Permanently Closed- Get Wild at the Mayaguez Zoo
2/23- The zoo will be permanently closed and the animals will be sent to sanctuaries.
Sadly, the zoo was damaged severly from Hurricane Maria, so it closed. And then it seemed to have lost its funding also, so no income left the animals in less than optimal conditions, even through the best efforts of volunteers. Federal and Local agencies have decided the animals will get better care and living areas at sancutaries (in the States). It is a little sad, it used to be a pretty nice place and one of the only places for kids on the island to learn first hand about animals from around the world.
About the zoo when it was open:– If you enjoy animals and are in the Mayaguez area, you might consider spending a few hours at the Mayaguez Zoo. Formally, this little zoo was called the "Parque Nacional Zoologico de Puerto Rico Dr. Juan A. Rivero" (or the Dr. Juan A. Rivero National Zoological Park of Puerto Rico). A long name for a little zoo! Though this zoo did’t house a large number of animals, it had a pretty good collection of different types of animals – from zebras to hippos, monkeys to giraffes, lions & tigers and a bear, and the obligatory elephant.
We went there for the first time in about 1990, and it was a pathetic place. Only a few animals, housed in small cages and the conditions didn’t look very good. We returned there in early 2008 and found that it had been renovated, and the animals had more room to move around. Also, the facilities and grounds looked well-maintained overall. In addition to the animals, there were a number of nice plantings, with some named plants and orchids on display. It was a fun way to spend a few hours among animals and tropical plants.
It was a well designed and tourist friendly place- Everything (the map and the info signs at each area) is in both English and Spanish. The zoo has paved paths (so it is handicap accessible). There are animal enclosures all over, so you don’t have to walk far to get from animal to animal. The zoo has animals from around the world, with a good representation from the African continent – zebra, elephants, rhinos and lions.
There were also 3 special areas: the aviary, the arthropod & butterfly house, and the amphibian & reptile house.
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