Almost on the eve of Christmas and about to close a turbulent 2020, Loro Parque has celebrated its 48th anniversary this Thursday 17 December, in a year in which, despite the serious global crisis caused by the COVID-19, it has continued to strengthen its love and commitment to nature and animals.
Thus, after closing on 15 March, the Park has witnessed numerous births, as is customary in its facilities, and has obtained important results in its research and conservation projects, which have not been halted despite the circumstances.
Loro Parque started in 1972 with only 25 people, 150 parrots and an area of 13,000 square meters. Since then, and after a history of many challenges, the Park has become one of the most respected zoological institutions in the world, both for its beauty, the excellence of its facilities and the absolute respect for nature.
A historic closing of the doors
In all its history, since it first opened on a rainy December 17th 48 years ago, Loro Parque had never closed its doors and operated 365 days a year. On 15th March 2020, after an unprecedented global crisis, it had to close down. What were expected to be 15 days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, without a clear date of reopening.
From #AtHomeWithLoroParque to Loro Parque LIVE
Faced with this unprecedented situation, Loro Parque started a campaign on its social networks with the hashtag #AtHomeWithLoroParque, through which it was sharing daily content about the activity taking place behind closed doors at its facilities. There, the animals have continued to receive all the care to ensure their maximum well-being and the staff have continued to work with all the prevention measures recommended by the authorities to keep them in good health.
Thus, the official accounts of the Park increased its programming so that, from home, all its followers could continue to learn about the important work that this wildlife conservation centre does in the areas of animal welfare, protection of endangered species, education and creating awareness.
In the last few weeks, a new initiative has delighted its fans: Loro Parque LIVE, live videos in which Rafael Zamora, scientific director of Loro Parque Fundación, tours the facilities and discovers curiosities and interesting data about life in the Park. This innovative format is being very well received and is expected to continue, in seasons, in 2021.
Exclusive Day Tour, an unprecedented guided tour of the Park
This year, Loro Parque has launched the Exclusive Day Tour, an initiative with which you can get to know the Park behind closed doors in small groups accompanied by a guide, as well as enjoy a delicious lunch at Brunelli’s Steakhouse restaurant. This option is still available from Thursday to Monday from 10:00 to 17:15.
Loro Parque, an authentic Animal Embassy
Loro Parque closes another year in which it has continued to consolidate its position as a true animal embassy, in which the specimens that live in its installations act as representatives of their fellow creatures in nature, most of them under some degree of threat according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Park’s followers thus have first-hand knowledge of these animals and are aware of the dangers they face in the wild, which results in greater protection for wild populations.
A history of successes
Throughout its 48 years of history, the Loro Parque Company has won numerous awards, including the Plaque and Gold Medal for Tourism Merit awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism; the Gold Medal of the Canary Islands Government; the Gold Medal of the city of Puerto de la Cruz and the Gold Medal of the Tenerife Island Council, among others. Loro Parque is also the only company in the Canary Islands to have won the Prince of Asturias Award for Business Excellence and has been voted the best zoo in the world by TripAdvisor users in 2017 and 2018.
Energy Self-Sufficiency
Also, in 2020, Loro Parque has become the first zoological institution in the world to be self-sufficient in green energy. Thanks to a photovoltaic plant located in Arico, which generates 4.75 MW of energy; to the solar panels installed on the roof of the large Poema del Mar aquarium, with 160 KW, and to a large wind turbine of 4 MW recently inaugurated in Gran Canaria, the Park generates more energy than it consumes.
Loro Parque Fundación maintains its wildlife conservation commitment
Loro Parque Fundación has ensured to maintain its support for the conservation projects, with which it collaborates around the world. The non-profit organisation, created by Loro Parque in 1994, has to date allocated 22.8 million dollars to more than 200 conservation projects in the five continents and has contributed, directly or in jointly with other NGOs, to saving 10 species of parrots from extinction.
This work is now more important than ever, in a world where animals are facing serious threats and dangers in the wild, now compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and need the support and work of animal embassies like Loro Parque.
