There’s More to Guanacaste Than Just Cows and Monkeys at the Africa Mia Zoo.

África Mía, home to 14 animal species and unforgettable experiences, will freely open its doors on November 29 and 30 for its Open House & Festival África Mía 2008. Located in Guanacaste’s capital Liberia, the festivities will include food, tours of the facilities, stands from different companies and other activities that are sure to entertain both children and adults.

This year’s festival will be the private park’s first, and is designed to allow África Mía’s friends, national businesses and advertisers to enjoy all that the park has to offer. Of course, the main attraction will be the animals themselves: ostriches, zebras, giraffes, dromedaries (one-humped camels), bongos, elands, warthogs, watusis, peacocks, Chapman zebras, monkeys, gemsboks, antelopes and white-tailed deer are all allowed to roam freely, with guests invited to observe and even interact with several of the animals.

Since its creation in 2006, África Mía — which is owned by the owner of Liberia’s soccer team, Liberia Mía — has grown in popularity for tourists visiting the area. The $10 million project incorporated the private reserve’s African animals with the area’s native species, forming a cohesive and well-integrated animal population. There are few aggressive species currently, and those that display such tendencies are kept separate from the inner savannah, allowing all animals to live in peace.

África Mía has been very successful due, in part, to Costa Rica’s adaptable environment. The park’s Da Vinci Savannah is purely Costa Rican (very little has been changed to prepare it for the animals), but is also similar in rainfall, sun hours and temperatures to the animal’s native African habitats. These conditions allow for animals to easily adapt to Living in Costa Rica, and also offer guests a unique and faithful representation of life on the African savannah.

On a more personal note, I had the privilege of visiting África Mía a few months ago, and I had a fantastic time. The park is large, the animals seem healthy and our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and very good with the animals. Not only did I learn a lot about each species, but I was able to feed the dromedaries, pet a white-tailed deer and even hug a giraffe – what an experience! Any animal lover or inquisitive mind will enjoy a visit to the park (especially children), and this year’s festival could be the ideal opportunity.

To facilitate travel to Liberia, the event’s organizers have prepared tourism packages to all interested. The packages can include lodging, park tours and trips to other nearby attractions, which are certainly worth visiting if you’re in the area. Focus will be on the park however, and depending on the tour package, guests are invited to visit the park’s outer perimeter, inner savannah and even the El Salto waterfall, which is surrounded by tropical dry forest and wildlife.

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Filed under: Costa Rican Wildlife on October 28th, 2008