Places in Spain - Lobo Park (Wolf Park), Antequera, Andalucia
There are thousands of theme parks in Spain but very few are as unique as the Wolf Park, located close to Antequera in Andalucia. The Lobo Park was established in 2002 by Daniel Weigend and Alexandra Steiber, a German couple with a passion for dogs and wolves. The Lobo Park is unique in the world and is known as the only wolf park where wolves can be seen in the their natural environment. Almost a million square metres has been cordoned off to house the 29 wolves that currently roam the park. |
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The unique philosophy of the park ensures that the wolves are not domesticated but learn to accept that humans are no threat to them. This is achieved by introducing Daniel to the pups at a very early age before being placed in the enclosures. This means that visitors to the park don't see a zoo but if they are lucky they will catch sight of the wolves in their natural packs. Idealspain visited the Lobo Park in June to discover just how unique the park is. |
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| We have visited theme parks and zoos all over Spain and most are much of the same. There is no doubt though, the Lobo Park is different. The location of the park in itself is unique. It's surrounded by open countryside but easily reached from the main Alora to Antequera road. The parking and reception areas are located far enough away from the wolf enclosures to not interfere with them and the restaurant and shop offers a welcome escape from the sun. |
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| The wolves are seen by means of guided tours, given by the multi-lingual staff. The tours are designed to be educational and we were surprised by how little we actually knew about wolves. The tours often include a feeding demonstration which will amaze everyone. Daniel also offers Howl Nights where a bar-b-q is followed by a night tour of the park. This is when the wolves are most active and their distinctive howling can be heard for miles around. |
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Most of the wolves at the Lobo Park were born here although some have come from parks around the world. The park also breeds wolves that are sent to other parks to establish new packs. Daniel is obviously proud of the park and the way it runs but more than that is the passion and love he has for the animals. It's also evident that he has a great deal of respect for them. He is the only human that has any direct contact with the wolves. "I am not park of the pack", he explains, "but the wolves treat me like a friend. I have convinced them that they have nothing to fear from me so therefore I am accepted". |
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| The park has several breeds of wolf including the Timber Wolf, originating from the forests of Canada, Alkaska Tundra Wolves that are used to the cold winters and hot summers of Alaska and European Wolves that can still be found in Russia, Poland and Romania. There is also a pack of Iberian Wolves that are to be found in Spain and Portugal. It is estimated that there are only around 2,000 of these in the wild. On top of the huge costs to establish the park, the running costs are immense Daniel tells us. "We receive no subsidies at all", he explains, "so we rely totally on the income from visitors, donations and sales from our shop". The park has a wonderful "adopt a wolf" scheme as well as taking donations for building the enclosures. |
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A reasonably new addition to the park is the farm. Equally popular with adults and children, the farm gives visitors the chance to meet and pet some wonderful animals. It includes rabbits, goats, pigs and foxes. Some of the most popular characters include Pinkie the pig who simply loves visitors, Apple the fox gives people the unique opportunity to get close to this beautiful animal and the rabbits are happy to be picked up and cuddled.
For those visitors who prefer horses then you will not be disappointed. There are first class facilities for horse riding with a qualified instructor. Rides start at just a few euros. |
Open all year round except Christmas Day and the 1st January, the park can be visited between 10am and 6pm and there are several guided tours each day. Entry is very reasonable at 9.50€ for adults and 6.50€ for under 12's. More information can be found on the website at www.lobopark.com |
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