Our Story

Roberto Berger - April 1979

In 1975 Roberto Berger and Ricardo Mata had the idea to create a wildlife reserve, with the intention of conserving and reproducing endangered Guatemala Fauna.

Mr. Rafael Herrera donated the first animals to the reserve: 15 white-tailed deer. Auto Safari continued adding local and international species to its collection, many of them donations from different entities. At this point, the animals were kept in generic paddock areas, while planning for the actual park was underway.

After three years of design, the main road was constructed by removing 75 cm of organic material and adding gravel that has lasted up to today. Next to be built was the restaurant area, a large thatched roof designed by Mr. Horacio García Aguirre. Teak wood was used for this structure, taken from trees planted in 1945 by Roberto Berger. Upon finishing the restaurant area, the rest of the parks infrastructure was completed: administrative offices, ticket stands, snack bars and pools. While construction was underway, new animals were acquired and a reforestation project was begun. Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) or "Caoba", Elephant Ear Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) or "Conacaste", Matilisguate (Tabebuia rosea), Cedar (Cedrela odorata), Croton (Codiaeum variegatum), Hibiscus flowers and bamboo were planted. The park opened its doors to the public on January 26, 1980.

Ricardo Mata with "Furia", the first Jaguar in Auto Safari's history. In this picture "Furia" was six months old.

In 1994 a remodeling program of the cages and paddocks was begun, with the idea of eliminating the cages and placing animals in a more natural environment that caters to their specific needs. Remodeling continues to this day so that the enclosures provide better living conditions and better visibility for the public.

We have successfully reproduced Guatemalan endangered species such as white-tailed deer, red brocket deer, white lipped peccary, Central American jaguar, spider monkey, capuchin monkey, scarlet macaw, blue and gold macaw, as well as several parrot and parakeet species.

We also maintain non-native fauna, to assist in worldwide reproduction goals and to educate our visitors.

February 1980. African Lion and vehicles on paddock 9

Our visitors can see African lions, white rhinos, giraffes, ostriches, and Vervet monkeys to name a few. They can also see the South American Rea, Nilgai asntelope, Blackbuck, and Axis deer from Asia. The majority of the species have been well reproduced and we continue the effort to maintain a healthy and varied collection.

"Piloto", the third hippo to arrive at Auto Safari, photographed here on March 1974.

We receive students from a great number of national schools and of all education levels. Their visits help us achieve our goal of creating awareness about the importance of preserving fauna and flora, so they can share this knowledge with their local community and be ambassadors for the care of the environment.

We strive to continue our preservation and education missions through recreational activities and the interaction with animals.