The Baluarte Zoo was established by local politician and businessman,
Chavit Singson. Initially it was only a
rest house for Singson. The site was already known as Baluarte prior to Singson's arrival, which came from the Spanish term for "stronghold" or "fortress". Described as an interactive wildlife sanctuary, the facility was designed and developed by Singson himself. Operations were disrupted by the
COVID-19 pandemic, but the zoo has since reopened. In 2024, a zoo employee was dismissed for hitting a lion to make it pose for photographs. ==Features==