Pairi Daiza (formerly Paradisio)

Is a privately owned zoo and botanical garden located in Brugelette in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. The 65-hectare (160-acre) large animal theme park is located on the site of the former Cistercian Cambron Abbey, and is home to over 4,000 animals.

Before I introduce you this zoo I would like to say that as a rule I am against zoo, circuses that use animals, ponies at the fair and dolphinarium but Pairi Daiza, which is still a zoo, is particularly well laid out and studied to reproduce the natural spaces of the animals. It even has births, which is a sign of animal welfare.

https://www.pairidaiza.eu/en

https://www.pairidaiza.eu/en/baby-panda

Pairi Daiza is owned and operated by Pairi Daiza Belgium SA, a limited company previously listed on NYSE Alternext Brussels. It is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and participates in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

In 1148, Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, sent twelve Cistercian monks to Cambron at the invitation of Anselm of Trazegnies, who had offered them land at the edge of the river Dender. After the abbey was dissolved, the family of the counts of the Val de Beaulieu purchased the property and built a castle, which remained in the family until purchased by the Domb family, who founded the park. The entire property has been a protected area since 1982.

The zoo was opened in 1993 as a bird garden named Paradisio. By 2000, the zoo included the Oasis, a large greenhouse that was home to other animals including meerkats, otters, and alligators.

In 2001, the zoo opened the Nautilus (aquarium), the Madidi Islands (squirrel monkeys), and Nosy Komba (lemurs), followed by Algoa Bay (brown fur seals) in 2002.

The zoo created a series of suspension bridges in 2004 that let visitors see the exhibits from above. The "Dream of Han Wu Di" opened in 2006, and is the largest Chinese garden in Europe. A series of aviaries opened in 2007, showcasing raptors.

In 2009, the zoo opened the 4-hectare (9.9-acre) "Kingdom of Ganesha," an Indonesian themed garden. It also changed its name to Pairi Daiza, which means "walled garden" or "orchard protected by walls"—the oldest name for paradise. Since April 2014, Pairi Daiza hosts a couple of two giant pandas that are on loan from China for 15 years.

Algoa Bay

Algoa Bay is home to the zoo's harbour seals and penguins. Visitors can watch the animals from above the water, or from an underwater viewing area where they may come face to face with residents of the exhibit.

The Nautilus

The Nautilus is an exhibit that is themed after 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It includes exhibits with coral reefs, lagoons, and tropical waters, and is home to sea urchins, starfish,anemones, crabs, and jellyfish. Visitors can touch the stingrays, and can watch sharks, moray eels, and sea turtles.

The Cathedral Aviary

One of the largest aviaries in Europe, this exhibit is home to birds including scarlet ibis, American flamingos, cattle egrets, hamerkops, storks, and vulturine guineafowl.

Mersus Emergo

The Mersus Emergo exhibit is a replica of the English whaling vessel Mersus Emergo that was used for 40 years, from 1870 to 1914. The exhibit opened in 2003 and includes the "SOS Biodiversity" exhibit, created in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which highlights current threats to the planet and ways in which visitors can take action to help minimize these threats. The "ship" also includes the zoo's rescue center for animals such as pythons, boas, iguanas,turtles, and alligators that were handed over or abandoned by former owners who could no longer care for them. The lake and island surrounding the exhibit is home toshoebills.

The Oasis

This 7,000-square-metre (75,000 sq ft) greenhouse with waterfalls includes tropical plants such as bamboo, vines, banana trees, and hibiscus, and is home to animals including bee-eaters, bear cuscuses, dwarf mongoose, hornbills, and southern bald ibises.

Falconry Village

This attraction opened in 2007. There are several large aviaries for birds of prey including bald eagle, Steller's sea eagle,African fish eagle, caracara, Andean condor,kites, secretary bird, eagle-owl, and many types of vultures. This part also features an enclosure for capybara, giant anteaters and lowland tapirs.

Parrot Lane

A collection of aviaries feautering different kinds of parrots, including kea, sun conure and hyacinth macaw.

Tropicalia

A subtropical greenhouse, consisting of a Tropical Rainforest part and a desert part. In addition to enclosures for cottontop tamarin, toco toucan and Aldabra giant tortoises, it also has many free-ranging birds, including Cape thick-knee, lilac-breasted roller, African jacana, sunbittern and brown-hooded kingfisher.

World of Cold

This 18 hectare area features not only enclosures for reindeer, Northern raccoons and American bison, but an Russian-themed restaurant, train museum and waterplane hangar as well.