São Paulo Zoo
| Parque Zoológico de São Paulo | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the São Paulo Zoo | |
Interactive map of Parque Zoológico de São Paulo | |
| 23°38′57″S 46°37′20″W / 23.649301°S 46.622157°W | |
| Date opened | 16 March 1958 |
| Location | Avenida Miguel Stefano, 4241 Cursino, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Land area | 824,529 m2 (8,875,160 sq ft) |
| No. of animals | 3200+ |
| No. of species | 444 |
| Owner | Consórcio Reserva Paulista |
| Website | www.zoologico.com.br |
The São Paulo Zoo (Portuguese: Parque Zoológico de São Paulo), located in the South Zone of the city, is the largest zoo in Brazil. With 824,529 m2 (8,875,160 sq ft) of space in what was originally the Atlantic Forest, it is home to the spring of the historic Ipiranga Brook and has four kilometers of pathways. The São Paulo Zoo was inaugurated in 1958 featuring a little more than four hundred animals.
The facility hosts over 3,200 animals, 102 species of mammals, 216 species of birds, 95 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians and 16 species of invertebrates in enclosures that replicate the natural habitats of these animals. The zoo's farm of 572 ha produces vegetables used in the manufacturing of feed for various animals, and material for the enclosures where the animals are. It also has animals that need extra space for mating.
The zoo has a nursery for cubs who are rejected by their mothers, electric incubators and an incubation room for eggs of birds and reptiles. The educational function is emphasized in the zoo. Its library of more than four thousand volumes is open to the public. Its partnerships with other state, federal and foreign institutions includes research that facilitates the preservation of endangered species.