Summer brings a new way to experience BIOPARC Fuengirola after dark

You don't have to travel far to feel as though you've stepped into the heart of the jungle. This summer, BIOPARC Fuengirola is once again showing why it remains one of the province's leading family attractions by offering visitors a different experience: exploring its tropical ecosystems at dusk, when temperatures fall and many animals become noticeably more active.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the park will remain open until 11pm throughout July and August, making it the only zoo in Spain to regularly stay open that late during the summer. The extended hours give visitors the chance to discover a rarely seen side of the park and enjoy a far more comfortable visit during the cooler evening hours.

As the afternoon turns into evening, the atmosphere inside the park changes. The lush vegetation creates its own microclimate, helping to keep temperatures lower than outside, while the changing natural light and the sounds of flowing water and wildlife create a different setting.

Many of the animals also become more active. Sumatran tigers patrol their territory more frequently, binturongs emerge after their daytime rest, pygmy hippos become livelier and birds such as hornbills fill the park with calls that are rarely heard during the hottest part of the day.

The result is a completely different experience, even for visitors who have been to BIOPARC Fuengirola before.

The extended opening hours are accompanied by a programme of activities designed to make the most of the evening.

Visitors can join guided tours, attend keeper talks and learn more about the work carried out by the teams responsible for animal welfare. Throughout the afternoon, the park also hosts environmental enrichment sessions, offering the chance to observe many species displaying their natural behaviours.

As in previous summers, the Selva Clearing will once again host African dance performances, one of the most popular attractions for families and other visitors.

The biggest addition to this year's programme arrives on 23 July with the launch of Mayan Nights. Held every Thursday, the new event features The Guardians of Dawn, a live show inspired by Mayan culture that combines nature, music and performance to create a distinctive evening experience.

Beyond its appeal as a visitor attraction, the anniversary is also an opportunity to highlight BIOPARC Fuengirola's long-standing commitment to protecting biodiversity.

Over the past 25 years, the park has taken part in more than 40 international conservation programmes for endangered species and has celebrated significant breeding successes with animals including the Komodo dragon, western lowland gorilla, orangutan, Malayan tapir, giant otter and Edwards's pheasant, one of the world's most endangered birds.

The park is designed to recreate complete ecosystems, with conservation, research and education forming a central part of the visitor experience.

Visitors can currently explore environments inspired by Madagascar, equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia, the Indo-Pacific and the park's newest expansion, dedicated to Central and South America. The area was created as a tribute to the expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano.

Less than an hour from almost anywhere in Malaga province, BIOPARC Fuengirola offers a different kind of summer day out for those looking to stay close to home.

Its late opening hours, special programme marking the park's 25th anniversary and the chance to see many species at their most active after dusk make for a different experience, whether it's your first visit or you're returning to rediscover a park that continues to surprise visitors a quarter of a century after opening.

More information about opening hours, activities and the anniversary programme is available on the BIOPARC Fuengirola website.