Paramaribo Zoo

Paramaribo Zoo
Entrance of Paramaribo Zoo
5°50′50″N 55°09′36″W / 5.84718°N 55.15988°W / 5.84718; -55.15988
Date opened	May 1972[1]
Location	Paramaribo, Suriname
No. of animals	197 (2004)[2]

The Paramaribo Zoo is the only zoo in Suriname. The zoo opened in May 1972, and was an initiative of prime-minister Jopie Pengel.^[1] It is located adjacent to the Cultuurtuin [nl] in Rainville, Paramaribo.^[3]

Prime-minister Pengel privately kept many animals in his garden. When he added lions to his collection in 1966, he thought it would be better to share the animals in a zoo.^[2] In May 1972, the Paramaribo Zoo opened next to the Cultuurtuin [nl].^[3] Unlike most zoos, about 75% of the animals are local wild animals who had been either confiscated or were former pets.^[4] Except for the tigers, all the animals are native to Suriname.^[2]

In the 1980s, during the military dictatorship of Bouterse, a large part of the collection was lost.^[3] In 2003, the Paramaribo received support from Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam.^[2] In 2004, a benefit evening was organised by Blijdorp and Natura Artis Magistra in Amsterdam. The zoo was renovated and was reopened on 28 May 2006 by president Venetiaan.^[3] Two monkey islands were constructed. Up to then, there were no births of spider monkeys, and as of 2020, six monkeys have been born.^[1]

In March 2020, a reconstruction program started to mimic the native conditions for the animals.^[5] In April 2020, a water park for children was constructed in the park,^[6] and then the COVID-19 pandemic started. In February 2021, the zoo reopened, but is in serious financial problems.^[7]

The collection of the zoo includes several species of monkeys, caymans, a jaguar, snakes, vultures, a tiger, and scarlet ibisses.^[3][2]

• 
  Flower
• 
  Scarlet ibis
• 
  Tapir
• 
  Ostriche
• 
  Red Howler Monkey
• 
  Alligator family
• 
  Spider Monkey
• 
  Giant Anteater

• Official site (in Dutch)
• Media related to Paramaribo Zoo at Wikimedia Commons