Fundación Zoológico Santacruz

What Fundación Zoológico Santacruz does

Fundación Zoológico Santacruz is a Colombian nonprofit zoological foundation established in 1975 by zootecnist Gonzalo Chacón Rueda and restructured into its current foundation form in 2001 to align with the World Zoo Strategy. The foundation operates a single ~32,000 sq m wildlife facility in San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, approximately 30 minutes from Bogotá near the Salto del Tequendama, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its core mission is the rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation of Colombian wildlife, including hundreds of animals confiscated by the regional environmental authority CAR (Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca).

The foundation serves families and individuals from the Bogotá metropolitan area through general admission, guided tours, and a set of nine animal collections spanning carnivores, herbivores, primates, herpetofauna, arthropods, and several bird categories. Secondary customer segments include schools (Colegios) via educational programs aligned with PRAE projects, corporate clients (Empresas) for team-building and events, and families booking children's birthday parties (Fiestas). Beyond visitor-facing services, the foundation runs four specialized conservation programs covering orchids, arthropods, amphibians, and a reforestation seed bank, and is internationally recognized by WAZA, ALPZA, IZE, Amphibian Ark, and certified under ISO 9001:2008 by ICONTEC and IQNET.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit model combining admissions revenue (on-site and through online boletería via PayU Latam), donations ranging from COP $15,000 to COP $10,000,000 tiered as crisis-support contributions, annual memberships, and corporate/school program fees. Distribution is concentrated at the single physical facility, supplemented by a website, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and earned media coverage from outlets such as El Tiempo, Canal Uno, RCN Radio, and CMI. The foundation is governed by Executive Director Dr. Haydy Monsalve (also an ALPZA Board member 2015-2017) with an educational, veterinary, and zootecnist-led operational team.

Name

Fundación Zoológico Santacruz

Legal name

Fundación Zoológico Santacruz

Website

https://zoosantacruz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fundación Zoológico Santacruz is a Colombian nonprofit wildlife foundation operating a 32,000 sq m zoo in San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, rescuing and conserving confiscated native wildlife while serving families, schools, and corporate groups through admissions, educational programs, and conservation projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park and Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAFAA

Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations)

SECONDARYTHAJADAL

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYBPAGAIAC

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

SECONDARYTHAAAAAG

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Amusement Parks & Theme Parks

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Zoological education programs
• Animal rescue and rehabilitation
• Environmental education outreach
• Nonprofit zoo operations

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio Del Tequendama

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Admission tickets (boletería): Visitors pay for entry tickets to the zoo. A ticket sales (boletería) and online cart system is operated through the website, indicating direct consumer admission revenue.
2. Donations: The zoo accepts monetary donations in Colombian pesos (COP) through PayU Latam, with donation tiers ranging from $15,000 to $10,000,000 COP. These are presented as crisis-support donations for animals.
3. Memberships (Membresías): The zoo offers membership programs for ongoing supporter engagement, generating recurring revenue from members.
4. Corporate and school programs: Revenue generated from dedicated programs for empresas (corporate events/activities) and colegios (school educational programs), as well as birthday party packages (Fiestas).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fundación Zoológico Santacruz operates a public zoo and wildlife sanctuary in San Antonio del Tequendama, Colombia, providing animal rescue, rehabilitation, and care for confiscated wildlife. It offers zoo admission, educational programs for schools and corporate groups, birthday party packages, and conservation projects covering orchids, arthropods, amphibians, and reforestation. Revenue is generated through admission tickets, donations, memberships, and dedicated visitor programs.

Product overview

Fundación Zoológico Santacruz operates a 32,000-square-meter zoo in San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, Colombia, approximately 30 minutes from Bogotá. The foundation offers a unified visitor experience combining wildlife tourism with conservation education. Core offerings include general admission zoo visits, school educational programs, corporate events, and birthday parties. The zoo maintains extensive animal collections across 9 categories (carnivores, herbivores, primates, herpetos, arthropods, and multiple bird types) housing rescued wildlife from illegal trafficking. Beyond visitor services, the foundation runs four conservation projects: orchids, arthropods, amphibians, and a seed bank for reforestation. Additional services include online ticketing via PayU Latam, annual memberships, and internship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Zoo Admission (Visitas Generales) General zoo admission and guided tours for families and individuals to view animal collections and learn about Colombian biodiversity. Available daily at the San Antonio del Tequendama facility.
• Educational Programs for Schools (Programas Educativos para Colegios) Educational programs designed for school groups, aligned with environmental education and biodiversity conservation curriculum, including PRAE (Proyecto Ambiental Escolar) project support.
• Corporate Events (Eventos Empresariales) Corporate event services including team-building activities and private tours for companies seeking CSR and team engagement experiences.
• Birthday Parties (Fiestas Infantiles) Birthday party packages for children with animal-themed celebrations and activities at the zoo facility.
• Vacation Program (Programa Vacaciones) Vacation programs for children during school breaks featuring interactive wildlife activities and educational experiences.
• Annual Memberships (Membresías) Annual membership programs providing benefits and supporting zoo conservation activities through recurring supporter engagement.
• Amphibian Conservation Program (Programa de Conservación de Anfibios) Amphibian conservation program recognized by Amphibian Ark as a world reference for amphibian handling and conservation.
• Orchid Conservation Program (Programa de Conservación de Orquídeas) Conservation initiative for native orchids in Cundinamarca, developed in partnership with local communities.
• Arthropod Conservation Program (Programa de Conservación de Artrópodos) Conservation program focusing on arthropod species and their ecological importance.
• Reforestation Seed Bank (Banco de Semillas para Reforestación) Seed bank project for reforestation developed with the Municipal Administration of San Antonio del Tequendama in veredas La Rápida, La Rambla and Chicaque.
• Online Ticket Sales (Boletería en Línea) Online ticket sales system integrated with PayU Latam payment processing for advance booking of zoo admission.

Quantifiable outcome

• The zoo was recognized by WAZA with the Biodiversity Awards 2015 for its 'Todos Somos Biodiversidad' campaign, which surveyed 300 visitors over 6+ months
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Universidad Incca de ColombiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2015Co-organized a taxidermy workshop held June 10-12, 2015 at university facilities, with instructor Luis Gonzalo Andrade Trujillo (founder of Natural History Museums at UPTC). Dr. Haydy Monsalve and professor Pablo Enrique Mendez led the program.
• ACOPAZOA (Asociación Colombiana de Parques, Zoológicos y Acuarios)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fundación Zoológico Santacruz is a member of ACOPAZOA, working collaboratively with other Colombian zoos and aquariums on conservation, research, and education initiatives. Dr. Haydy Monsalve participates in ACOPAZOA assemblies and strategic planning workshops on behalf of the zoo.
• ALPZA (Asociación Latinoamericana de Zoológicos y Acuarios)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe zoo is a member of ALPZA. Dr. Haydy Monsalve served on the ALPZA Board of Directors for the 2015-2017 term. The zoo won the ALPZA ZOO 2015 Best Poster Award and participates in ALPZA-organized animal welfare courses.
• IZE (International Zoo Educators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe zoo is a member of IZE, participating in international zoo education networks and sharing best practices in conservation education.
• APC (Asociación Primatológica Colombiana)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe zoo holds membership in APC, the Colombian Primatology Association, supporting primate conservation programs.
• CAR (Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAR is the regional environmental authority that confiscates illegal wildlife and transfers animals to the zoo. The zoo receives animals confiscated by CAR and cooperates on environmental education projects through CIDEA Municipal. CAR officials have visited the zoo, including Director General Dr. Alfred Ignacio Ballesteros.
• Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis de BogotácoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Jardín Botánico transferred a group of waterfowl birds (7 gansos comunes, 1 pato real, 2 patos Peking, 1 pato común, 2 cisnes negros) to the zoo after nearly two decades of care. The zoo received the birds and conducts clinical evaluations and nutritional adaptation programs.
• Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander Von HumboldtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe zoo received a visit from the Institute's Communications Coordinator María Cristina Ruiz, who recognized various projects carried out at the zoo. Represents a working relationship in biodiversity research.
• Alcaldía Municipal de San Antonio del Tequendama / CIDEA MunicipalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe zoo and the municipal government, through CIDEA Municipal, established cooperation for environmental education projects. Joint initiatives include the XI Cultural Exhibition at Colegio San Antonio and a seed bank project for reforestation in veredas La Rápida, La Rambla, and Chicaque.
• Administración Municipal de San Antonio del TequendamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on a seed bank project for reforestation in the veredas La Rápida, La Rambla, and Chicaque, as part of environmental conservation efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• ACOPAZOA (Asociación Colombiana de Parques Zoológicos y Acuarios): ACOPAZOA is the Colombian zoo industry association of which the foundation is a member. It is an ecosystem/peer-network actor that facilitates collaboration, training, and advocacy across Colombian zoological institutions.
• Amphibian Ark: Amphibian Ark is the international organization that lists the foundation as a world reference for amphibian conservation. It is an ecosystem/peer-network actor that supports ex-situ amphibian programs and connects specialist institutions globally.

Regional players

• Bioparque Temaikèn: Temaikèn is an Argentine biopark focused on conservation, education, and native species. It is a regional peer as an ALPZA-region zoological institution but operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Zoológico de Barranquilla: The Barranquilla Zoo is another long-established Colombian zoological park offering animal collections, family visits, and educational programs. It is a direct peer in the same national zoo category and ACOPAZOA network.
• Bioparque Ukumarí: Bioparque Ukumarí is a biopark in Pereira, Colombia that combines zoo, botanical garden, and interactive biodiversity exhibits. It is a direct peer as another Colombian zoological institution focused on conservation, environmental education, and family visitors.
• Parque Zoológico Santa Fe: Parque Zoológico Santa Fe in Medellín operates as a Colombian zoological park with conservation, education, and recreation offerings. It is a direct peer competing for Colombian family and school visitors and sharing ACOPAZOA membership.
• Parque Jaime Duque: Parque Jaime Duque is a long-running zoological and family theme park near Bogotá. It is a direct peer offering animal collections, school visits, corporate events, and family recreation within the same Cundinamarca catchment.
• Zoológico de Cali: Zoológico de Cali is a major Colombian zoo operating since 1969, also a member of ACOPAZOA and ALPZA. It is a direct peer as another Colombian zoological park offering animal collections, education, and conservation programs.

Broad incumbents

• Zoológico de Chapultepec: Zoológico de Chapultepec in Mexico City is one of Latin America's most-visited zoos with conservation, education, and recreation programs. It is a broad incumbent comparable as an ALPZA-region zoological park but at materially larger scale and government-operated.
• Africam Safari (Puebla, Mexico): Africam Safari is a large Latin American wildlife park combining drive-through safari, zoo, and conservation programs. It is a broad incumbent comparable as an ALPZA-region zoological institution but operating at significantly larger scale and with safari-style offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zoosantacruz
• Facebookfacebook.com/zoosantacruz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacion-zoologico-santacruz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundación Zoológico Santacruz