The tour started today with a visit to Zoom Gelsenkirchen, and will finish in Frankfurt on 18, September I would appreciate any feedback on zoos that l may be missing with either great exhibits or gorillas that are worth visiting, that are close to the following itinerary? In approximate order of; Germany Zoom Gelsenkirchen Duisburg Wuppertal Frankfurt Nuremberg Leipzig Czech Republic Prague Austria Vienna Poland Wroclaw Poznan Germany Berlin Zoo Berlin Tierpark, Hamburg Vogelpark Walsrode Hanover Zoo Osnabruck Munster Netherlands Apeldoorn Burgers Belgium Paira Daiza Maybe if time; UK Port Lympne Chester I visited Howletts, Antwerp, Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart in 2009 so will not be returning on this trip. I will be returning to Apeldoorn, Burgers and Port Lymph again as they are too good to miss! Chester I have not been to in 27 years so very much looking forward to it. If you have followed my dream of owning a zoo, it is very much still a goal, l just need a break from work and life in Melbourne. Would love to catch up with other zoochat members along the way, please pvt me or say hi if you are available?
You kept this one quiet zooman! When you did America last year you made sure you were up to date, were you trying to surprise us Europeans? You have a great selection of zoos on your itinerary, the two Berlins, Frankfurt and Prague are all high on my wishlist for the future. If you make it to the UK then Chester should pleasantly surprise you as it's changed one hell of a lot, compared to the rest of our zoos it's miles ahead in terms of exhibitry! (And I'm not even one of the Chester regulars! )
Zoom Gelsenkirchen today, Just settling back in from day at this zoo. The zoo is split into 3 zones, Asian appears to be the newest and best area of the zoo. The new tiger exhibit Looks great, l think you can estimate the age of a new tiger enclosure by the height of the bamboo planted along the rear of the exhibit to cover the cyclone fencing In this case about 4-6 ft. So maybe 1 year? The Primate exhibits were very good and the asian small clawed otter in with the Orangs seemed to work very well. The Otters were very scared of the orangs, in particular a female with a Baby, as soon as the were within 10ft the Otters ran stratight back into the water. I really hope they rotate the primates as the Sri Lankan Languar a first time seen for me, they were brillant, however l think they would surely make far better use of the larger Orang Islands rather than the smaller one they were on. Afrika, the savanh area totally let the surronding exhibits down as it was barren of any real Vegetation and looked very tired. Wondering if they reduced the number of hoofed stock and watered the area would grass grow? The boat ride was okay and free, however it seemed to Highlight how Little $ was being used towards onging maintance, allot of the walls and details were poorly finished. I was looking forward to the hippo pass by and a Little dissapointed at the General appearnce of the area very tired and lacking Vegetation. The Red Ruffed Lemur walk through was great and the lemurs were very interested in being patted and admired by the public, some great pics l will post when l can. Alaska, Probably the best (kodiak) bear exhibits l have ever seen, (and l have seen Oaklahoma`s grizzly exhibit). The Polar Bear exhibits looked small, there was a young polar bear cub who was sitting lifeless the 3 times l went past today. The Timber Wolf enclosure was breat and offered many viewing Points however on 3 visits they were all in the same spots. The underwater seal viewing tunnel would have been great if the water was not green and algae growing on the perspex reducing visability. I was really suprised to see exhibits holding serval and bears with dead fish and raw meat laying around the enclosure not being eaten by the animals. Overall a good zoo that feels like it is not providing the resources to staff to provide adequate enrichment for the animals.
I would give serious consideration to Pilsen Zoo - only about an hour from Prague and a very high-quality zoo with a huge diversity of species. Would need at least a very long, full day though, possibly more, so not sure how easily you'd be able to fit it in (particularly as the zoos you have around Prague - Leipzig, Vienna, Wroclaw - are also all very good ones). Your line-up all around is pretty good - you have almost all of my top 10 or 12 zoos on that list! Interesting to see the love for Asia at Gelsenkirchen - I haven't seen this area yet (it is indeed the newest and wasn't open when I was last there) but I think you're the first I've seen to rate it over the other areas.
Please while you are doing Duisburg also fit in Krefeld, it's just down the road, and has a new outdoor gorilla area, it's a lovely little zoo, I rate it highly. You'd be better off doing Leipzig while you are in the Berlin area (also do Eberswalde if you have time). No room or time for Rotterdam while you are in Holland?
Hi Maguari, Pilsen has been recommended by a couple of zoochat members now, it is a time issue, however l will c how l go?? Asia at Gelsenkirchen is very good and obviously very new, l think that the zoo has a real issue with maintance of older exhibits as l am sure Africa and Alaska looked allot better when first opened. I have read on Zoochat a comment by zooplantman regarding the difficulty in securing funding for the very important ongoing maintance of an exhibit not just the Initial construction costs. I think this zoo is a prime example of this issue. Also why the zoo thought it was a good idea to use pink in the colouring of the mock rock for the polar bears, l cannot imagine??
Hi chizlit, It is a time issue with Krefeld, l will see how l go, l may be have time to add it at the end of my tour. Thx for the tip on Eberswalde, l have not heard about this zoo and will now look into it. Rotterdam l have seen several times in the past, and trying to visit new Zoos on this tour. 'Leipzig while you are in the Berlin' I will also check this out as l travel thankyou.
Zooman, you've certainly sprung a surprise by announcing this 20+ European zoo trek without any advance notice. I fondly recall you writing about your American zoos, as well as a previous European journey. Best wishes and stay safe!
Zoohistorica at Bristol (UK) on the weekend of the 14-15th September would be a good place to meet zoochatters. I'm trying hard to make it. Looks like you've got some amazing plans. I hope you have a brilliant trip. Good luck, and safe travels!
Ohh this may be hard to miss!! Thanks devilfish ...... LOL Will have to see how l go so many great Zoos and l leave Europe on the 18th. I am also Meeting up with my Partner in Paris and we are taking the Kids to Euro Disney Monday the 16th, so does not look good for Zoohistorica. Will see how the trip goes.
Hi SL, The Europe trip was on the cards for a couple of months but l could not lock it in until 3 weeks ago. BTW, I was also in Borneo this month! I wanted to observe primates in the wild before another zoo tour observing them in a zoo. I will post pictures and a review of the Borneo Safari when l get back to OZ. One thing i have to say that stands out in comparison of captivie and wild primates. In the wild many live permenately app 50-100 Ft off the ground!! I will definatley be doing more Safaris in the future it was amazing!
Krefeld is literally a 15 minute tram ride from Duisburg, so you could tag it onto the same day as I have in the past. Eberswalde is a 45 minute train ride from Berlin, but well worth the effort as its set in lovely woodland, not a big hitter, but you will see plenty of them so I think it will make a nice contrast, as will Krefeld.
Give us a shout once you reach Western part of Germany or are in Holland. Might join you on one of your zoo visits! And yes, Pilsen Zoo and Leipzig Zoo are well worth your money to have a look! (whether you can time it ... is another question ... both in my opinion require full days to really enjoy them)
Good list, but if I were you: drop Munster & Osnabruck (a lot of concrete and I found both quite boring) and visit Leipzig and Plzen instead. When it is possible also try to visit Magdeburg, which is a very nice "little" zoo with very nice exhibits and many rarities. Let me know when you are in Arnhem/Apeldoorn, they are my home zoos, so I could give you a tour.
Hello Zooman Gelsenkirchen has no young polar bears. You've probably seen Antonia. Antonia was born on 24 November 1989 in Karlsruhe Zoo, but was rejected by her mother, and she was reared by hand. To 22 October 1990 she remained in Karlsruhe. Of 22 October 1990 to 25 September 1991 she lived in the Stuttgart Zoo. Since the 25th September 1991 it is held in the ZOOM Adventure World, and was even before the conversion of the zoo in Gelsenkirchen. Antonia is a polar bear dwarfish height of 70 centimeters. The dwarfism is probably a genetic defect or malfunction of the metabolism. After the zoo has opened the world of experience Alaska, she lives in a separate enclosure, as they would be inferior because of their size polar bear in a normal height rank hopeless struggle. Antonia is the smallest of the polar bear is kept in a zoo worldwide, and has been one of the favorites in the ZOOM Adventure World. https://ullijseisbaeren.wordpress.com/eisbaren-polar-bears/zoos-in-deutschland/antonia/
As our ticket system has become quite tricky, the best bargains from Berlin to Leipzig are the following: Interconnex train, 1 1/2 hrs., better than "Deutsche Bundesbahn". Meinfernbus.de, about 2 1/2 hrs., bus has fairly frequent connections Prices are changing all the time. Best buy the bus for 16€ retour, when you are lucky. But you should buy the tickets online, as they cannot be purchased everywhere. The zoo in Leipzig is in walking distance, about 12 minutes. Enjoy!
While in Germany you should consider visiting one or two of their Wildparks. There is a nice one in Hanau just outside Frankfurt. My favorite is in Gangelt, located on the Dutch border just north of the highway running west from Koln.
