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Zoosafari Fasanolandia | |
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View of the park | |
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40°50′01″N17°20′19″E / 40.8335°N 17.3386°E | |
Date opened | 1973 |
Location | ![]() |
Land area | 150 acres (61 ha) |
Website | www |
Zoosafari Fasanolandia is an animal attraction and theme park in Fasano in Southern Italy. The park includes a drive-through safari park in the visitor's vehicle as well as walk around animal areas, animal shows, and several rides.
The park opened in 1973 and includes the only male African elephant and polar bears in Italy. It's the second largest wildlife park in Europe. The park is located in the town of Fasano in the province of Brindisi, Apulia, in Southern Italy. It is on a Mediterranean hillside overlooking the sea. The park covers more than 150 acres (61 ha).
In December 2013, the zoo flooded, requiring the rescue of a number of the park's residents when their enclosures came under water. [1]
In 2017, animal rights activists targeted Zoosafari about conditions of keeping polar bears at the park during a heatwave. [2] Concerns about the ethics of housing polar bears at Zoosafari in the Italian summer heat have remained over the years. In 2024, five petitions reportedly raised more than 65,000 signatures. [3]
In 2022, eight deer escaped from the park when an opening was made in their enclosure by suspected hunters. [4]
In 2023, Zoosafari Fasanolandia offered to take in a brown bear from the Dolomites who had killed a tourist and was destined for euthanasia. [5] The bear ultimately moved to Romania.
As well as animals, the park has several rides: a log flume, roller coasters, ghost trains, and dodgem cars. One of the roller coasters, named Eurofighter, has a 97 degree drop.