Give us an overview of the Vallarta Zoo.
Here at Zoologico de Vallarta, also known as Vallarta Zoo, we are proud to say that we are an educational, interactive, non-profit organization that is dedicated to the welfare of all wildlife, both local and otherwise. Specifically in regards to felines considered to be endangered, we have the highest number of feline cubs from endangered species, born on site, out of any facility located in all of America.
This is why we find ourselves working with zoos on a global basis, to get these felines to where they are needed most. Free of charge as a form of donation, provided they can prove that proper care will be provided, and they have all their paperwork in order, in accordance with all government rules and regulations.
As much as we would like to keep everything that is born on site, it is important that we eliminate any and all risk of inbreeding. We have a cataloguing and networking IP system that we have built from scratch, which is unique to this Zoo. With this system, we can easily track the paperwork, medical history, diet and even their family tree. This way, we can breed in a safe and ethical manner, while keeping the purity of the species in mind. We disapprove of crossbreeding species because it is a process that can neither be considered to be safe or ethical.
We have managed all of this with ZERO government funding. While a few, caring individuals have made some form of donations in the past, the Zoo is almost entirely supported solely by those who choose to visit. While we encourage people to donate if they can, we understand that many cannot. By operating as a non-profit organization, we make a guarantee to our guests that all proceeds go towards the Zoo. So that we may improve upon what we have already established.
We try and give back in any way we can, whenever possible, which is why we are not just a Zoo that has a successful breeding campaign; we are also a wildlife sanctuary and rescue center for the state, federal and even international level. As the only facility in the entire region that can safely handle a variety of species, we find ourselves working with any number of animals that find themselves in unfortunate, or even in critical conditions. Sometimes they stay here, but mostly we try and find them a home elsewhere, especially if we can find a way to release safely, in an ideal location.
The biggest misconception of any Zoo, is the idea that life under human care is some form of prison. One of our primary goals, and the reason we have chosen to offer interactive, educational opportunities, is the fact that we encourage harmony between people, animals and the world they find themselves in. By being raised in an interactive environment, properly cared for and free of any sort of oppression, our animals live free of any stress, grow live long and healthy lives, due to one important fact. They feel like they are at home, learning to view people as friendly, rather than with hostility.
Then there’s the Educational Interactive Package. A unique opportunity to have a caregiver help you sit down and personally interact with the cubs featured in the nursery. Due to our highly successful breeding program, in the past we have had not just, tigers, jaguars and lions, but also they rare variants like white tigers, black panthers, and white lions. We have even managed to breed the Atlas lion, a species that is extinct in the wild. In the nursery we currently have a white tiger as well as the elusive golden tiger, by far, the rarest kind of tiger.
We are open every day of the year, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. We recommend arriving in the morning, with plenty of bug repellent, so you may experience for yourself, what an interactive Zoo is all about. There is the basic option to have a casual walk through the Zoo with a bag of feed. The animals are used to interacting with people, so as long as you simply talk to them, they will come right up to you. They are not specifically trained or anything and they simply have not learned to view people as the enemy. The food is intended to be something of a treat and it is there to help our guests have an interactive experience throughout the Zoo.
