Santiago Zoo Santiago Zoo news

New feline center opens at Santiago zoo, which we hope will soon hold the rescued cats.Zoológico Nacional de Chile
it now holds servals and ocelots.
and here are the 5 species of felines native to Chile.
Zoológico Nacional de Chile

 

The first linked Facebook page just says (in Spanish) come and see our new felines. It says nothing about which species they are (the photo shows serval). I have posted a reply (in Spanish) asking which species, but I am scared they will confirm your suspicion that it will be the rescued cats. Why am I scared? Because everyone on this site who knows me knows that I will have to go, but my credit card balance is out of control!

 

If I have time to visit this January I will send you the pictures

 

Estimados AD and lintworm, many tours that include Santiago de Chile and Machu Picchu are available. Lima also has 2 zoos. Sean bienvenidos al sur.

 

As estimado carlos55 wrote at the moment it is just serval and ocelot.

I think at a later date they might start exhibiting puma and gato colocolo (they had 2 individuals at the end of July in rehab) too. There was mention on their website they have 3 felines nativos in residence. So, add up ocelot and it makes 3. Just guessing though.

 

Estimados AD and Kifaru, the reference to felinos nativos refers to felines native to Chile. So it means the 2 colocolo and the 1 guiña. I supose that the Santiago zoo is still considering when to introduce the native chilean felines to the general públic. It seems that all the rescued felines at Santiago zoo are females by the way.

 

Merci, I am my own tour operator though and 1-2 days in Santiago is already fixed for early January The question will be whether there is time enough for the zoo or whether the mountains are more attractive with their mountain viscacha and birds

 

Santiago zoo is on Cerro San Cristobal in the middle of the city, it is very accesible. Buin zoo which also has 2 rescued guiñas is a little further and needs a train ride. The Andes are beautifull,but no visit to south América should miss Machu Picchu.

 

I think it may be better to use the name 'kolokolo'. It avoids confusion with the 'monito del monte', which is also called the colocolo.

 

According to google, kolokolo is a town in Burkina faso and colocolo is a football team.Done.

 

@carlos55 The Facebook page is now auto translating to English (not sure why), but it says the same thing. "We invite you to see the new wildlife enclosures this winter holiday." It says nothing about native cats or any other animals that will be in the new enclosures. Are you looking at a different post than the first one you posted? I do not doubt your information, just curious where the zoo posted it. Thanks.

 

Do we have an outlay plan for the new felines corner anywhere?
(certainly not on their website or the Facebook page)

 

I received a Facebook reply from the zoo regarding my inquiry to their post "which species of cats will be in this area?" They replied the cats they have are serval, ocelot, puma, tiger, lion. That' it - no mention whatsoever of the small native cats we have been discussing.

 

AD, that réply is for the felines they have on exhibit now in all the zoo. There are signs for the rescued felines in the new exhibit. I suppose Santiago zoo is still uncertain about a specific date for the native chilean cats to be on públic display, afterall the cats were rescued as cubs just last January.

 

Anuncian creación de Eco Parque Metropolitano para modernizar el Zoológico Nacional
The president of Chile, Sebastian Piniero, has annouced a plan to modernize the Santiago zoo and transform into an Eco - park. Unlike the Buenos Aires zoo disaster, the current zoo staff and director are involved. A special area for the wildlife of Chile will be added. What will happen to the elephants and giraffes is not clear.

 

https://www.latercera.com/reportaje...mos-uno-intenso-debate-llega-santiago/321238/
More on the renovation of the national zoo in Chile. Space will be doubled. No animals will be removed, but elephants and giraffes will not be replaced. The zoo will emphasize South american species and continue its important rehabitation programs. Zoo staff and directors will be involved in the renovation. The Buenos Aires zoo tragedy will be avoided.

 

This seems to be a repeating occurrence with many Latin American zoos to try and stay relevant for their visitors. I certainly think a greater focus on native species is a win for all.

 

who knows how it will be

 

In the article linked in post 28 above, I was looking to see if there was a timeline. It says (my translation of the Spanish) that construction will be done in stages with a final completion of 2025.

 

ok thank you