On the eve of its 50th anniversary, the zoo unveiled two new exhibits, The Cave and Oceania, to offer visitors the chance to experience ecosystems from all over the world.
The first recreates a cave of fruit bats or Sebas’s short-tailed bats (Carollia perspicillata) with stalactites and stalagmites, in which the visitors are separated from these mammals by a glass that allows them to see the bats and appreciate their flight thanks to a very dim light. The exhibit is completely soundproofed due to the sensitive nature of this species, which inhabits dry and deciduous forests, usually below 1,000 metres in altitude, and feeds on a minimum of 50 species of fruit, pollen and insects.
In contrast, the second exhibit is a large free-flying aviary consisting of five domes housing Australian parrots, which coexist with the public and offer the opportunity to learn about the main natural habitats of this country.
50 years of Loro Parque
Founded on 17th December 1972, Loro Parque was initially conceived as a paradise for parrots and started out with just 25 people, 150 parrots and a 13,000 square metre space. Over the years, it has become one of the most respected and recognised zoological institutions and genetic reserves in the world, both for its beauty, the excellence of its facilities and its respect for nature. Together with Loro Parque Fundación, it currently has, in its different centres, the largest and most diverse reserve of parrot species and subspecies in the world and as such is a a recognized international leader in the breeding and taking care of psittacines.
Throughout its history, it has converted into an obligatory visit in the Canary Islands, having welcomed more than 55 million visitors to-date. Its excellence, the quality of its facilities, its love of detail and its commitment to the environment have even earned it a recognition as the best zoo in the world on more than one occasion.
