ZooParc Overloon develops new South America expedition section: Madidi

ZooParc Overloon will soon be adding a new expedition section. The South American theme area Madidi will be added to the zoo. The construction will take place in phases. The first part, an aviary, will open in the second half of September.

In it, over forty Chilean flamingos will take up residence. A small portion of this group is already currently residing in ZooParc Overloon. The remaining flamingos are coming over from Dierenrijk. "There the group stayed temporarily, until our accommodation was ready. So now they are coming over to Overloon," says Roel Huibers, general manager of ZooParc. In addition to the Chilean flamingos, crested grouse and cinnamon eels will also be seen in the aviary.

Great desireThe new expedition section had long been a great desire of Huibers. "After Australia and Madagascar, we really wanted to give this part of the world extra exposure," he said. The arrival of the two-fingered sloth Odin, which has been on display at the park in Overloon since early August, also ties in with the new theme. The South America expedition is being built in phases. After the aviary, the area will be expanded in the future.

Huibers: "We are focusing in this new area on the theme of South America, because this area is under serious pressure from the destruction of the rain forest and we would like to tell our visitors more about it. We want to show them how beautiful it is there and what unique species live there, but also what consequences deforestation has for plants, animals and people."

More speciesEventually, even more animals will have a place in Madidi. The aviary will house more bird species in the future. The white-faced lemurs will also move here later. "In addition, we also want to add howler monkeys in this new expedition section," Huibers said.