Zoo Ave Recaste

In 1990 Animal Rescue Zoo ave was born under a new administration with a conservation and animal welfare vision. The old Zoo Ave opened its doors in the 1960s. It was a small private zoo located in the Garita de Alajuela with facilities and structure that operated back then, for the export and exhibition of wildlife. The main objective of the old place was based on profiting from animals.

The reason for the new administration was to remove an unsuitable location and to move the animals to a 14-hectare property bordered by the Itiquis River which forms an important biological corridor in the area.

The park now has beautiful botanical gardens and more than 125 species of animals including birds, mammals, and reptiles that have been rescued and for various reasons of health or behavior, cannot be released for reintegration into their habitat.

The spacious enclosures are naturally designed to offer these animals quality of life.

The trails are fully accessible, ample parking, children carts can be rented and wheelchairs are loaned.

It is the largest wildlife rescue in Central America.

In 2017, the foundation completed the construction of the new wildlife hospital, which has a care capacity of 7,500 animals per year, tripling the previous numbers served.

The sanctuary is not open to the public.

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My birthday was in January shortly after our move. I knew that Zoo Ave was not too far from here so I asked if we could go visit on my birthday which we did.

It is truly a beautiful facility done with a lot of care for the animals. The trails are accessible but do have some hills so we ended up getting a wheelchair for me. The grounds are well-kept and well landscaped. All in all, it's a very nice walk with some interesting animals.

Scarlett Macaw

Quetzal

Almost the whole park is in the shade.

Lots of turtles! 

Crocodile - check those teeth!

Funky iguana

Adorable sloth

The sloths stayed exactly in the same position throughout our visit, sleeping like babies.

The picture above shows a typical view of a sloth in the wild - just a bunch of fur on a branch. 

These iguanas were HUGE! And the one always wanted to fight. With his bloody mouth, he looked like a character from a horror movie!

No visit to a zoo can be complete without seeing some monkeys. I love monkeys! 

Taking it easy in the wheelchair.

I was fascinated by these beautiful birds: Montezuma Oropendola. Their demeanor is a lot like Toucans - they hop from branch to branch with ease.

We both enjoyed visiting Zoo Ave. It was a very good birthday!