ZooAve - La Garita - TravBuddy

Zoo Ave is a private exhibit of birds and monkeys near Alajuela, Costa Rica's second largest city. Its collection of tropical birds is impressive, and the exhibit, with its large cages that allow the birds to freely fly around is rewarding and interesting. A path meanders past toucans, spider monkeys, macaws, and even jaguars, each in their large enclosures.

This is a great place to come alone or to bring the kids. ZooAve has a strong educational emphasis, especially in teaching Costa Rican families to not buy captured parrots and other birds. Throughout the exhibit, the message of preserving the environment is reinforced, even as children and adults get to observe wildlife up close.

ZooAve has a small breeding program that is helping to repopulate birds and other wildlife along the western coast of Costa Rica. While the $15 USD cost of entering the park is quite high for foreigners, tourists can take comfort in knowing that the money is being used to preserve the environment.