If you love wild creatures, come to the very special wildlife shelters, farms and zoos in Catalonia. Here, children will learn what animals are like and how they live. They will also take part in activities that will convey to them the importance of respecting animals and the natural environment. Get ready for a very animal-focused day with all your family! An encounter with wild fauna An incredible experience with rescued and released animals is what awaits you at the Zoo of the Pyrenees in Odèn (Solsonès). 230 animals of 56 different species live in this wildlife shelter. Here you will meet animals such as Patufet the squirrel, who climbs up your back and eats from your hand, and Nikki, a slightly shy fox who, once she trusts you will let you tickle her tummy! Zoo educators will tell you the story of each animal. Among the activities they organise, “Toca Toca” (Touch Touch) stands out, where children can pet and feed 9 animals from this shelter and even hold a falcon in their hand. The zoo also organises bird of prey flight displays. In Son, in Les Valls d’Àneu, there is a place where families can observe the animals in their own habitat. MónNatura Pirineus is a centre that rescues wildlife from the Pyrenees of Catalonia and offers environmental education activities to raise awareness among young and old about their conservation. Inside the enclosure you will see up close how some typical species of the area, such as the fox or roe deer, feed. You will also get to know animals that cannot be released into the wild because they would not survive, as well as species that are being reintroduced, such as the polecat and the boreal lynx. This Wildlife Centre organises various activities, such as guided excursions to learn to identify animal footprints and tracks. The Vall de Camprodon hides 10 hectares of forests and meadows, which are home to up to 31 species of animals native to the Pyrenees of Catalonia. It is called Molló Parc, a space where you can see bears, chamois, wolves and other animals, and you will learn about how they feed and interact with one another. One of the activities it offers is to look after the animals, joining the staff in their day-to-day life, in a personalised visit. You will enter the enclosures of some animals and discover many interesting things, being part of the park’s team for a few hours. Learn how to care for farm animals A visit to a farm is an exciting plan for any family with children. In the heart of the Vall d’en Bas, Isabel and Albert, from Mas La Coromina, will be there to welcome you and show you what life is like on a farm. You will discover the pens where chickens, pigs, rabbits and cows are carefully looked after. Here you can touch the soft hair of the calves, feed the dairy cows and watch them being milked. They will offer very educational explanations during your visit to the farm, which are designed so that children can understand the particularities of life in the countryside. They also organise games and workshops about the life and metabolism of cows and the properties of milk. At the end of the day, you will be able to taste their milk and other dairy products they make. Mas La Coromina has been operating for more than 50 years, they started with just two cows and now have a herd of more than 400. Can you imagine spending a day surrounded by farm animals and wildlife? La Manreana is a school and family theme park that has a vegetable garden, a farm with all kinds of animals and a nature and wildlife centre, the Vimferri. When you visit it, you will walk around the grounds to meet all the animals. Remember that when you approach the area of wild animals you must be quiet and calm so as not to scare them. Afterwards, you can have fun finding your way out of the park’s wooden maze or why not have a ride on a pony? La Manreana is located in Juneda, very close to the Borges Blanques and 30 minutes by car from Lleida. It organises theatrical tours of the grounds every weekend, which are included with the price of admission. In El Vendrell there is a spot with very special inhabitants: pigs, horses, donkeys, even rabbits and turtles. This is Món la Bassa, a shelter for farm animals who have been rescued so they can have a better life, and each with its own story. You can also have a go at feeding them. La Bassa is an educational space that aims to convey to young and old the importance of respecting animals. The entrance fee is a donation that is invested into the maintenance of the animals and the maintenance of the farm. It opens every Sunday from 11am to 1pm and the entrance fee is €5. In the heart of Muntanyes de Prades, Càmping Serra de Prades Resort offers a very special rural workshop, “Let’s take care of the animals”. An experience that teaches the little ones how to take care of the farm animals in the campsite’s mini zoo. An expert farmer is in charge of explaining the characteristics of the animals and their habits. The little ones will be able to feed them, touch them and interact with them. In the mini zoo there are chickens, rabbits, goats and ponies, all awaiting a visit from children and their families. A different and very animal-centred day Have you ever fancied becoming a shepherd? In the Vall d’Àssua, in the Pirineus - Noguera Pallaresa, you will enjoy a very special experience: going out to graze the flocks of sheep. This activity, Aviem lo bestiar, (Let’s take them out to graze) is organised by the Shepherds’ Ecomuseum of the Vall d’Assua. You will discover what it means to be a shepherd, what vocabulary they use, such as the word aviar, which means “to graze”. You will also get to know the characteristics of the sheep, a native breed of the Pyrenees of Catalonia, while walking through the Dall meadows, habitats which have a rich biodiversity of plants and insects where they graze. Imagine the face of your children when they see a horse in the wild at the Garraf Natural Park. Vilanova i la Geltrú Town Council, together with the Fundació Miranda, which rescues these animals to give them a dignified life, invite you to spend a day near these horses. You will take a walk through the park to meet the horses in their pastures. You will be able to approach them and even touch them. Someone from the foundation will explain to you how the horse behaves, what it likes, how it communicates and the bonds of friendship they establish. At the end of the experience, you will be able to enjoy a lunch made with organic and Km 0 products in a food truck. The activity costs €35 and lunch is paid separately (€12 adults and €6 children). The horses can be visited during autumn and winter.