Parco Natura Viva is now a modern Zoological Park, an important protection centre for endangered species, which has evolved over time to take an active role in the conservation of biodiversity.

Designed from 1965, was inaugurated on June 25, 1969 a first sector of about 10 hectares, the current wildlife route. In 1973 an area dedicated to the species of African mammals and birds called Safari was added, to be visited on board your vehicle. In 1978 the structure was further extended with new routes: the Aquaterrarium, the Tropical Greenhouse and the Dinosaurs area, where visitors could admire life-size models of reptiles of the past. Since 1985, a major general redevelopment project has been underway that has involved and still involves several fundamental aspects: zoological, architectural and managerial.

The role of the zoological parks has evolved over time: from simple exposure of exotic animals to a fundamental actor of their conservation. The usefulness and necessity of a modern zoo were officially defined by the Rio Conference of 1992, in which the value of the ex situ conservation strategy integrated with the in situ one in the protection and protection of biodiversity was strongly stated.