Dreams Eco Park has become a classroom for the Animal Conditioning course in Foz do Iguaçu, run by Bioadapt, a company specializing in the welfare of wild and exotic animals in Brazil.
The park was chosen because it allows interaction with different groups of animals: from horses and farm animals to wild and exotic animals.
Conditioning
For four days, veterinarians and biologists from various parts of Brazil, as well as Eco Park employees, learned how to teach the animals to understand the commands of the professionals and cooperate during routine procedures, such as grooming, feeding or veterinary examinations.
The aim is to avoid stressful situations, such as physical and chemical restraints, while ensuring the animals' well-being.
According to biologist Anna Célia Leite, the work of a biologist or veterinarian in a wildlife enterprise is most effective when the animal cooperates. To do this, they need to be conditioned in a positive way. "In this course, we teach the professionals how to show the animals that nothing bad will happen to them during handling," she explained.
"Can you imagine having to remove a nail from a horse's leg without its cooperation? It would be painful for both the professional and the animal. Our aim is to promote a good relationship between man and animal," added Anna.
Schedule
The Eco Park is open daily from 9am to 6pm. The Criollo Horse and Birds of Prey presentations take place at two times. In the morning at 10am and in the afternoon at 3:30pm.
Between these hours, visitors can relax under the trees and visit the Mini Farm, which houses mini pigs, cows, calves, ostriches, a couple of llamas and other animals.
It is also possible to take a walk in the "Bird Immersion". There are more than 50 birds flying freely around the enclosure, from little birds to macaws. Among them are parrots, an oriole, a pepper-billed magpie, a canary, an azure-winged magpie, a curio, a collared magpie, peacocks and geese.
Soon, visitors will also be able to take pedalos on the lake at Dreams Eco Park and ride mini tractors.
Values
Residents of Foz do Iguaçu pay R$25. The price for residents of the municipalities bordering the Iguaçu National Park (PNI) and Itaipu Lake is R$35 to visit Dreams Eco Park.
Dreams Eco Park is located next to the Dreams Park Show in Foz do Iguaçu, where there is the Wax Museum, Wonders of the World, Dinosaur Valley, Ice Bar and the Dreams Motor Show.
More information at: www.dreamsecopark.com.br
