The Santillana Zoo is a private initiative that began its course in 1977. This zoological, has seen its surface area multiplied by 15 since its opening and has been qualified by ADENA / WWF as one of the four best Zoos in Spain.
Its director, José Ignacio Pardo de Santayana has created a very speacialized Zoo in the span of these dedicated years, centered on 4 aspects which have increasingly become the major attractions of the exhibition: primates, large cats, tropical butterflies and ducks. This has made this particular Zoo a different park with its own personality, where you can enjoy being very close to the animals around an absolutenatural environment.
The visitor’s route by its nearly 60,000 m2, is enriched with a botanical collection with more than 300 trees and classified orchids.
In 2007, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the zoo took a big step by creating the Santillana Zoo Foundation. Its founder and president, Jose Ignacio Pardo de Santayana, counted for this non-profit initiative with the participation of their Excellencies. The Torrelavega and Santillana del Mar City Halls, the Altamira Museum and the Santillana Foundation.
It has a major zoological collection of over 2,000 animals from five continents: impressive felines (Asiatic lions, snow leopards, Sumatran tigers, African leopard and lynx), the primates in Spain (chimpanzees, baboons and orangutans from Sumatra, with 3 unique born, Mary and her daughters Victoria and Juliana). And a Tropical Garden with spectacular South American butterflies, marmosets nice, fun family groups of squirrel monkeys and lemurs, a domestic animal farm, and a long etc.
Its unique representation of birds (110 species of ducks from the 147 that are in the world), and achieving great success with many of these reproductive 110, positioned it as a benchmark for other zoos, not only nationally but throughout Europe.
Insectarium and beautiful garden with a large variety of tropical butterflies and the opportunity to watch butterflies being born every day, pioneered in Spain and the only one in which you can follow the entire process and find out what is metamorphosis.
Acuaterrario representation of fish and reptiles where you can see some snakes being born and its feeding program in the “snake workshop”.
Quaternary Park is a subject area of 30,000 m2 which aims to transport visitors back 14,000 years ago when the Altamira man walked through this land. European bison, an endangered species, with which, at the Santillana Zoo there have been two births that have been achieved to date. There are reindeer, Iberian wolves, deer, bears, deer, Przewalski horses, European otter, grouse, etc. and a large collection of ducks from the northern areas.
Arguably, since 2005 the main focus of all visits have been the "Las Casitas de Victoria and Juliana" where children and adults spend hours enjoying games with the only two baby Sumatran orangutans that can be seen in Spain.
ONL is a (nonprofit organization), established February 5, 2007 by Jose Ignacio Pardo de Santayana, director of the Santillana Zoo, culminating 30 years dedicated to nature. Their goals are primarily educational and environmental conservation.
What Programs does it develop?
1.-
Wildlife Rescue and Recovery Programs for the care of injured animals.
The Foundation will build a Recovery Centerto meet the growing demand. Roe deer, dawns, genets, kestrels, hawks, kites and other species of seabirds are some animals come to the facility. The center will also focus on exotic pets (such as pythons, iguanas, turtles) which were abandoned or seized from their owners.
2.-
Environmental Education Programs.
The Foundation has designed a set of educational activities to sensitize the new generation of environmental problems. With them, it encourages the search for solutions through zoology workshops, teaching materials and various types of educational visits allowing more than 10,000 schoolchildren each year closer to nature.
3.-
Conservation Program for Endangered Species.
It participates in more than 30 conservation programs with great success, an example of it is "Mary", "Victoria" and "Juliana", the only three Sumatran orangutans that were born in Spain, "Selús" and "Temujin" are snow panthers born at the Zoo, "Sushi" and "Caesar", are emperor Marmosets born in Santillana; after thousand of years "Altamiruco, Altamira and Estela" are the first European bison born in Santillana.
Services: Café-Bar La Serreta, Picnic area, the Zoo Shop and Free Parking with more than 200 spaces.
Daily Schedule: Open every day of the year, from 9:30 in the morning until sundown.
Location: 20 minutes from Santander, at km. 2 of the CA-133of Santillana to Puente San Miguel. For those who prefer to walk, the journey from the center of the medieval town to the zoo is a 10 minute stroll.
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: 43º 22' 58.53'' N
Longitude: 4º 6' 6.47'' W
Zoo Overview:
Zoológico y Parque Cuaternario de Santillana del Mar.
Avda. del Zoológico, 2.
39330, Santillana del Mar, Cantabria.
