Avilon zoo expands to Tiendesitas

Avilon expands to Tiendesitas PROPERTY DEVELOPER Ortigas & Co. Ltd. Partnership has added a zoo as one of the newest attractions in its children’s corridor in Frontera Verde, Pasig. During the launch of Ark Avilon last Friday, Ortigas Chief Operating Officer Rex C. Drilon II told BusinessWorld: "The zoo is meant to add to the wholesome family oriented experience Frontera Verde was built to offer." Mr. Drilon said the P24 million, two-storey ark-shaped structure sits on a 2,000-square-meter lot, which is home to over a dozen of animal species. "The idea of the ark/mini zoo was born here," in an interview, Zoo Administrator Jake Gaw said. "The Ortigases were trying to come up with innovative developments for Frontera [Verde]. The original idea was to have a mini zoo and since I had Avilon Zoo in Montalban, I said, ’why not build an ark?,’" he added. Mr. Gaw said that the Noah’s Ark-inspired structure was born out of a collaboration with Ortigas Technical Planning Manager Art Alcantara. "The idea spun from the very successful Pet Village in Tiendesitas and our partnership with Jake (Gaw). We thought that it was a perfect fit for the Children’s Corridor," Cathy Casares-Ko, Ortigas real estate division head added. Ms. Ko said that Ortigas also found a perfect fit in Mr. Gaw’s philosophy. "This is one way we manifest our commitment to preserve the environment and to be a good corporate citizen," she said. Ark Avilon is an urban home to lions, pumas, jaguars, tigers, bears, orangutans and various primates. The wild cats and monkeys are secured behind reinforced glass for better and safer appreciation. Visitors can also interact and have their photos taken with more docile animals that roam free on site. Children can also enjoy short rides on the mule and little albino ponies that trot on zoo grounds. Moreover, the zoo features a waterfall that cascades into pools with caiman and arapaima. The second storey is a roof deck that has an aviary and a butterfly café where guests can have dessert and coffee amid fluttering butterflies. Visitors can also engage in feeding the animals at a certain time of the day. Mr. Gaw said that a volunteer program for animal lovers and an insect display area are being considered as additions to the zoo. Mr. Gaw said that the zoo would have a regular change of residents. "These animals are staying in a man-made environment so we should realize that their stay should not be on a permanent basis," he said. "They should be given time off, and that is where our rotation concept comes in," said Mr. Gaw. For maximum exposure, animals will be brought back to Montalban in exchange for new animals to be housed in Frontera Verde every three months. Avilon Zoo has a selection of 320 species, all of which will have a chance to partake in the urban excursion. The public can view and interact with the animals for an admission price of P250 per head. The Avilon Zoological Park is a 7.5-hectare zoo located in Barrio San Isidro, Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, Philippines. — Maria Francesca M. Baja, BusinessWorld