The municipal zoo in Miraflores is one of La Paz's better family destinations, partly for what it contains — condors, spectacled bears, tapirs, pumas, and a range of Amazonian species — and partly because it represents Bolivia's biodiversity in miniature. The spectacled bear (ukuku in Quechua) is native to the Andes and rarely seen in the wild; the zoo has a small breeding programme.
The zoo is modest by international standards but well-maintained. It occupies a hillside site with an interesting topography — the enclosures are spread across terraces connected by paths, which gives the visit a walking quality that zoos on flat ground lack. Admission is very cheap. Good for a half-morning, especially if you have children.