The Bioparco di Sicilia is a zoological garden in Carini, on an area of about sixty thousand square metres. It began in 1999 as a prehistoric park, with life-size reproductions of twenty dinosaurs. In 2001 the aquarium was added, with freshwater and saltwater fish, and the play areas for children were enlarged; in 2002 the zoological garden programme started, with the arrival of species from the different continents. The park is a member of the Italian union of zoos and aquaria.
What to see
The animals include Nile lechwe, ring-tailed lemurs, capybaras, meerkats, rheas, emus and ostriches, white-handed gibbons, hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, Barbary macaques and Grant's zebras.
The route called «The last call» starts from the present condition of the planet and goes back to the age of the dinosaurs, by way of ancient Egypt and the Maya civilisation, to prompt reflection on the human role in safeguarding the Earth.
Visiting
Opening days, times and tickets should be checked on the park's official website.
Our editors' tip
The park presents itself as a zoo of modern conception, far from the idea of a collection of animals: it organises educational programmes for the public and for schools on the conservation of biodiversity, with information on the species, their natural habitats and the attempts to return them to the wild. Those coming with a class can ask about these programmes.
