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Zoological Situation in Portugal

Discussion in 'Portugal' started by filipinos, 12 Oct 2012.

  1. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    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:

    • 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! :D
     
  2. Miguel Oliveira

    Miguel Oliveira New Member

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    Great overview. I haven't visited Zoo Santo Ingrácio yet (I've been to Porto often but never have enough time to visit the zoo) and I thought Aquário Vasco da Gama was closed.

    I agree with your father, Parque Biológico da Gaia is one of the best "zoos", although Lisbon's, where I was a volunteer for a few years, is improving and over the last few years has replaced many of the old Victorian-style exhibits.

    What are the 36 zoological spaces? I can't list any more than 18! I'm very interested in visiting the others if they are open to the public.
     
  3. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Miguel, good to see another "tuga" in here! :D

    Zoo de Santo Inácio deserves a visit, it´s a really good zoo. I believe Vasco da Gama is open, but i´m not sure. At least, some 6 months ago i remember it was.

    I still think that Lisbon needs some changes, to atleast try to catch some of the bigger and better zoos of Europe.

    I´ve only visited 16, but here are all of them:
    Albufeira - Zoomarine
    Algôz - Krazy World - Algarve Zoo
    Alter do Chão - Coudelaria de Alter do Chão
    Arcozelo - Estação Litoral da Aguda
    Avintes - Quinta de S. Inácio
    Avintes - Parque Biologico de Gaia
    Mora - Fluviário de Mora
    Cabanas - Crazy Golf-Mini Zoo
    Cascais - Parque Marechal Carmona
    Cruz Quebrada - Aquario Vasco da Gama
    Faro - Jardim da Alameda João de Deus
    Funchal - Museu e Aquario Municipal do Funchal
    Gomes Aires - Zoonatura
    Gouveia - Parque Zoológico de Gouveia
    Lagos - Parque Zoológico de Lagos
    Lamego - Parque Biológico da Serra das Meadas
    Lisboa - Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa
    Lisboa - Oceanário de Lisboa
    Lisboa - Quinta Pedagógica dos Olivais
    Lourosa - Zoo Lourosa
    Maia - Zoo de Maia
    Malveira - Centro de Recuperação do Lobo Ibérico
    Montemor-o-Novo - Monte Selvagem
    Montemor-o-Velho - Europaradise
    Olhão - Parque Natural da Ria Formosa
    Portinho da Arrábida - Museu Oceanográfico
    Porto - Sea Life Porto
    Quarteira - Oásis Tropical Park in Aqua Show Park
    Ramalhal - Zoo-Oeste
    Silves - Parque Biológico da Serra de Silves
    Vila do Conde - Centro de Ciência Viva de Vila do Conde
    Vila Nova de Cerveira - Aquarium-Museu do Rio Minho
    Vila Nova de Gaia - Fluvial Aquarium
    Vila Nova de Santo André - Badoca Safari Park
    Vila Ruiva - Insectozoo
    Silves - National Centre for Iberian Lynx Breeding
     
  4. CindelP

    CindelP Well-Known Member

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    And u should still add: Parque Biologico da Lousa (Quinta do Paiva) that between others species hosts Brown Bears, wildboars, lynxs, iberian wolfs, wild boars, foxes, red deer, fallow deer ...
     
  5. zooman

    zooman Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hi Filpinos,

    Thank you, For A great review,
     
  6. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    You´re welcome zooman, always glad i could help!
     
  7. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    If Gaia ever does get iberian lynx, please let us know immediately!
     
  8. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    The enclosures seem realy big, and i have been looking for news about it, but i believe we will only get european to replicate iberian. The center in Silves is succesfull, with 19 lynxes born in the last months. Still i think it´s really really really hard to see them there.
     
  9. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    As I wrote elsewhere with increasing breeding success and even with timed and planned releases back into the wild it should be possible to have non breeding Iberian lynx pairs on exhibit within the next 2-5 years, at least in the range countries. This would provide an added awareness building of the plight of the species in both Portugal and Spain. Outside range states, will probably depend on whether an official ESB or EEP for the species would be set up (given the number of native European species EEP's even that is more realistic than say 10-15 years ago).

    @filipinos, is the center at Silves or Guadelantin in Spain open to the public at all? Given both are breeding stations and lynx are elusive at best of times and require wide/considerable breeding enclosures accordingly I would think not. Or am I wrong here?
     
  10. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    I´m not sure about Guadalantin, but Silves isn´t open for the public and i believe visits aren´t allowed. But a similar station for Iberian Wolves in Mafra also didn´t let the public visit it, but with the recent crisis it´s now able to receive some visits. Maybe in the next years, but for now we have to get the rare wild ones in Donana.
     
  11. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    Recent news from Lisbon Zoo:
    Two Persian Leopards sent to a reserve in Russia.
    The baby gorilla is a female.

    Recent news from Lisbon Oceanarium:
    One Loggerhead Turtle arrived.

    Recent News from Lagos Zoo:
    One White-Handed Gibbon born

    Recent News from Zoo Santo Inacio:
    One Male Tonkean Macaque born.
    Twin Emperor Tamarins born.
    Snow Leopard and Humboldt Penguin babies on the way.
    New arrivals include a couple of bear macaques, a male sudanese cheetah, a couple of bactrian camels, three somali wild asses and one more black-faced spider monkey for the group.
     
  12. CindelP

    CindelP Well-Known Member

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    Thank you!

    If you, by any chance know:

    Any progress concerning breeding with the other two female gorillas? Or the orangs?

    Any plans concerning the clouded leopards?

    Thanks in advance
     
  13. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    No need to thank.

    Not sure about the other 2 females, but the orangs have bred this year. There was a baby last time i visited the zoo.

    The clouded leopard still lives in that enclosure between the baboons and the pumas, that is mostly hided by foliage. I believe there aren´t any plans for it, and a partner isn´t on the plans.
     
  14. CindelP

    CindelP Well-Known Member

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    Hi,

    Thanks.

    Last time I was there (August this year) I didnt saw the clouded leopard and the Babbon cage was being destroyed. The baboon had been transfered for the puma cage.

    The pumas were living on the FelineHill, between the snowleopards and the lynx. Still on the Feline Hill, i didnt saw the servals (or was it ocelots?) and in August there were persian leopards on the servals making the Feline Hills constitued by (clock wise): Jaguars, PersianLeopards, Persians Leopards, Lynxs, Pumas and Snowleopards (last years there were, at the same order of exibits: jaguars, servals, persian leopards, lynxs, jaguars and snowleopards).

    Personally i believe that the puma exibit (now ocupied by the babbons) would be a great exibit for the clouded leopard and I would love to see the white tigers leave the Zoo, leaving that enclousure for Siberians or even persian leopards (as their enclosure on the FelineHill is somehow small yet).

    It will be interesting to see what will emerge from the old baboon cage ...

    Does someone has acess to the Zoo Masterplan?
     
  15. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Gorilla breeding. Lisbon.

    I do wonder if the male Nasibu mates with either of them, or if either of them will breed anyway, given they are much older(28 & 31 years of age approx) than Anguka.

    If that is the case, it would be good if another younger female could now be added to the group, to allow Nasibu another good breeding partner.
     
  16. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    Thank you! I visited the zoo in April, and i´m having some problems, and might only visit again in April.
    That´s wonderfull news, that was one of the worst exhibits in the zoo, next to the monkey village. Hope they send the baboons to Badoca, i can´t see a good exhibit being built for a troop of 70. There´s still serval, ocelot, fishing cat, clouded leopard, iberian wolf and rex fox, porcupines and maybe some others, not counting the 15+ species of hoofstock...
    Too bad the zoo decided to exhibit white tigers, and in the last 2 years no one was watching the exhibit. I hope they don´t bring more species for the babbon cage. My bet is some kind of primate or felines. There´s lots of space between felids hill and the brown bear.

    I believe a new female arrived a year ago, to help the breeding.
     
  17. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    News:
    There´s a new sunfish in the global ocean tank at the oceanarium. There are 2 in there now.

    New species count at the Santo Inacio Zoo make it probably the second zoological space in Portugal species wise, after the oceanarium. There are more than 400 species of 3000 animals in Santo Inacio, being quite good as the zoo is only 11 years old and there´s no fish species in the zoo.
     
  18. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    News:

    Zoo Santo Inacio:
    Arrivals:
    0.0.2 Sudanese Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii) to join one already there.
    0.0.1 Common Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii) to join the group.
    0.0.4 Addra Gazelle (Nanger dama mhorr) that are new to the park.
    0.0.1 Red Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata rubra) to join the group.
    0.0.1 African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) to join a pair.
    0.0.1 Asian Small Clawded Otter (Amblonyx cinereus) to join a pair.

    Departures
    1.0.0 Blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) sent to Valencia Bioparc.
    0.1.0 Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) to Czech Republic.

    Zoo Lagos
    Arrivals:
    1.1.0 Domestic Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus f. domesticus) for the winter period.

    Badoca Safari Park
    Arrivals
    1.1.0 Blac Swan (Cygnus atratus) from Lourosa Bird Park

    Births
    0.1.0 Cape Buffalo born

    Europaradise Zoo
    Arrivals
    A group of giraffes is expected to arrive in the next weeks.

    Fluviário Mora
    Expansion on the works. Photovoltaic Tree to warm up enclousures already built.
     
  19. filipinos

    filipinos Well-Known Member

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    I shall be visiting Zoo Santo Inacio and Parque Biológico de Gaia in the next few days. Will anyone be interested in something for me to be specially aware?
     
  20. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Yes, Sirree.