Avilon Zoo

Infobox zoo
zoo_name= Avilon Zoo

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image_width= 160px
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date_opened= 2003
date_closed=
location= Barrio San Isidro, Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, Philippines.
area= 7.5 hectare
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num_animals= 3000
num_species= 600+
members= SOUTHEAST ASIAN ZOO ASSOCIATION (SEAZA)

exhibits=
website= http://www.avilonzoo.com.ph/

Avilon Zoological Park is one of the newest Zoos in the Philippines and is located in the province of Rodriguez, Rizal and is around an hour's drive from Quezon City.

Avilon is an eight-hectare nature reserve dedicated to the preservation of the species' natural habitats and is landscaped with individual enclosures for each creature. Avilon, so named for “Aves” or Birds and “Lon” for Land, encompasses a wide range of animals. However it is the presentation and ambiance of the zoo which sets it apart from other urban zoos in the National Capital Region.

Discovery Channel will soon feature Avilon's successful breeding of Gray’s Monitor Lizards, the first in the world.

Entrance is about P208 and a tour guide costs P350. The tour takes around 2 hours.

Animal Treatment and Preservation

Two Lions share a 3,000-square meter area filled with appropriate foliage, while a rock garden provides shade and privacy for the animals. A lily-covered moat separates the curving steel bar safety fence and the lions’ den within.

A flock of Victoria Crown Pigeons, the world’s largest pigeons at 29 inches tall, flies within a 17-meter-high coop. Birdcages for the Mindanao Hornbills and the Arboreal Tree Kangaroos are also expansive.

For nocturnal creatures of the forest, such as Palawan Armadillo, there is a section of the zoo where flash cameras are prohibited, and lighting and humidity conditions are carefully controlled. Orangutans swing through strategically placed logs and ropes.

Malaysian Tapirs, Argen­tinean Capybaras, Canadian Bobcats, Burmese Rock Pythons, Tarantulas, Tortoises and Tigers share the sprawling facilities with species endemic to the Philippines such as Palawan Porcupines, Luzon Cloud Rats and Mindanao Hornbills. Of the more than 500 species in Avilon, half are indigenous to the Philippines.

Beyond teaching and promoting wildlife appreciation, Avilon endeavors to conserve and breed endangered endemic animals, such as the Mouse Deer, Civet Cats, Palawan Badgers and Scoop Owls.

External links

* [http://www.avilonzoo.com.ph/ Official Avilon Zoo web site]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/avilonzoo/ Avilon Zoo Photo Galleries - 40+ photo albums of animal-lovers and photography-enthusiasts!]