In this time, I decided to have a different adventure and I go to a town on the Santa Elena Peninsula called Colonche. Colonche is located 32 kilometers from Santa Elena, it is entered through a detour in Palmar, 4 kilometers from it.
We left from La Libertad on a motorcycle and it had a duration of 1 hour of travel. You can go by bus from the Santa Elena land terminal or by private car.
After our journey we arrive at Colonche whose name originates from the settlement of indigenous people led by the chief Colonchi, which means the one with the red shirt. A brave, powerful and dynamic cacique who started agriculture in his town.
One of the main attractions of this town is its Church called Santa Catalina de Colonche, created more than 300 years ago and declared as Cultural Heritage of Ecuador, this church is made from Guayacán wood.
We continue our tour and arrive at Rapaz Lana zoo. I had heard about this place from friends who had already visited it, we went with my girlfriend on a motorcycle to Rapaz Lana.
Getting to the zoo is not so difficult at all from the main street where we find the church, we continue to the end of the road and on the right, we find the zoo.
Then we were greeted by a volunteer who made us wait for a few minutes because there were other people who had arrived and they were welcoming them.
One of the requirements to enter the zoo is the mandatory use of a mask and we cannot get out at any time. After entering, they put alcohol on our hands and proceeded to give the talk.
We are greeted by Gepetta, an owl that was one of the first birds to arrive when it was a bird rescue and rehabilitation center.
Now, Rapaz Lana is a zoo because by this means they are able to finance the rescued bird project and in addition to raising awareness among the general population that these birds are in danger of extinction.
We had a talk about how Geppeta arrived at the zoo and the rest of the animals to the rescue center, it made me think about all the good work they are doing in Rapaz Lana, there are animals that arrive and are in quarantine and according to their status they are placed at the zoo or in the area to be released when they can fend for themselves.
Once we entered, they took us to the flight area, which is where a demonstration of how birds are trained in falconry is made. Falconry is the art of training raptors to hunt free animals in their natural environment.
The speed of flight of the birds in the flight demonstration makes us to see the magnificent of these birds for hunting, one of the things that most caught my attention was how these birds can suffer psychological damage because they are separated from their parents and they do not know how to hunt or fly and it is here in the center where they are taught to subsist on their own.
After that we visit the area where the rest of the birds are found, we have bell-tower owls, American kestrel, long-eared owl, pygmy owl, crab hawk, red hawk. The most interesting thing about these birds is that they cannot be found in other zoos.
One of the things that I love is that there are people who give their selfless help to these animals for their conservation, rehabilitation and maintenance at the zoo. If you want to collaborate with them, contact with them: 0996743105 – 0996740826. You can ask for Erick Díaz who is the director of the zoo.
Before leaving, we were talking with Erick and his wife, two very kind and attentive people with all who visit them. They are lovers of these birds, listening to them, they talk about them and shows us their love and passion for birds of preys as well as the respect they have for them.
The entrance fee to the Rapaz Lana zoo is $ 2.50 for adults, $ 1 for children. For educational institutions, students and teachers or parents who accompany them $ 1.25. Their hours of operation are from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.
I hope to return the next time to the Rapaz Lana Zoo, an adventure that adults and children will love. You will learn about the conservation of birds of prey and their environment.
Recommendations:
Do not enter with pets
Do not enter with food.
Do not feed or disturb the birds.
Photos with birds only with authorized personnel.
Bring a camera or cell phone.
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