CIGS Zoo
São Jorge, Manaus, Amazonas
The CIGS Zoo is run by the Brazilian Army and serves as a safe haven for animals rescued from traffickers and hunters. The site houses a variety of animals that have been rescued (or displaced from their natural habitats due to development), including jaguars, monkeys, tapirs, sloths, and many species of birds and Amazonian fish.
The Basics
The zoo is spread across 6.5 acres (36,000 square meters) of forest inside the Jungle Warfare Instruction Center (CIGS), where service members specialize in jungle combat. Visit the center to see the rescued animals in a variety of enclosures. Highlights include the monkey nursery, which occupies the central area of the zoo, a jaguar, and a black panther, which can be viewed in a natural habitat.
Things to Know Before You Go
CIGS Zoo is popular with families and animal lovers.
The zoo is not wheelchair-accessible.
There is a small snack bar and gift shop on site.
How to Get There
The CIGS Zoo is about a 10-minute drive from the center of Manaus. You can also get to the zoo from downtown Manaus on the number 126 bus. Alternatively, you can book hassle-free round-trip transportation through a tour company.
When to Get There
CIGS Zoo is open from Tuesday through Sunday, from morning through early evening. The busiest times are weekends and holidays. Children’s Day, in October, is especially crowded.
Endangered Animals
Some of the animals at the refuge are critically endangered, often as a result of ongoing habitat destruction due to urbanization and cattle ranching. Make sure to take time to observe the pied tamarin, a small monkey with a black head and a white and brown body that is found only in a restricted area of the Brazilian Amazon and is considered one of the most endangered primate species in the Amazon belt.
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