Avilon Zoo
Encyclopedia
Avilon Wildlife Conservation Foundation
Avilon Wildlife Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization that is committed to significantly contribute to Philippine wildlife conservation efforts through education and ex situ species preservation programs. The foundation currently runs Avilon Zoo in Rodriguez, RizalRodriguez, Rizal
Rodriguez, Rizal is a first-class, urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is the northernmost town in the province and comes after San Mateo, Rizal, and Quezon City coming from Metro Manila...
and Ark Avilon Zoo in Pasig City
Pasig City
The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region...
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Avilon Wildlife Conservation Foundation is an internationally recognized and accredited zoological institution in the Philippines and is a member of the Southeast Asian Zoos Association
South East Asian Zoos Association
The South East Asian Zoos Association is an organization for South East Asian zoos and aquariums with the vision that "member zoos utilize their animal collections for the primary purposes of educating our public by imparting messages on the urgent need for environmental conservation in a manner...
(SEAZA).
Avilon Zoo
Avilon Zoo is currently the largest zoological institution in the Philippines in terms of land area and collection of animals. The 7.5 hectares (18.5 acre) facility located in Rodriguez, Rizal houses more than 3,000 specimens of exotic wildlife representing more than 600 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fishes and invertebrates. The zoo has a diverse collection of Philippine native fauna, most of which have been bred successfully in captivity through Avilon’s ex situ conservation programs. Avilon Zoo is also home to a diverse collection of plants of which more than half are endemic to Philippines. Avilon Zoo aims to be one of Southeast Asia’s premiere wildlife facilities.At Avilon Zoo guided tours and educational field trips offer guests the opportunity to learn about wildlife. Conservation efforts being done to preserve threatened species and to protect the environment. Aside from the fascinating animals and pleasant exhibits, guests are encouraged to experience feeding animals like arapaima
Arapaima
The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is a South American tropical freshwater fish. It is a living fossil and one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world.-Anatomy and morphology:...
s, exotic water fowl, giant tortoises, wild horse
Wild Horse
The wild horse is a species of the genus Equus, which includes as subspecies the domesticated horse as well as the undomesticated Tarpan and Przewalski's Horse. The Tarpan became extinct in the 19th century, and Przewalski's Horse was saved from the brink of extinction and reintroduced...
s and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and also interact with the zoo’s bunch of talented and friendly creatures.
Avilon Zoo is open everyday from 8:00 am till 5:00 pm. Entrance fee is 300 Pesos per person.
Notable Ex Situ Conservation Achievement
Avilon Zoo has successfully bred the Gray's Monitor LizardGray's monitor
Gray's monitor is a large monitor lizard known only from lowland dipterocarp forest in the east of Luzon and a few smaller adjacent islands in the Philippines such as Polillo Island, where it is locally known as the butaan. It belongs to the subgenus Philippinosaurus. It is largely arboreal and...
(Varanus olivaceus) or "Butaan" in captivity. The first documented V. olivaceus successfully hatched and reared in captivity was a female named “Grasya”. The successful hatching was featured in Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
’s “BUTAAN: The Lost Dragon”.
Ark Avilon Zoo
Ark Avilon Zoo is the only interactive indoor zoo in the Philippines. Resembling the biblical Noah's Ark, Ark Avilon Zoo is home to various exotic wildlife like the white tigerWhite tiger
The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...
, Jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
, Sun Bear
Sun Bear
The sun bear , sometimes known as the honey bear, is a bear found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia; North-East India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Southern China, Peninsular Malaysia, and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.-Description:The sun bear...
, Black-eared Marmosets
Black-tufted Marmoset
The black-tufted marmoset , also known as Mico-estrela in Portuguese, is a species of New World monkey that lives primarily in the Neo-tropical gallery forests of the Brazilian Central Plateau. It ranges from Bahia to Paraná, and as far inland as Goiás, between 14 and 25 degrees south of the equator...
, Pirarucus, Philippine Serpent-Eagle, Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, Tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
, Red-vented Cockatoo
Red-vented Cockatoo
The Red-vented Cockatoo, Cacatua haematuropygia, sometimes called the Philippine Cockatoo or Kalangay, is a critically endangered species of cockatoo that is endemic to the Philippines...
, Sulcata Tortoises
African Spurred Tortoise
The African spurred tortoise , also called the African spur thigh tortoise or the sulcata tortoise, is a species of tortoise which inhabits the southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa...
, Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Goura victoria, is a large, bluish-grey pigeon with elegant blue lace-like crests, maroon breast and red iris. The bird may be easily recognized by the unique white tips on its crests. Both sexes are similar. It is on average 74 cm long and weighs 2,384 grams...
and many more.
Get up close and personal with Colin the Bornean Orangutan
Bornean Orangutan
The Bornean orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus, is a species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Together with the slightly smaller Sumatran orangutan, it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia....
, Brutus the Miniature Horse
Miniature horse
Miniature horses are found in many nations, particularly in Europe and the Americas. The designation of miniature horse is determined by the height of the animal, which, depending on the particular breed registry involved, is usually less than as measured at the last hairs of the mane, which are...
, Waki the Bearcat
Bearcat
Bearcat is another name for the Binturong, a viverrine mammal from Southeast Asia. It is also a colloquial term for mountain lion or wolverine. It is a nocturnal animal with a long husky tail, tufted ears, small eyes, naked soles and palms, a small pointed face and elongated body.It is grayish in...
, Arthur the Old English Sheepdog
Old English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is a large breed of dog which was developed in England from early herding types of dog. The Old English Sheepdog has very long fur covering the face and eyes...
, Cutie the Philippine Eagle Owl
Philippine Eagle Owl
The Philippine Eagle-Owl is an vulnerable species of bird belonging to the Strigidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines, where found in lowland forests on the islands of Catanduanes, Samar, Bohol, Mindanao, Luzon, Leyte and possibly Sibuyan...
, C-2 the Moluccan Cockatoo
Moluccan Cockatoo
The Salmon-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua moluccensis also known as Moluccan Cockatoo or M2 is a cockatoo endemic to south Moluccas in eastern Indonesia. At 50 cm, it is among the largest of the white cockatoos. The female is larger than the males on average...
, Cholo the Ball Python
Ball python
Python regius is a nonvenomous python species found in Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade. No subspecies are currently recognized. They are also known as royal pythons or ball pythons. The name ball python refers to the animal's tendency to curl into...
and many other interactive animals. Enjoy feeding rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep and other farm animals in the Farmland Feeding Station. Learn nature arts and crafts. Play in the Mini Playground. Celebrate a party or get together on the Upper Deck Activity Area.
Ark Avilon Zoo is in Frontera Verde, Ortigas Avenue corner C-5 Road, Pasig City
Pasig City
The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
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