Zulia Metropolitan Zoo

The Zulia Metropolitan Zoo, also known as the Zoological Park of Zulia or Parque del Sur, is a zoological institution established in 1973 and located at kilometer 10 of the La Cañada highway in the municipality of San Francisco, south of Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia State in Venezuela. Spanning approximately 40 hectares, the zoo has housed a diverse range of species including leopards, lions, jaguars, Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, orangutans, rhinoceroses, tapirs, collared peccaries, and a variety of South American birds. The park aims to provide visitors with educational experiences centered on regional and international wildlife, and serves as a green recreational space for the Maracaibo metropolitan area. The zoo continues to represent an important institution for wildlife awareness in western Venezuela.