Botanical Garden and Zoo of Asunción

The Botanical Garden and Zoo of Asunción (Spanish: Jardín Botánico y Zoológico de Asunción) is a significant cultural and natural landmark situated in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay. It functions as a vital open space within the city, encompassing 110 hectares (270 acres) of natural forest to the north of the urban center.

History and Heritage

The property's origins trace back to Carlos Antonio López, who served as president of Paraguay from 1842 to 1862. López commissioned the construction of "Casa Lopez" as his residence in the 1840s. This main building holds considerable historical value, reflecting the architectural, technological, and decorative styles of its era. It is officially recognized and protected by Paraguayan law as part of the city's urban planning, architectural, historical, and artistic heritage.

In 1896, López's descendants sold the estate to the Agricultural Bank, then a state-owned entity. The transformation into a formal botanical garden began in 1914, spearheaded by German scientists Karl Freibig and his wife, Anna Gertz. Fiebrig, a professor of botany and zoology at the University of Asunción, had previously undertaken extensive collecting expeditions in Paraguay. He also founded a school of agriculture and a Cotton Institute, which provided financial support for the garden complex. The zoo was established shortly thereafter by the same scientists, adopting a progressive approach for its time by housing animals in environments designed to mimic their natural habitats. Anna Gertz played a key role in the landscape design of the gardens, though some of her projects remained incomplete following her death in 1920; she is buried within the gardens.

Fiebrig continued to direct the garden and zoo. However, in 1936, amidst a period of xenophobic sentiment following the Chaco War, Fiebrig was compelled to leave Paraguay. Responsibility for the estate subsequently transferred from the state to its current administrator, the Municipality of Asunción.

Historically, the estate was substantially larger, spanning over 600 hectares (1,500 acres) with extensive river frontage, a port, and a railway station. Over the past five decades, parts of the land have been allocated to various institutions, including a water treatment plant, a transmission station, and the Asunción Golf Club, with some areas also succumbing to illegal occupations.

Facilities and Collections

The complex comprises several key facilities:

• Botanical Garden: This area preserves the natural flora, featuring trees that are over 150 years old, offering shade and natural beauty.
• Nursery: Located behind the Upper House, the nursery cultivates more than 500 species of plants, with a significant focus on medicinal herbs used for educational interpretation regarding their properties. It collaborates with the Botanic Garden and Conservatory of the City of Geneva, Switzerland, and has been involved in research on plant cultivation and distribution, particularly of native and introduced medicinal plants.
• Zoo: The zoo is integrated with the botanical garden and concentrates on the fauna of Paraguay, though it also includes animals from other regions. It houses approximately 64 species, including mammals, birds, and reptiles.
• Natural History Museum: This museum is housed in a former farmhouse that was part of Carlos Antonio López's estate.
• Asunción Golf Club: While situated on the Botanical Garden premises, this facility has been managed independently by the municipality for fifty years.

Zoo Collections

The zoo's collection features a diverse range of species, including mammals such as lions, tigers, jaguars, pumas, chimpanzees, elephants, and tapirs. Its avian collection includes various macaws, toucans, eagles, and ostriches. Reptiles on display consist of anacondas, caimans, iguanas, and tortoises.

Notable Exhibit

A particularly noteworthy exhibit at the zoo is the Tagua, a species of peccary native to the Paraguayan Chaco. This animal holds significance as it was believed to be extinct until its rediscovery in the 1980s.