Barcelona Zoo is located in the Citadel Park, in the capital of Catalonia, one of the most luxurious cities in Spain. Its territory has impressive dimensions - more than 13 hectares. Many animals live here (319 species) and a large number of various plants grow. The total number of wildlife representatives in the zoo is 2209 individuals. Every traveler is simply obliged to visit this amazing place.
History of creation
Barcelona Zoo opened its doors in 1892. Animals from the private collection of the banker Lewis Marty, who kept animals in one of their estates, settled in it. The man decided to sell his pets. The mayor of Barcelona, Manuel Porcar, agreed to purchase animals and place them in the Citadel Park, in a place that was empty after the World Exhibition in 1988 and belonged to the local municipality. The creators of the wonderful zoo replaced the traditional iron grilles with plexiglass ceilings and ditches with water, which was a progressive solution for that time. Visitors immediately appreciated this unusual innovation, which allowed them to observe the habits of animals without interference.
Features
The zoo has all the conditions for people to feel as comfortable as possible in it. Aviaries surrounded by water are located on both sides of the route so that some of them can be viewed from two sides. In order to move around the zoo with a breeze, you can use the three-wheeled electric car, which is rented to everyone. This service is often used by visitors with children.
The zoo in Barcelona is famous for the fact that it contains animals of almost all climatic zones of the planet. In a wonderful Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters, all pets get along perfectly.
Variety of animals
You can enter the Barcelona Zoo from two sides. The main entrance immediately impresses visitors with its unusual appearance. Here is a round glass aviary with a small panda. She spends most of her free time from hibernation on the branches of a large tree. At the opposite end from the entrance is the skeleton of a huge whale.
From the side of the Arc de Triomphe there is a second entrance to the zoo. If you turn right from this entrance and move to the very center of the park, you can see dwarf hippos. The aviary with these rare animals can be viewed from both sides, so on the way back you can admire them again. In the same part of the zoo you can find an aviary with young wild cats. Little tigers? cheetahs and panthers run all day and chase a rugby ball.
Next is the habitat of giant parrots. The upper and left part of their enclosure is tightened with a net, but the holes in it are so large that sparrows and other small birds easily penetrate and steal food from parrots. Not far from this place is a pond on which black swans swim . Nearby is an aviary with a dwarf panther.
At the Barcelona Zoo, visitors can see other rare and amazing animals: Madagascar lemurs, bears, fur seals, Arctic penguins, African and Indian elephants, large hippos, giant turtles, kangaroos, EMU ostriches, and many others.
Primates
Primates occupy a special place in the menagerie's collection. To the right of the second entrance to the Barcelona Zoo is a monkey. Here is an impressive collection of these interesting animals. Many of them are endangered. The star and symbol of the zoo is a white gorilla named Snowball. This monkey was found in Spanish Guinea in 1966. Curious people from all over the world gathered at the only white gorilla known in the world. Snowball lived in a separate enclosure with four black females. All of them gave birth, but, unfortunately, there were no white gorillas among them. Snowball died in 2003. The zoological park has a museum dedicated to this unique animal.
In the zoo there are other, no less important, representatives of the primacy squad. The smallest monkeys on the planet - orangutans from the island of Borneo - feel great in captivity. In 1997, they had a cub named Harvey. Among small primates, collar and gray mangabeys also stand out. Their reproduction in the conditions of the zoo is closely watched by specialists.
Terrarium
At the Barcelona Zoo you can see a large number of reptiles and amphibians brought from around the world. The menagerie terrarium contains more than 500 pets, which are representatives of approximately 100 species. This collection is considered one of the best in Europe. Of particular interest to visitors are pythons, boas, anacondas. In the zoo you can see crocodiles: the American alligator, the wide-ranging caiman, the pseudogavial and many others.
Reviews
The city of Barcelona is famous for its unique menagerie. The zoo, whose official website contains all the necessary information about the location, attractions, services and conditions of stay in this wonderful place, has everything necessary to satisfy the needs of the most demanding visitor. Tourists note that animals are housed in spacious and clean enclosures, animals look healthy and well-groomed. You can observe their habits without interference - the cells and bars in the zoo are still not used, and this very attracts visitors to the menagerie. The zoo in Barcelona, which is mostly positive, has several cafes with a diverse assortment on its territory. Very popular are the Mediterranean restaurant Palatka and an institution called Eagles, offering to enjoy Mexican dishes. The zoo has special picnic areas. Visitors really like the performances that are regularly held at the zoo. Dolphin shows are in great demand. These friendly creatures invariably delight a captivated audience. Bottlenose dolphins have been breeding in captivity for several years, in the comfortable conditions that their pets have at the Barcelona Zoo.
How to get there
The menagerie can be reached by several modes of transport. Firstly, the metro is the easiest option. You need to get out of the subway at Arc de Triomf station, go through the Arc de Triomphe, follow the pedestrian walkway Passeig LIuis Companys, at the end of which, on the right, will be the entrance to the zoo. Secondly, you can get to the menagerie by bus. Public transport following routes nos. 4, 39, 41, 51, 42, 141 will quickly take you to the right place. You can choose the shortest way to the menagerie on the official website of the Barcelona Zoo at zoobarcelona. com.
Opening hours and prices
The amazing diversity of the natural world is demonstrated by the zoo in Barcelona. The prices for visiting this attraction are quite reasonable. A ticket for an adult costs 19 €. Children from three to twelve years old will be admitted to the zoo for 11.4 €. Visitors over sixty-five years old will need to pay 9.95 €. Disabled people can buy a ticket to the Barcelona Zoo with a big discount - for only 5.6 €. It is noteworthy that once a person who bought a ticket has the opportunity to leave the menagerie and return to him throughout the day.
The mode of operation of the zoo depends on the time of year. In the winter months, from December to February, the menagerie's doors are open from 10.00 to 17.00. In the spring, from March to May, the zoo is open from 10.00 to 18.00. In the summer and at the very beginning of autumn (from June to September) visitors can be in the menagerie from 10.00 to 19.00. In October and November, the time of the zoo is reduced by one hour (from 10.00 to 18.00).