is an animal rescue centre in

Breña Alta Breña Alta (Spanish for Upper Breña) is a municipality on the eastern side of the island of La Palma, in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. The ayuntamiento (municipal office) is in the town of San Pedro, at 350 m abo ...

La Palma La Palma (, ), also known as ''La isla bonita'' () and historically San Miguel de La Palma, is the most northwesterly island of the Canary Islands, a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in Macaronesia in the North Atlantic Ocean. La Pa ...

, one of the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

, in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. Opened in 2000, it houses around 450 animals. It gained over 250 extra animals during the 2021 volcanic eruption.

Layout and location

The rescue centre is located on the side of the El Galeon

ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. Ravines may also be called a cleuch, dell, ...

in Breña Alta, on the island of La Palma. It has been described as a vertical zoo, with walkways combining cobbled paths and wooden bridges, with walk-through aviaries. It also has a restaurant. It has an area of around , with a forest-like environment made with native vegetation. The centre was inaugurated in 2000, and normally gains around 100 animals per year. In 2021 they received animals affected by the

2021 Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption An eruption at the Cumbre Vieja complex volcano, volcanic ridge, comprising the southern half of the Spain, Spanish island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, took place between 19 September and 13 December 2021. It was the first volcanic eruption ...

, with over 250 extra animals arriving at the centre in the first month of the eruption. The animals are expected to return to their owners where possible, with the centre keeping any unable to do so. It is named after the Martin Romera family, with 'MaRo' derived from the family name. It is a non-profit organisation. The centre also has research and conservation programs, and does guided tours. It received financial aid from the during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

Animals

The centre contains over 450 animals, often exotic species that have been rescued or seized by the authorities. The animals include both native species for La Palma, and non-native species. The animals include birds, such as parrots, hens, ostriches, and peacocks; reptiles such as Nile crocodiles and snakes; and mammals, including albino

kangaroo Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use, the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...

marmoset The marmosets (), also known as zaris or sagoin, are twenty-two New World monkey species of the genera '' Callithrix'', '' Cebuella'', '' Callibella'', and ''Mico''. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term ...

porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp Spine (zoology), spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two Family (biology), families of animals: the Old World porcupines of the family Hystricidae, and the New ...

s, and monkeys It also has an aquarium.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{cite web , title=Maroparque , url=https://www.hellocanaryislands.com/leisure-centers-and-tourist-attractions/la-palma/maroparque/ , website=Hello Canary Islands , access-date=25 December 2021 , language=en {{cite web , title=Home , url=http://maroparque.es/ , website=maroparque.es , access-date=25 December 2021 {{cite news , last1=Ahora , first1=La Palma , title=El Cabildo apoya la labor del Maroparque y conoce cómo ha afectado la COVID-19 al centro de rescate de animales exóticos de la Isla , url=https://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/lapalmaahora/cabildo-apoya-labor-maroparque-conoce-afectado-covid-19-centro-rescate-animales-exoticos-isla_1_7799894.html , access-date=25 December 2021 , work=ElDiario.es , date=13 April 2021 , language=es {{cite web , title=Maroparque: The Only Vertical Zoo in La Palma and the Canary Islands , url=https://www.canaryislandsinfo.co.uk/la-palma/things-to-do/maroparque/ , website=Canary Islands Info , access-date=25 December 2021 {{cite news , last1=Avisos , first1=Diario de , title=Maroparque aclara que no se han encontrado cocodrilos ni canguros en La Palma , url=https://diariodeavisos.elespanol.com/2021/10/maroparque-aclara-que-no-se-han-encontrado-cocodrilos-ni-canguros-en-la-palma/ , access-date=25 December 2021 , work=Diario de Avisos , date=29 October 2021 , language=es {{cite news , title=Tarántulas, pitones, cocodrilos y un canguro: el zoo secreto que descubrió el volcán de La Palma , url=https://www.elmundo.es/papel/historias/2021/10/28/617ae22d21efa041758b45fc.html , access-date=25 December 2021 , work=ELMUNDO , date=28 October 2021 , language=es {{cite news , title=Serpientes, cocodrilos e iguanas: la fauna exótica descubierta en las evacuaciones en La Palma , url=https://www.abc.es/espana/canarias/abci-serpientes-cocodrilos-iguanas-fauna-exotica-descubierta-evacuaciones-palma-202111050720_noticia.html , access-date=25 December 2021 , work=abc , date=5 November 2021 , language=es {{cite news , title=Maroparque en La Palma , url=https://saposyprincesas.elmundo.es/actividades-ninos/santa-cruz-de-tenerife/aire-libre/animales/maroparque/ , access-date=25 December 2021 , work=Sapos y Princesas , language=es {{cite news , last1=Time , first1=El , title=El Cabildo continúa apoyando la labor del Maroparque con una subvención de 10.000 euros en 2021 , url=https://www.eltime.es/opinion/187-naturalmente/32897-el-cabildo-continua-apoyando-la-labor-del-maroparque-con-una-subvencion-de-10-000-euros-en-2021.html , access-date=25 December 2021 , work=El Time , date=13 April 2021 , language=es-es {{cite web , title=Maroparque, zoológico en La Palma , url=https://sobrecanarias.com/2011/07/04/maroparque-zoologico-en-la-palma/ , access-date=25 December 2021 , language=es , date=4 July 2011 {{cite web , title=Maroparque - Exotenzentrum, Tierrettungsstation , url=https://de.la-palma.travel/activity/maroparque-exoten-tier-rettungsstation/ , website=La-Palma.Travel , access-date=26 December 2021 , language=de La Palma Zoos in the Canary Islands 2001 establishments in Spain Animal rescue groups