Welcome to my blog! 

I have recently graduated from university and the summer months have been an up and down roller coaster. Before graduation I spent seven weeks travelling and working. I started with 5 days in Lisbon, Portugal where I made some new friends. When I found out that Lisbon had a zoo I was really excited to go and visit it, although I was hoping that the zoo wasn't dilapidated as seeing captive animals in unsuitable conditions really angers and upsets me. 

LISBON ZOO

My trip to Lisbon Zoo was amazing! We got the metro down town which was surprising easy and affordable. The metro stopped just outside the zoo at Jardim Zoologico which makes it really accessible. 

As we approached the zoo I noticed a nice touch just under the highway bridge which I have never seen at any other zoo and thought it was rather well done- although some may consider it graffiti?. I'm not too keen on the chimpanzee behind the bars though. 

The zoo itself is huge and I was impressed with their collection of animals. I have to say its one of the best zoos I have been to. 

Map of the Lisbon ZooThis is the website if any of you are interested in going to the zoo. http://www.zoo.pt/site/index_en.php

At the entrance of the Zoo are a few parrots who squawk at you as you walk through. This frightened the living day light out of me although I'm sure they were only trying out their hospitality skills and were welcoming me to the zoo. 

The first thing I discovered when I looked at the map was the monorail that hangs high in the sky and offers amazing views of the zoo and all their enclosures which you can ride till your hearts content as its free with the entrance fee! Note that it is not for the faint hearted as the picture below shows, its rather high off the ground.With the abundance of animals at Lisbon Zoo it is difficult to decide where to begin. Taking a ride on the monorail first thing gives you an idea of how large the zoo really is and lets you preview and prioritize the animals you really want to see. 

BEFORE you do this have a look at the times of the dolphin shows as these are not to be missed. These are also seal feeding times which you should try and attend. Information can be found with a member of staff at the entrance. 

The Lisbon Zoo Monorail

Here are some of the views taken from the monorail...

The lazy lion enclosure.

The Lisbon Zoo is home to a range of animals including mammals (even lazy kangaroos and adorable koalas), reptiles (an extensive collection of snakes-which give me the creeps), amphibians, arthropods and of course exotic birds. 

Below are a few snapshots of some of the animals at the Lisbon zoo. The tiger featured in the center shot had an amazing intensity in his stare. He stood frozen in the same position for about 2 minutes staring at me and then slowly walked away and went back to lounging. He (assuming its a he) was beautiful and this special moment despite its brevity was highly moving.

It's an unsettling thought that these tigers are critically endangered and their populations are diminishing rapidly. 

The dolphins are a special sight. The dolphin and seal  trainers have clearly worked hard training them even though some of them looked really young. The show itself happens 3 times a day and last about 45 minutes, all are in Portuguese but even if you don't understand the local language the show is quite a spectacle, with lots of tricks and flips. 

Panoramic view of the dolphin show area.

The second of the most precious moments is captured to the left. The tenderness she showed to her tiny baby was amazing to watch, despite the bars. She was so caring and nurturing, cradling her baby gently in her arms. It's great to see successful breeding in captivity. 

Lisbon zoo is not just an animal sanctuary but it also aims to educate its visitors with clever educational signs that allow it visitors to visualise their messages like this fun display of arm lengths. My partner and I decided to put them to the test and see how far we could reach! 

Lisbon zoo not only has a huge variety of animals to look at but the monuments are in keeping with the Lisbon city. I am unsure as to whether these are man made or whether they were originally part of the old Lisbon city (perhaps someone could tell me?). 

The best aspect of the Lisbon zoo and what sets it apart from other zoos that I have visited throughout the years is it's layout and its high regard for their visitor's visibility. For example, the bear enclosure has a glass platform that hangs over into the bear's enclosure. This makes the visitor feel like they are in the enclosure and are able to interact with the bears. Another example is the seal's enclosure. The glass panels along the entire enclosure allow you to watch the seals swim even when they are underwater and gives you an appreciation of their agility and speed. 

A third example is the chimpanzee's enclosure where the mischievous creatures climb, swing and play all day long whilst the older ones get some spare me time to chew on some leaves (top left). 

The chimpanzee enclosure is huge and to understand just how expansive it is, a viewing deck allows you to take it all in. 

On our way out we stopped at the photo booth to collect our picture that was taken by a member of staff just after the dolphin show. 

Here is a short summarizing video of some of the sights at Lisbon Zoo:

 *Please play this in youtube, as I can't seem to make it any bigger. 

The mission of the zoo is..

 " to develop and promote a park, zoo and botanical both as a center for conservation, breeding and reintroduction in the natural habitat of endangered species, through scientific research and environmental enrichment programs. "

Overall, my experience of the Lisbon zoo was truly rewarding, well worth the visit and the entrance fee. I can only imagine the satisfaction and the excitement gained from working as part of the zoo keeping team to achieve their mission!! I was so impressed that perhaps my future in zoo keeping could one day continue at Lisbon zoo. 

If you have been to Lisbon zoo, do share your experience. If you have any questions please ask, i will gladly reply as soon as I can. 

Thanks for reading!