The Ministry of Environment of Costa Rica has ordered Ponderosa Adventure Park in Liberia to forbid visitors to take selfies with the wild animals they have and feed them, they have also ordered the Park to stop the reproduction of the animals they have.

These are part of the changes that Ponderosa Park must put in place in order to comply with the Law of Conservation of Wildlife which was published in 2017 but is just now being enforced.
Ponderosa Park is home to species such as giraffes, zebras, watusis, ostriches, and east African oryxes, among others, and it has celebrated the birth of several animals throughout the years.

“They have asked us to “fix” our animals or keep them separated, each of them in their own cage. -I asked people from SINAC (National System of Areas of Conservation) how they can ask me to do this? They will destroy my business. It is sad to put animals in cages”, commented David Patey, President of the zoo’s Development Group.

The Park was also ordered to change their tour routes so that these don’t go close to the areas where the animals are.

Ponderosa Adventure Park, formerly known as “Africa Mía” opened doors 12 years ago in Costa Rica as a park with animals in controlled freedom, today it includes a total of 70 hectares and over 300 animals. It has also evolved throughout the years and today it offers several different adventure experiences such as kayaks and tours to the La Perla Waterfall, canopy, and horseback riding.

Notice received by Ponderosa Park states that if there are currently pregnant animals in the park these shall be the last animals to be born in the park and as of October 2021 there cannot be any more births.