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 CistercianCambron Abbey, and is home to over 7,000 animals. The name is taken from the Avestan word pairi daēza, which is the source of the Persian word paradise.
Exhibits
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 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 toucanets, bear cuscuses, dwarf mongoose, hornbills, and southern bald ibises.
Falconry Village
There are several large aviaries for birds of prey including bald eagle, Steller’s sea eagle, African fish eagle, Andean condor, kites, secretary bird, eagle-owl, and many types of caracaras and vultures. This part also features an enclosure for capybara, giant anteaters and lowland tapirs.
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.
La Terre du Froid (World of Cold)
This 18 hectare area features not only enclosures for reindeer, Northern raccoons and American bison, but a Russian-themed restaurant, train museum and waterplane hangar as well.
