IF YOU'RE aged 65 or over, you're invited on a free trip to Fuengirola's lifelike open-air safari centre, BioParc, on Tuesday (March 29).
Setting off at 11.00, the group trip will give you a chance to see animals from every continent, many in serious danger of extinction, living peacefully in areas designed to mirror their natural habitats as closely as possible.
See animals like these living in environments carefully designed to match their natural habitats (photo: BioParc Fuengirola)
Babies start being born around now, so you may get to see some mums with their brand-new little ones.
The animals have been bred in Europe, mostly at the BioParcs themselves in Fuengirola and Valencia, and although they are raised in environments practically identical to those they would live in if they were in the wild and are more or less left to their own devices, they have a qualified team of animal-loving carers who keep a close watch on them from a distance to make sure they are in the best possible health.
And as the BioParc centres are open-air, the animals often get close to the public – enough to be able to touch them in some cases.
As if any further guarantees of the BioParc creatures' wellbeing were needed, the centres have been endorsed by Dr Jane Goodall, arguably the world's greatest expert in chimpanzees.
To be able to join the day trip, you just need to be on the padrón, or town hall headcount census, in Fuengirola, and if you're a resident there aged 65-plus, you'll have a 'pensioner pass' from the council already – even if you're still working and not actually on a pension yet, but are within the right age group.
Head to the Área de Tercera Edad ('Third-Age Department') on the C/ Blanca Paloma, between 09.00 and 14.00 on Monday (it's unlikely to be open on a Sunday), and you'll be added to the 'BioParc road-trip' list and be given your ticket.
