The small amount of research I deigned to do before setting foot on the South American continent led me to jaguars. The Amaru Zoológico Bioparque was located tantalisingly close to the centre of Cuenca, yet far enough away in a tangle of highways to be an adventure in itself to reach. As it turned out, it was worth the effort.
Go With the Flow
It was during breakfast one morning that I met Thomas. Thomas was a German native, who had been travelling through South America for much longer than I had. He was an old hand at this stuff, and a solo traveller too. I was the new & shiny little puppy – goggle-eyed at everything – while he was the grizzled old dog, well accustomed to the style and pace of life in these here parts.
I mentioned that I was planning to go to the Amaru Bioparque the next day. I still hadn’t quite figured out how to get there yet, but I figured that was a minor detail, not worth sharing. As it happily turned out, Thomas was planning on going too! His friend, who was studying in the city (and who’s name now sadly evades me) was going to take him. A deal was struck and it was decided we would head there together.
This was actually a stroke of luck, since to get to the park is a little tricky. Hailing a taxi a couple of streets down from our hostel, we took the 15-or-so minute journey out towards the east of the city, where we were deposited unceremoniously at the bottom of a steep gravel track. A little inconsequential for a major attraction, but as I was to discover Ecuador, and indeed South America as a whole, doesn’t go in for the whole sanitised Disney-land-esque attractions. So long as it’s functional, it’s fine.
The Amaru Bioparque Proper
The park itself is a winding maze that covers a hillside. The only sense you have of direction is the steep slope of the hill itself, indicating the way back to the city. We ran about like excited little kids, pulled ever onwards and upwards around yet another twist, another turn. Quite the workout!
Every corner brought another surprise. I love animals and having the chance to enjoy being up close and personal, in an environment that prioritises the welfare and conservation of such wild beasts, was pure joy. I snapped happily away, an extension of my camera. As a photographer, this is to be expected, but I have a deep seated philosophy that I’d rather live in the moment
I saw, among other species:
- Spider monkeys – one of my favourite animals ever, and free ranging in part of the park!
- Andean Bear – just chilling
- Frogs and snakes – just chilling too, but sinister-ly
- Ocelot – pacing and growling at us in its aerial walkway
- Pumas – growling… at each other
- Capybara! – It’s insane to see them in real life. They really are just like big guinea pigs!
- A cat – (probably not an exhibit animal) chasing a parrot (probably an exhibit animal)
- Lions!!! – We heard them long before we saw them, these kings and queens of the savannah. The male was smaller in height than I had anticipated, but emphatically powerful in the build of his body and the depth of his roar. It’s a rather grating sound, so he probably wasn’t putting his all into it.
- Ostrich! – Tall and long, I’m slightly wary of them. They seem highly strung. Maybe they get better as you get to know them…
- Jaguars! – I desperately wanted to see these big cats and they did not disappoint
I have fond memories of my half day at Amaru. I loved that by visiting I was helping conservation efforts, whilst getting to see native (and not so native) animals.
“Amaru is a private, non-profit conservation organization created by Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment … in 2002”
We headed back down the hill just as it started raining, standing under a tree as we attempted to hail a passing taxi. We had lunch together in the downtown area, towards the river, opting for a shwarma joint. I ordered a té helado (iced tea), which was fast becoming my new favourite thing, after Cuenca itself, free-roaming spider monkeys and jaguars (not free-roaming, thankfully).
As is the way with new friends on long travels, the other two headed off as I ducked into a gallery across the road. I love art galleries. They’re much nicer to visit than stuffy museums that tend to overload you with information. Don’t get me wrong, I love history and museums, but there’s a time and a place. I’ll happily wander into all the galleries I come across, which I could do in Cuenca, since there are many! Plus there was no one to nag me to hurry up. This meant I got to head into ALL the galleries and random shops before I decided on which pair of beaded earrings to purchase. Ah the joys of solo travel!
It’s time we left Cuenca now (sad, I know) but next we’re headed to… the Galapagos!
From me to you, my fellow wanderers,
Jenni
Collecting Continents 