 mammalian species - 7% of the world total. The country has 30 primates species, the second highest of any tropical country in the Americas. and the fifth most diverse country in the world.
  • Butterflies: Cali Zoo has more than 800 different butterflies species. They are located in a special place called mariposario where they are free and the visitors can walk within the place and observe this amazing colorful spectacle. The mariposario also shows a video that teaches the butterfly's metamorphosis in all its stages which is very educative and interesting.
  • Ocean and River fish: This exhibition permits the visitors to know the wonderful aquatic world through 9 fresh water aquariums and 10 salt water aquariums.
  • Amphibians and Reptiles: Serpents, crocodiles and poison frogs are a small sample of the extensive Colombian biodiversity. It is a unique opportunity to know and interact with these special and mysterious animals. Colombia has 520 reptile species which allocate it in the third place in the planet.
  • Birds: Cali Zoo offers a real humid tropical forest which shelters diverse colorful Colombian species. Tourists can hear the birds' sounds and feel the fresh of these exotic places. The Country has more than 1.800 different bird species, some 20% of the world total and 60% of those which inhabit South America.

[edit] Services

  • Educatives: Cali Zoo offers summer camps during school vacations where children between 4 and 12 years old learn how the animals live in the zoo, their behaviors and current habits. They also know how veterinarians take care of them and learn how to prepare their food. These activities are complemented with recreational activities as well.
  • Environment Formation Workshops for Professors.
  • Science Clubs: Its objective is to promote the love for science in children through projects of specific research.

[edit] External links

Zoologico de Cali main page. [1]