Zoológico de La Habana, Zoo in Havana, Cuba

Zoológico de La Habana occupies the former La Rosa estate and nursery, with its main entrance on Avenida 26. The grounds cover 23 hectares and include a herpetarium, a children's park and hostelry services. Among the animals are an Australian cassowary, a Virginia great horned owl over 40 years old and a male condor.

Professors at the University of Havana, including zoologist Carlos de la Torre, proposed a city zoo in 1937; construction began in 1939 and the zoo opened in 1943. The following year it held 180 species, among them 95 birds and 39 reptiles. Street infrastructure was built in early 1948, and after 1959 the grounds were rehabilitated and enlarged to 23 hectares.

The zoo functions as a place where visitors observe animals in natural settings and learn about wildlife directly through observation. Families and groups use the space to understand how different species live and interact.

The zoo opens Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM with food stands, restrooms, and designated play areas. Wear comfortable shoes since the grounds are expansive with varying terrain.

The zoo keeps a male condor that was a gift from Chilean President Salvador Allende to Fidel Castro, one of a pair. The same collection includes an Australian cassowary, one of the few birds in Cuba with hair-like feathers, and a Virginia great horned owl over 40 years old.