Fun & Theme Parks: Cocodrilo Park

It all started when the Balser family was asked to take care of a few crocodiles… and now they have the largest collection in Europe. After the success of these first adoptions, the organisation SEPRONA (Environmental Protection Police) has placed many animals in the Balser family's capable hands.

These animals – chimpanzees, various monkeys, birds, among many others – arrived usually in very bad health conditions due to being cruelly mistreated and confiscated from cargo ships, but they always recovered under the professional care of the family.

This was the start of the Parque de los Cocodrilos, Gran Canaria’s only zoological park. It was first opened to the public in 1988. 

In the following years the family continuously added animals to the park by buying them from private people and circuses, and they are also bred freely in the park. The big family of Bengal tigers you will see there were reared under the family's care.

Due to the high amount of animals still being confiscated, Cocodrilo Park is becoming too small and shows signs of needing more living space for accommodating them – but even under these confined conditions, the animals are much happier in these surroundings and are even breeding.

‘Babu’, one of the Baboons handed to them in the past, was kept tied with the same chain around its waist until it was 8 years old. It took two operations and months of treatment to get his health back and make him happy again.

About 300 crocodiles, species of tropical fishes, the ‘Parrot Show on the Treasure Island’, a cacti garden are just some of the attractions you will see in this unusual animal park.

The upkeep of this ever-growing park and the salaries for its professional and caring staff are supported with the income from the entrance fees.

Opening hours: Sunday to Friday from 10.00 to 18.00 hrs

Location: Carretera del Hoyo - Tocodomán - San Nicolás de Tolentino