Loro Parque opened on December 17, 1972, in Puerto de la Cruz on the Spanish island of Tenerife, starting as a modest home for 150 parrots on just over an acre of land. More than five decades later it has grown into one of the most visited zoos and aquariums in Europe, drawing more than 3 million guests a year to its lush, landscaped grounds in the Canary Islands.
Founded by Wolfgang Kiessling, the park built its reputation on what is billed as the world’s largest parrot collection, with roughly 4,000 birds representing about 350 species. Over the decades it expanded into a broader wildlife park, adding orcas, dolphins, gorillas, jaguars, and the record-setting Planet Penguin exhibit, while its affiliated Loro Parque Fundación has funded parrot and marine conservation work in dozens of countries since 1994.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- Opened: December 17, 1972
- Size: About 13.5 hectares (33 acres)
- Species/Animal Count: Around 4,000 parrots across about 350 species, plus orcas, dolphins, gorillas, jaguars and penguins
- Annual Visitors: More than 3 million (as of 2022-2023)
- Famous For: World’s largest parrot collection and Planet Penguin, the largest penguinarium in the world
From Parrot Sanctuary to Marine Park
Loro Parque began as a specialized home for parrots, and that focus remains its calling card decades later, with an enormous collection spanning hundreds of species from macaws to cockatoos. As visitor interest grew, the park expanded well beyond birds, adding a large aquarium, a gorilla habitat, and jaguar enclosures that now participate in European Endangered Species Programmes.
The park’s most debated expansion came in February 2006, when it received four orcas on loan from SeaWorld — Keto, Tekoa, Kohana, and Skyla — followed by the rescued Dutch orca Morgan in 2011. SeaWorld transferred full ownership of the whales to Loro Parque in 2018, and the orcas remain one of the park’s most-visited and most-scrutinized attractions.
Planet Penguin and Conservation Work
One of the park’s signature exhibits is Planet Penguin, an Antarctic-themed penguinarium billed as the largest in the world, home to five species including king, gentoo, and rockhopper penguins under real, machine-made snow. The immersive design keeps water and air temperatures low year-round to replicate polar conditions on a subtropical island.
Beyond exhibits, the nonprofit Loro Parque Fundación has directed conservation funding toward parrot and marine species protection projects in nearly 30 countries since its founding in 1994. The park has also served as a filming location, including the pre-title sequence of the 2005 film adaptation of ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’
Explore more: More Zoos & Aquariums to explore.
Loro Parque FAQs
Where is Loro Parque located?
Loro Parque is in Puerto de la Cruz on the island of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.
When did Loro Parque open?
It opened on December 17, 1972, starting with about 150 parrots before growing into a full zoo and aquarium.
Does Loro Parque have orcas?
Yes. The park has kept orcas since 2006, when it received four whales from SeaWorld; SeaWorld transferred full ownership to Loro Parque in 2018.
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Photo: Quartl / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.