Bioparque Municipal Vesty Pakos, Animal shelter in La Paz, Bolivia.
Bioparque Municipal Vesty Pakos is a city-run animal shelter in La Paz, Bolivia, that takes in rescued wildlife from across the country. The facility houses mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in separate enclosures, each arranged to match the needs of the animals living there.
The facility started as a basic city zoo and grew over the decades into a rescue center focused on animals confiscated from illegal trade. A major renovation completed in 2022 modernized the enclosures and brought in new programs for visitors.
Many of the animals here were rescued from illegal wildlife trade and cannot be returned to the wild. Signs and small displays explain where each animal came from and why it lives here, giving visitors a concrete sense of what animal trafficking looks like in practice.
The biopark is open on weekdays and also welcomes groups who book a guided tour in advance. Visiting in the morning tends to be quieter and gives you more time to spend at each enclosure.
This shelter is the first in Bolivia to join the Latin American Association of Parks, Zoos, and Aquariums, a membership that commits it to international standards in animal care. That distinction is still rare in the region and sets it apart from most other facilities in the country.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
