Parco Zoo Punta Verde in Lignano

Parco Zoo Punta Verde: get ready for a ROARING 2017!

This week we interviewed Maria Rodeano, director of Parco Zoo Punta Verde in Lignano Sabbiadoro. The occasion to celebrate is the birth of the baby giraffe Berta!

Many exciting news for this 2017, such as the long-awaited arrival of a pair of Himalayas red pandas: Kajal and Kiran are the two female specimens who just found a home at Lignano’s zoological garden. The red panda, also known as ‘lesser panda’ or ‘fire fox’, is a distant relative of the more popular giant panda.

The zoo is the perfect place to spend a delightful day with your family or with your closest friends; you will not only see exotic animals, but also enjoy some playtime with your kids in a spacious, open-air playground. When it’s lunch time or you just feel like taking a break, you can choose among the many picnic areas, or pay a visit to the central restaurant, offering tasty dishes alongside quick, yummy snacks!

When was Parco Zoo Punta Verde founded?

Parco Zoo Punta Verde was founded in 1979, north of the touristic area of Lignano Riviera, on the left bank of river Tagliamento, in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The zoological garden gives shelter to about a thousand animals  of a hundred different species, many of which endangered, such as giraffes, Siberian tigers, ring-tailed lemurs and snow leopards.

Parco Zoo Punta Verde has several different objectives:

• Educating visitors to a higher understanding of and sensitivity towards the animal kingdom and the environment in general, through specific programmes of environmental education aimed both at schools and the general public;
• The conservation of biodiversity, through continued patronage of projects aimed at safeguarding endangered species in their own environment and offering the local population an opportunity for sustainable development;
• Research, through collaborations with prized institutions such as universities, museums and scientific institutions;
• To bring emotions to visitors of all ages, by taking them on a tour which will entertain them and teach them to respect Nature;

What new features are to be expected from this year’s reopening?

During the zoological garden’s closing time in winter, many new adjustments have been made and new sections have been opened, such as the new snow leopard area, a new bird-watching spot and the introduction of red pandas.

We read on your website about the many services you offer to families and schools alike, can you tell us about them?

We have a wide range of activities dedicated to all guests of Parco Zoo Punta Verde. In April and May, on Sundays and holidays, you can participate to ‘ZOOMOBILI’. These itinerant labs take place in different spots inside the zoological garden at specific times, and are aimed at exploring biodiversity, evolution, research, conservation, sustainability and invasive alien species. It is a great opportunity to meet the instructors of Parco Zoo Punta Verde, who will answer all the visitors’ questions.

Starting 2017, the formative offer for families is doubled, thanks to a series of MEETINGS WITH THE ZOO KEEPER, taking place every weekend in April and May and every day starting from June.

Visitors will have a chance to observe the animals in action as they interact with one or more environmental enrichments, different stimuli which will trigger their deeper instincts and behaviours, such as searching for food or scouting the surroundings. The zoo’s keepers will tell their tales about the animals they take care of every day, and will be available for some Q&A. The close encounters with the lemurs will carry on from June 19^th, those with the giraffes starting June 20^th.

We would like to thank the director for granting us this exclusive interview and for the huge commitment shown by both her and the staff, dedicating themselves to the zoo and its guests every day!

Now you just need to see all of this for yourselves, so why not have fun with your family and visit the many theme parks of Bibione and Lignano? Do not forget that, with our Europacard, you will gain access to a discount on all entry fees!