Ref. zoos, It depends on your preferences/your taste: Best ABC-Collection (plus Giant Panda): Zoo Madrid Biggest enclosures with safari character: Parque Natural de Cabarceno (Spanish version of San Diego Safari Park, but far less species) Best immersion exhibits: Bioparc Valencia and Bioparc Fuengirola (run by the same company) Best city zoo with historical elements/buildings: Zoo de Barcelona and if the canary islands also count: Best total experience (orca and dolphin show) and best groomed park: Loro Parque Tenerife To see Spanish wildlife, I can only presume/guess: Guadalquivir in southern Spain for birds Nature reserves at the pyrenees? What do you think, @KEEPER?
For wildlife ungulates and birds of prey Cabañeros (Central /South) or Monfragüe (West) National Parks, for iberian lynx, Andujar (Jaén Province ) (S/SE) For mountain fauna ungulates (and bears) Somiedo National Park (Asturias) (North) for aquatic birds Doñana,(South) or Delta del Ebro...(NE) For wolfs Sierra de La Culebra (Zamora) NW...
Bumping this read as I think I'll have time to visit both Barcelona and Madrid Zoo Now I'd like general advice to visiting both places.
At this moment there's not much to see at Barcelona Zoo, so if you plan to visit it it will not require a lot of time. The zoo is under a renovation phase and they are demolishing many old buildings but that don't really affect to your visit as they are not animal-related (restaurants) or they were already unused (former drill exhibit, Madagascar or Aquarama). You'll find some temporary and empty exhibits. Soon they should open a new insect house. There is any specific animal that you want to see at BCN Zoo?
In my honest opinion, and not being a reptile person, the reptile house. It has a very interesting collection and I also enjoyed how they were exhibited. I also think the park has a very strong bird collection and being able to see black-faced impalas, Dorcas gazelles, and other interesting ungulate species is great to have.
If you really like elephants, I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing the breeding herd of Sumatran elephants. They should be the only facility breeding them outside of Asia iirc.
Iberian lynx, Iberian imperial eagle, Iberian ibex, European minks, Sumatran elephants, Giant otters, Malayan sun bears, Indian rhinos, Mishmi takins, Yellow-footed rock wallabies, Giant pandas, Koalas,... I've heard good things about the Aquarium too if you are into fish at least. I'm not as familiar with Madrid and it shows, but if I'd have to give the reasons to visit the park those should be it.
I agree. The reptile collection is not as good as some years ago but for me the reptile house is still my favourite part of the zoo. The bird collection is by far much worse than some years ago. Black-faced impalas, dorcas gazelles, the last Red-rumped Putty-nosed guenon remaining in Europe (check the first enclosure at the "small primates gallery", just at your left if you access the zoo via the Wellington entrance) and the Montseny Brook salamanders (you can see the breeding facilities)
According to ZTL, Barcelona is 1 of 4 ZTL collection with Perez's frogs, blue-breasted kingfishers and Spanish toothcarps, 1 of 2 with Mediterranean tree frogs and the only one with lesser grey shrikes Madrid is 1 of 5 ZTL collections with doubletooth soldierfish, 1of 4 with mummichogs and Wagler's temple pitvipers, 1 of 2 collections with Abudjubbe wrasses, reticulated puffers and Bali catsharks and the only one with slender snipefish
The Perez's frogs and Mediterranean tree frogs are not on display in any terrarium. I think that they appear on ZTL as they are supposed to be at one pond located at the petting zoo (there you can find the information panels about those species). The Perez's frogs can be seen sometimes in that pond and at other located outside the bird house, but it will depend on the season. I've not seen any frog in those ponds since many years ago. I've never seen the tree frog there (many years ago it was on display at the reptile house). Spanish toothcarps are at the petting zoo but I'm not sure if this zone is currently open to public as it's affected by the demolition of the restaurant that it's just at the entrance of the petting zoo and the construction of the new one in that area. Lesser grey shrikes and the kingfishers are on a set of aviaries between the mongooses and guanacos. There's other kingfisher species at the birdhouse.
One more thing. What's other crap I can do after visiting these 2 zoos, assuming I arrive there by opening time?
Faunia in Madrid is a decent (but pricy) park. It has a cool nocturnal house, a good penguinarium with some of the few chinstrap and Adelie's penguins in Europe, the only European park housing a brown mazama, a cool lineup of venomous species,... It isn't in its former glory and the "strange" zoo management is very noticeable, but I'd say it's a nice visit to have. In Barcelona, you get both the CosmoCaixa flooded forest and Aquarium when it comes to animal terms. I enjoyed the aquarium when I visited it, but I can't say much about it.
The Aquarium is at 10-15 minutes walking from the zoo. I've not been there for years so I don't know its current status. CosmoCaixa museum is a good option too but there are not many animals. There you can find three-toed amphiumas (they are easy to see) Both places are usually crowded on weekends.
Ok lemme rephrase what I meant. In terms of cool attractions within these cities, what's near enough to the 2 zoos that I can fit them for the later part of the day? Also, suggestions for restaurants/cafes would be nice.
In my opinion, currently none of the Spanish parks discussed here are up to the level of top-level European parks. Madrid was a revolutionary concept when it opened, but it has aged very badly, and now seeing so much concrete is terrible. Barcelona is a zoo under a lot of pressure from animal rights defenders that has deteriorated a lot in recent years. Improvements are being made, but they are very slow and most seem directed more towards aesthetics or visitor welfare than improving the lives of the animals. Currently in Spain only the Bioparcs and Loro Parque I think could be considered at a European level, and not a top level. Jungle Park, in Tenerife, is also good. Santillana is also a good zoo, but very humble. Then there are other zoos with some interesting facilities and species, but in general they can be improved (Jerez, Elche...). As for aquariums, L'Oceanogràfic or L'Aquàrium de Barcelona are fine.
