About the Zoo & Wildlife

The Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo, officially named the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo of Puerto Rico, also known as the Mayagüez Zoo, was a 45-acre (18 ha) zoological park located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, owned by the Government of Puerto Rico and operated by the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, under the agency of the Company of National Parks of Puerto Rico. It was named in honor of Juan A. Rivero, its first director. It was Puerto Rico's only zoo and had an extensive collection of animals from all continents. The zoo closed to the public after the impact of Hurricane Maria in 2017 and fully ceased operations in 2023 after much scrutiny in its final years due to questionable health and treatment of their animals. All species were later relocated to sanctuaries across the United States after the closure.