Zoo Aquarium de Madrid facts for kids
| Date opened | 1770 |
|---|---|
| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Land area | over 20 hectares |
| Coordinates | 40°24′31″N 3°45′45″W / 40.40861°N 3.76250°W |
| No. of animals | 6000 |
| No. of species | 500 |
| Memberships | EAZA, WAZA |
The Madrid Zoo Aquarium is a huge zoo and aquarium located in the Casa de Campo in Madrid, Spain. It covers more than 20 hectares (about 50 acres)! The city of Madrid owns the zoo, but a company called Parques Reunidos manages it. This zoo first opened in 1770, making it one of the oldest and largest zoos in Spain. It's also special because it's one of the few zoos in the world that has giant pandas!
The zoo is part of important groups like the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). These groups help zoos work together to protect animals and educate people.
Contents
History of the Zoo
The very first zoo in Madrid was called "Casa de Fieras." It opened in 1770 in Retiro Park. This early zoo showed animals from places like America and Asia. The modern Madrid Zoo Aquarium, where it is today, was built later. It opened in 1972 in a different area called the Casa de Campo.
What You Can See and Do
At the Zoo Aquarium, you can find many cool things! It has a main zoo area, a special petting zoo where you can get close to some animals, and a large aquarium. The aquarium holds 2 million liters (about 530,000 gallons) of salt water! There's also a dolphin exhibit and an aviary filled with birds.
Besides seeing animals, you can enjoy several restaurants. You can also take a fun boat tour or a train tour around the park.
Amazing Animals at the Zoo
The zoo is home to over 6,000 animals! These animals belong to 500 different species from all over the world.
Giant Pandas
In 1978, China gave the King of Spain two giant pandas named Shao Shao and Quian Quiang. Their cub, Chu-lin, was born in 1982. Chu-lin was very special because he was the first panda born in Europe using a special breeding method. He lived until 1996.
Today, the zoo has two giant pandas named Bing Xing (a male) and Hua Zui Ba (a female). They arrived in Madrid in 2007. On September 7, 2010, they had twin cubs named Po and De De. These cubs were also born using a special breeding method.
Koalas
You can also see a small group of koalas living at the zoo. These cute animals need a special environment. They are kept in a space with controlled temperatures. They eat fresh Eucalyptus leaves that are brought all the way from Huelva, a city in Spain.
Primates
The zoo has a large collection of different primates. These include amazing animals like western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, mandrills, mantled guerezas, and orangutans. You can also see several types of lemurs, which are primates from Madagascar.
Dolphinarium and Dolphins
The dolphinarium at Zoo Aquarium was built in 1987. It is home to nine amazing bottlenose dolphins! Their names are Lala (female), Einyel (female), Guarina (female), Mary (female), Mancha (female), Loren (male), Noa (female), Iruka (female), and Coral (female).
See also
In Spanish: Zoo Aquarium de Madrid para niños
