Opened in 2022, Zoo Park Foz offers a unique experience of responsible interaction with living creatures. Discover that there is life outside the cities and learn what you can do to build a better world. Experience the countryside and the forest, and remember that we are all part of nature!

Zoo Park Foz was born from a dream long ago, when Leandro Mautone, a native of São Paulo, moved to Italy. There, he spent 15 years working at renowned institutions, such as Oltremare Park and the Genoa Aquarium, where he learned the techniques of falconry.

This is an ancient art that fosters a partnership between humans and birds of prey, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Upon returning to Brazil in 2017, Leandro began working at the Rio de Janeiro Zoo, which was then seeking to implement falconry to improve bird care, provide new educational experiences, and control synanthropic animals (wild animals that are able to adapt and live alongside humans).

The work in Rio de Janeiro yielded valuable experiences and results, allowing him to meet biology students Bruno Nogueira and Larissa Vasconcelos, who, as interns, learned all the falconry techniques from Leandro. But something was missing. Leandro still aspired to create something that would not only promote falconry in Brazil but also deepen people’s connection with birds of prey. After two and a half years in Rio de Janeiro, it was time to spread his wings and take flight.

In 2019, Leandro and Bruno and Larissa—who are now biologists—founded the Falconry Center in Foz do Iguaçu, located on Silmar Benitez Street. There were only the three of them on staff to carry out all the center’s activities, which included not only caring for owls, falcons, hawks, and vultures, but also conducting training demonstrations with these animals for visiting guests. This training is a fundamental part of the birds’ routine, encouraging natural behaviors and aiding in the rehabilitation of those that have been rescued from accidents or abuse.

The Falconry Center has established itself as a well-known and respected institution in the city. However, the property on Silmar Benitez Street gradually became too small to house the birds that arrived in need of care, and it soon became clear that an expansion was necessary to provide better care for the animals. Thus, in 2021, Leandro entered into a partnership with the Dreams Group, which was seeking to fulfill its social and environmental mission.

The partnership with the Dreams Group led the Falconry Center to relocate and evolve into Eco Park, which opened in December 2022. Its mission has also expanded. Now, it is not only a center for the treatment and rehabilitation of birds of prey and the promotion of falconry, but an institution dedicated to telling the story of humanity’s relationship with animals. Eco Park has created a small farm with domestic animals and an immersion sanctuary to serve as a new home for birds and reptiles that have suffered at the hands of humans due to abuse. 102 animals were referred to Eco Park by the Paraná Water and Land Institute during its first year of operation alone.

Today, in 2026, the brand has established itself as Zoo Park Foz, where visitors are invited to learn about this work through responsible interaction with the animals at the petting zoo and to watch the birds of prey in flight. This demonstration is based on the presentations developed by Leandro in Europe and is the only one of its kind, to date, in South America.

Committed to building a better world for all forms of life, Zoo Park Foz is celebrating its anniversary on December 4, a date designated as World Wildlife Day.