Pairi Daiza
Pairi Daiza logo
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View of the park
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| Date opened | 1993 |
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| Location | Brugelette, Hainaut, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°35′5″N 3°53′14″E / 50.58472°N 3.88722°ECoordinates: 50°35′5″N 3°53′14″E / 50.58472°N 3.88722°E |
| Land area | 55 hectares (140 acres) |
| Number of animals | 4,000+ |
| Annual visitors | 1,767,000 (2015) |
| Memberships | EAZA,ISIS |
| Website | www.pairidaiza.eu |
Pairi Daiza (formerly Paradisio) is a privately owned 55-hectare (140-acre) zoo and botanical garden located in Brugelette in the province of Hainaut in Belgium. The animal theme park is located on the site of the former Cistercian Cambron Abbey, and is home to over 4,000 animals.
Pairi Daiza is owned and operated by Pairi Daiza Belgium SA, a limited company listed on NYSE Alternext Brussels (code: PARD). It is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and participates in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
In 1148, Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux (later Saint Bernard), sent twelve Cistercian monks to Cambron at the invitation of Anselm of Trazegnies, who had offered them land at the edge of the river Dender. After the abbey was dissolved, the family of the counts of the Val de Beaulieu purchased the property and built a castle, which remained in the family until purchased by the Domb family, who founded the park. The entire property has been a protected area since 1982.
The zoo was opened in 1993 as a bird garden named Paradisio. By 2000, the zoo included the Oasis, a large greenhouse that was home to other animals including meerkats, otters, and alligators. In 2001, the zoo opened the Nautilus (aquarium), the Madidi Islands (squirrel monkeys), and Nosy Komba (lemurs), followed by Algoa Bay (brown fur seals) in 2002.
The zoo created a series of suspension bridges in 2004 that let visitors see the exhibits from above. The "Dream of Han Wu Di" opened in 2006, and is the largest Chinese garden in Europe. A series of aviaries opened in 2007, showcasing raptors.
In 2009, the zoo opened the 4-hectare (9.9-acre) "Kingdom of Ganesha," an Indonesian themed garden. It also changed its name to Pairi Daiza, which means "walled garden" or "orchard protected by walls"—the oldest name for paradise.
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Wikipedia