Bioparc Fuengirola takes stock of 2023: a year full of stories and achievements

December 28 2023

Bioparc Fuengirola takes stock of 2023: a year full of stories and achievements

At the beginning of the year, the good news began. Bioparc Fuengirola welcomed the third generation of blue monitors. Three hatchlings of what is considered the most beautiful reptile in the world once again made the Malaga park the only one in Spain to successfully reproduce this species.

2023 continued to publicize the work of the different departments to guarantee the well-being of the more than two hundred species it houses and the state of the different habitats it recreates. This latest work has turned BIOPARC Fuengirola into an obligatory crossing point for many of the birds that during these winter months make their migrations to the African continent.

The hatching of Juanito, Fénix, Drakaris, Embum and Saya starred in one of the most important news of that year

In March, The world of reptiles once again featured in one of the most important news in the park's conservation work: five baby Komodo dragons were born. This milestone makes it a European benchmark, being the only center that, in the last ten years, has achieved the reproduction of this great monitor in the country. Years of veterinary training, specialized care, successful laying and incubation of eggs have made this success possible.

Continuing with the births, In May, two Edward's pheasant eggs hatched, a species native to Vietnam and considered extinct in its natural habitat. These have represented a victory for the technical team and add to the hope that in the future a reintroduction can be carried out in its territory of origin. Weeks later, the BIOPARC Fuengirola flamingo colony carried out its magical courtship and peculiar nesting and later the traditional births took place. This year the nesting and breeding in the park was even more special since the drought caused by the lack of rain and the progressive disappearance of wetlands in Andalusia, turned the park into the only point in the community where flamingos reproduced. .

At the beginning of summer the conservation center welcomed Mekong, a male Malayan tapir. He has formed a pair with Rawa, the female who is already housed, and the relationship between them is very positive. Just a few months later, caregivers and veterinarians began to observe the first copulations. A wonderful fact that in 2024 could bring very good news for this species. In addition to the new tapir, Kraken, a male Nile crocodile, joined the BIOPARC family to calm the differences between the two females, Ursula and Lucifer.

Added to all this was the surprise birth of a small black lemur. The caregivers did not know the pregnancy status of the female and what they least expected was this birth, because the male parent died from cancer in February.

In February, Peek, the Bornean orangutan, died of heart failure

In contrast to all this positive news, in 2023 the Fuengirola team has had to say goodbye to Peek, the male Bornean orangutan who died in February due to heart failure. This pathology is common in large primates, especially orangutans, gorillas and male chimpanzees. During the almost ten years that Peek lived in BIOPARC Fuengirola, he was the father of three offspring, he proved to be an excellent breeder and group leader.

Another positive development that needs to be mentioned is the successful achievement of the Veterinary and Zoology teams in making it possible for the birth of Visayan hornbill chicks. concluded successfully and made it the first time it has happened in Spain.

This walk through 2023 does not end without remembering the new artificial incubation of loggerhead turtle eggs laid on the beaches of Marbella, forming part of the national device to protect this species.

BIOPARC Fuengirola and the entire team that makes up the park continue to work on the conservation of species by educating and raising awareness among visitors so that they understand the need to conserve wild fauna and their natural habitats, while participating in the European Endangered Species Programs ( EEP) coordinated by EAZA, reproducing some of the species in critical danger of extinction. In parallel, the BIOPARC Foundation continues to collaborate in programs to protect and restore the habitats of these species in their place of origin.

Currently, the park is home to almost forty threatened species such as the Komodo dragon - the largest lizard in the world -, the mouse deer - the smallest of the ruminants -, birds such as the Malagasy mallard, Edward's pheasant or the Visayan hornbill. , or mammals such as the black lemur, the Bornean orangutan, the Sri Lankan leopard or the impressive Sumatran tiger.

BIOPARC Fuengirola in the TOP 10 of 'Attractions in the province of Malaga' according to the ratings and opinions of TRIPADVISOR users

With nearly 6.000 opinions, BIOPARC Fuengirola is positioned among the ten best attractions in the province of Malaga. A position that has also made him deserving of the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence, now under the name 'Travelers Choice 2023', an award given to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that receive excellent reviews from travelers and visitors.

These good opinions are the determining factor for people who are thinking about visiting BIOPARC and allow them to learn about the experiences of those who have already enjoyed a 'leisure with a cause' plan like the one offered by the Malaga park.

In addition to this classification, Bioparc Fuengirola is positioned among the best animal parks in the country. Located in the heart of the Costa del Sol, this conservation center offers visitors the possibility of discovering the wildest nature and contemplating more than 200 animal species, many of them in danger of extinction.