Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo, Rainforest zoo in Hilo, Hawaii.
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo is a facility in the Hilo area built within a natural rainforest setting, not as a separate structure from the landscape. The zoo houses more than eighty different animal species distributed across the grounds, where tropical plants and gardens blend with the surrounding woodland.
The facility opened in 1978 with a mission to protect animal species in danger of disappearing from the islands. From its beginning, it has operated specialized breeding programs to help maintain populations of threatened animals.
The zoo dedicates space to birds found nowhere else in the world, with a focus on helping these species survive and thrive. Visitors can see how local conservation work directly supports these animals.
The zoo is open daily except for certain holidays and one day each week when it closes. Admission is free, though visitors should wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for muddy paths since the tropical setting receives regular rainfall.
The zoo is the only place in the country where visitors can see primates like gibbons, lemurs, and spider monkeys in a genuine rainforest setting rather than in constructed habitats. This natural forest backdrop makes the animal enclosures feel less like cages and more like their actual environments.
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