A Look at Some Well-known European Zoos - in 1984

Introduction

In late January of 1984 I travelled to Europe to see some of the more famous zoos I had heard about. Over the next five weeks I travelled through seven different countries and visited a total of eighteen different zoos in the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. Almost a year later I intended to give a slide presentation to zookeepers at the Australasian Society of Zoo Keepers annual conference and wrote a commentary, the title of which I have used for the name of this thread, which reviewed most of the zoos I visited, and I supplemented the presentation with lots of slides I had taken while visiting the zoos. One of the things that I noticed time and again was the use of animal houses (like Monkey House, Bird House etc.) where many of the inhabitants spend much of the day inside. This is quite different to Australia, but as it was the middle of the European winter, I understood why this method of display was necessary. However, I found that in many of the zoos photography indoors was either not ideal or just impossible, and so in these instances I made notes, but as I was pushed for time in some places, the notes at some zoos were brief. And at some zoos I made no notes at all.

In 2010 I posted the review of my visit to Bristol Zoo on ZooChat, and many members found it interesting from an historical perspective; I always planned on doing the same for the remaining zoos but just haven’t got around to it until now.

The text for each review was written several months afterwards and was based upon my notes and from what I could remember. As I said, it was to be delivered to zoo keepers in Australia so there is a slight emphasis on enclosure design/construction, and occasional references or comparisons to Taronga Zoo or its exhibits. At this point in time zoos were starting to evolve from sterile, spartan cages to naturalistic enclosures, and the idea of enrichment, both behavioural and environmental, was a new concept. So much of my notes reflect the construction of the enclosures, the size, and the furnishings.

I have copied the text verbatim, and resisted the temptation to correct my grammar, to re-word or rephrase sentences and paragraphs. I was 21 at the time and my writing skills were underdeveloped (by my current standards). However, if for the sake of clarity I feel the need to add words or phrases (or entire paragraphs), I have done so in [brackets]. The scientific names are recorded from labels on exhibits at the time, and I have not updated them to current usage for posterity’s sake. Measurements are all estimates, illustrations are not to scale.

I’ll be posting the individual reviews in the appropriate forums, with this thread linking to them. Some zoos I only have a few paragraphs written (and no notes), so those reviews will be posted in this thread only.

The zoos visited were: Bristol, Whipsnade, London, Jersey, Antwerp, Planckendael, Artis (Amsterdam), Blijdorp (Rotterdam), Köln, Hagenbecks’s in Hamburg, Hannover, Munich, Zolli Basle, Zürich, Dählhölzli in Berne, Frankfurt, Nürnberg and Wilhelma in Stuttgart. I also visited the Berne Bear Pits and some ****** little menagerie in the basement of a department store in Brussels.

Just recently I found my daily holiday journal which I will include with each review in this thread, if that day’s entry contains anything of interest related to the zoo.

Finally, the opinions expressed here are mine and often reflect the views of the day. Some reviews are not complimentary, and apart from a visit to London and Jersey in 1988 I have not visited any of these zoos in the intervening 35 years but I’m hoping that these zoos have improved.



Hix

 

Bristol Zoo

From my holiday journal:

Sunday January 29, 1984 (London)
Up at 07:00 this morning. At 08:00 caught a train to Paddington and then a train at 08:45 to Bristol. From there (at 10:35) I caught a No.8 bus to the zoo (bus leaves from the station).

Regular admission is £2.40 – I got in for £1 with my ABWAK membership.

Very interesting zoo. White Tigers, Gorillas, Orangs, Guerezas, Okapi, Pacarana, Moholis, Slow Loris, Sloths, Penguin (King, Rockhopper, Black-footed), Lemurs etc. Took over 90 slides, but several won’t come out. The 70-210 Zoom is excellent [this was a new lens I bought before travelling]. Got some nice close-ups. Left zoo about 15:45.

My review of the zoo is here:
Bristol Zoo - Impressions from 1984 [Bristol Zoo]

 

Whipsnade

Tuesday January 31, 1984 (London)
Up at 08:15. Bus at 9:15 to Dunstable. Taxi to Whipsnade Zoo. Arrive at Zoo at about 10:30.

Zoo was very good. Very large enclosures encompassing several acres in some cases. Brown Bear, Siberian Tiger, Lion, Penguin (King, Humbolt’s, Rockhopper), Pere David’s Deer, Rhino (B&W), Przewalski’s, Grevy’s Zebra, Cheetah, Persian Onager, Pygmy Hippo, Reeves Muntjac, Giraffe etc.

Some bad enclosures, cats, chimps and one bear pit. Animals in Children’s Zoo weren’t very good either.

Left at 16:15 via taxi (same driver) to catch bus at 16:40 back to Victoria/London.

Everybody has heard that Whipsnade’s enclosures are very big, but I was surprised at how big they actually were. I, unfortunately, did not have a car so I had to walk around the zoo and it’s a lot bigger than Western Plains [Zoo]!

Whipsnade is situated on top of a hill overlooking Dunstable Downs and right on the edge of the Downs the wind races up the side [of the hill] and is bitterly cold. Here they have their Penguin Pool and although I was shivering in warm jumpers and a parka, they were enjoying the pool. I expected them to be [in the pool], but it made me so much colder just watching them.

Of course, they have rare animals too. Most of the animals at Whipsnade (over 90%) were born there. They have both Black and White Rhinos, Przewalksi Horses, Wattled Cranes, Black-necked Swans, and they recently had their 99th Cheetah born there.

Running around the zoo, instead of guinea-fowl like many zoos, they had Bennett’s Wallabies. And running loose in the Children’s Zoo were Reeve’s Muntjac. I saw one or two of the Muntjac in the rest of the zoo but I saw several in the Children’s part.

The Brown Bear cage deserves special mention. Most of the paddocks were large grassy expanses but the bear exhibit was a virtual forest, thickly wooded. I had trouble finding the bears before they came out of the trees and they could have easily hidden completely.

 

London Zoo

Friday 3rd February, 1984 (London)
Went to Regent’s Park in the morning by taxi. Spent two hours there. Too cloudy for photography, and Eve [a keeper I knew] wasn’t there.

[I have no recollection of this brief visit to London Zoo, and it appears I took only one slide that day, of a pudu. Which is why I guess I never wrote up a review.]

 

Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust

Monday February 6, 1984 (Jersey)
Flew to Jersey on BA. First customer at Hertz’s new airport office so I got the rental (Cortina Ghia) for free. Took me an hour-and-a-half to find the hotel – The Highfield Country. Then went to the zoo; saw nobody I knew.

At the [JWPT members] meeting in the evening at the Lido de France, Gerald and Lee Durrell gave a lecture on making the Amateur Naturalist. Spoke to Him afterwards, as well as John Hartley, Phil Coffey, David Waugh, Ged Caddick & Nick Lindsay. Got both Durrell’s to autograph a copy of The Amateur Naturalist.

Tuesday February 7, 1984
Went to zoo for most of morning. Afternoon drove to St Helier, Rozel, Bouley, Bonn Nuit, Greve-de-Lecq, then back to zoo. Dinner at hotel.

During the day I spoke to Simon Tonge and Quentin Bloxam about the Reptile House (getting Hydrosaurus and Fiji Iguanas) & Nick Lindsay about Teporingos.

Wednesday February 8, 1984
Drove round island today – St Helier to buy a new tripod, then St Aubins Bay to Corbiere Point, up St Ouens Bay to Grosnez, round Greve-de-Lecq then over to the zoo where I spoke to John Hartley.

Thursday February 9, 1984
Beautiful Day!! Got to the zoo when it opened, ran out of film twice and had to buy some more. Said goodbye to Ged Caddick and took some last photos before leaving at 12:45, drove around the island a bit more before back to hotel to pack for tomorrow morning flight.

________________________________​

I first went to Jersey back in 1982 to do their Summer School and so I knew what to expect. Jersey specialises in rare and mainly endangered species like Snow Leopards, Pink Pigeons, Thick-billed Parrots, Volcano Rabbits, Hutias, Tenrecs, Orangs, Gorillas, Congo Peacocks, Rodriguez Flying Foxes and Fodys, and the very rare Keel-scaled Boa. As I had seen most of the animals there the last time, I noticed the changes as well: three Przewalski stallions they were holding, a capybara, and some Black-and-Red Ruffed Lemurs.









The Gorilla enclosure is comparable to Taronga’s Chimpanzee Park being about the same size and having no roof. The animals are kept in by a high wall. Unfortunately, the inside area is open to the public and the animals have no place to go to get away from them.

The Waldrapp Aviary has a back wall mimicking a cliff face as this species of ibis only nests on cliff faces.

The Brian Park Ape complex, originally housing gorillas, now is occupied by [orang-utans] Gambar, Gina and Maias (pronounced ‘my arse’) and Gina’s baby, Mokko Mokko. The complex didn’t have a roof when it had gorillas, so they had to build one for the Orangs.



Looking after their pair of Snow Leopards proved to be more difficult than expected. Apparently, Snow Leopards are adversely affected by dust and moisture, and the keepers had a lot of trouble when they hosed out the inside den to get rid of any dust and then trying to dry the den quickly. The animals could not stay outside for too long as the climate in Jersey is a lot warmer than it is in the Himalayas.

 

Antwerp

Saturday February 11, 1984 (Brussels)
Went to Antwerpen Zoo and was rather shocked. Not one of the best zoos. Spent all day there. Very cloudy weather - not many photos because of this.

Tuesday February 14, 1984
Went back to Antwerp today for photographs and notes. Also bought two posters. Sunny day so I took lots of photos. Left about 2pm.

Went the “Exotarium” in Place Rogier in Brussels this afternoon. Disgusting.

[The ‘Exotarium’ was in the basement of a department store. It consisted of a bunch of cages – probably about 30 or 40 – that were about 2 ½ feet wide, 2 ½ feet deep and 3 feet high, made of wood with a glass front. The cages were sitting on 3-foot-high stands. They had a variety of mammals, reptiles and birds, including some monkeys. For most, the cages were too small, they had not been cleaned and the water was filthy. And there was no staff member around. I hadn’t brought my cameras, and so I only have vague recollections of this menagerie nowadays, but a friend I was staying with in Brussels later told me the Exotarium had been closed down.]

My review of Antwerp is here:
Impressions of Antwerp Zoo - from 1984 [ZOO Antwerpen]

 

Planckendael

Planckendael is a satellite zoo for Antwerp, like Whipsnade is for London [Zoo], or Western Plains is for Taronga. However, this zoo has larger cages and the aviary for Monkey-eating Eagles is about the same size as the Snowden Aviary in Regent’s Park.



Apart from a couple of really small cages at the entrance, most of the animals live in large paddocks. It was very overcast the day I was there and very cold so I didn’t take many photos. I only spent a couple of hours there.

 

Artis Natura Magistra

Wednesday February 15, 1984. (Brussels)
Went to Natura Artis in Amsterdam today. EXTREMELY COLD!!!

This zoo is one of the best I’ve seen so far. Of course, they have all been good, but this one is very good.

Came back through the Red Light district just for the heck of it.

[Actually, I had caught the train up from Brussels in the morning and walked about a mile to the Zoo where I spent much of the day. In the afternoon the wind was so cold, biting at my face and making my eyes water and I became concerned the tears might freeze on my eyes. I was walking back to the railway station with my head down looking at the ground, using the hood of my parka to protect my head from the wind and snow. I missed the turn-off to the station and after a short time when there was a lull in the wind I look up to get my bearings.

I was standing in front of a townhouse, and beside the doorway was a large plate glass window, floor to ceiling, with a girl in a leopard skin print bikini sitting in a chair. It was obviously very warm inside. Then I noticed above her door was a red lamp that was illuminated. There were more red lights up and down both sides of the street in front of every townhouse. Realising I was lost I headed for the only building I could see where I was least likely to get myself into any trouble – McDonalds. After buying a Strawberry Milkshake and some Pommes Frites I sat down and looked at my street map of Amsterdam to work out where I was, and the quickest way back to the station. Which is where I went, without diversion, once I’d finished my shake.]

My review of the zoo is here: Impressions of Natura Artis Magistra - from 1984 [Artis Royal Zoo]

 

Blijdorp

Sunday February 12, 1984
Went with Marguerite to Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam today. Very interesting, especially their Riviera Hall & Tropicarium. Took many photos – nice weather today.

I didn’t make any notes in Blijdorp (Rotterdam) and I took a handful of photos only. I remember though that the zoo is a reasonably good one and that the centre of the zoo was a big building that housed their Reptile House, Insect House, Aquarium, some birds, and the Restaurant and Souvenir Shop. It was a really large building housing thousands of animals. The tank in the South American part of the Aquarium was about 30 feet long and six feet deep (approximate lengths only) and contained, amongst other things, Arapaima.

I didn’t see them but I had heard that Blijdorp had in their possession about half-a-dozen Fiji Banded Iguanas that someone had tried to smuggle in but Customs caught them.

 

Cologne (Köln)

Monday 13th February, 1984. (Brussels)
Left early this morning for the 8:12 train to Köln, arriving at 10:54.

Köln is a pretty good zoo and I enjoyed it a lot. Bought several souvenirs including some posters. Many rare animals.

My full review can be found here: Impressions of Cologne Zoo - in 1984 [Cologne Zoo]

 

Hagenbeck’s (Hamburg Zoo)

Saturday February 18, 1984 (Hamburg)
Went to Hagenbeck’s today. OK. Not as spectacular as I expected but alright. Privately owned. Had to buy a license to take photos. Left late in the afternoon and had dinner at McDonalds.

My review of the zoo is here: Impressions of Hagenbeck's Zoo - from 1984 [Tierpark Hagenbeck]

 

Hannover

Sunday February 19 1984 (Hamburg)
Up at 6:00 this morning. Caught the 7:45 train to Hannover, arriving at 9:07, then went to zoo via taxi.

Nice big zoo with a great new ape complex called the Urwaldhaus. Spent most of the day at the zoo. Caught tram back to Hauptbahnhoff, then train back to Hamburg. Dinner at an Egyptian Restaurant where Camel was on the menu.

My review of the zoo is here: Impressions Of Hannover Zoo - from 1984 [Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover]

 

Zolli Basle

Tuesday February 21, 1984. (Basle)
Walked to Zolli Basle today as my hotel is only about a kilometre away. The best zoo I have seen in a long time!!! Vivarium has more weeds in each of their phenomenal tanks and the reptilehouse is just as good.

Bongos - + a baby born 30-1-84! Snow leopard and babies! Baby Giraffe! Baby Pygmy Hippo! Great Indian is expecting. Baby Gorilla!

Spoke to Deputy Director/Curator of Birds – can’t remember his name – Dr Ruedi [the director] was very busy.

My review of the zoo is here: Impressions of Zolli Basle - from 1984 [Zoo Basel]

 

Zürich Zoo

Wednesday February 22, 1984. (Basle)
Went to Zürich today. Took photos on the train on the way – lots of snow!

Met Director Dr Weissenmann & General Curator Dr Christian Schmidt & Education Officer (don’t remember his name). Everyone very polite and friendly. Dr Schmidt unearthed a Pygmy Hog for me, showed me Boat-billed Herons, Harlequin Ducks etc. He shouted me lunch and let me attend the anaesthetization of a Woolly Monkey & subsequent examination.

Dr Schmidt got me, free, a Zürich ZooKeepers patch & three giant posters, plus the last three annual reports.

At the end of the day he gave me a lift to the trains, to return to Basle.

Also: Baby Hippo, Siamang, plus two baby Arabian Oryx!!! Baby Gemsbok, baby Zebra, 2nd Generation Persian Lions, Vicuna etc.

My review of the zoo is here: Impressions of Zürich Zoo- from 1984 [Zürich Zoo]

 

Berne Bear Pits

Thursday February 23, 1984 (Basle)

Went to the station and caught a train to Berne. Walked the one kilometre to the bear pits, then walked back and caught a taxi to the Dählhölzli Zoo. Not big, not impressive but one or two interesting cages. Then walked back to Berne Bahnhoff (about 2 miles) and caught train back to Basle.

The Bear Pits of Berne are well known. Berne, although the capital of Switzerland, is small. Apart from the shopping and the old Clock Tower and a few other buildings, the only other thing there are the bear pits.

As their name implies, they are pits holding bears. The pits are very old, entirely made out of concrete, and have European Brown Bears. There are two pits and there were some old cubs in one but I don’t know if they were born there or came from somewhere else. You can even by food to throw to them. Zoologically, it wasn’t impressive, but the animals had more room to move than some others I had seen.

 

Dählhölzli Zoo, Berne



Dählhölzli Zoo is rather small. Most of the zoo is free, but part of it you have to pay a small admission fee (3 or 4 deutchmarks). This small part contains some fish, birds and some Squirrel Monkeys indoors, and outdoors there are Musk-ox, Moose, Lynx, Lammergeier, Wolves, Arctic Fox and some reptile and amphibian displays. There were no reptiles or amphibians obvious, so I assumed that, because it was Winter and there was snow all around, the reptiles and amphibians were off-display. [I remember seeing water in the exhibits that was frozen.]










The part of the zoo that was free housed some waterfowl, Ibex, Mouflon and some deer species.



Enclosures overall were large, and the Ibex and Mouflon were living on a steep hillside made out of concrete.

I don’t think I’ll be going back to Dählhölzli because there’s really nothing special there, except the Lammergeier. Berne isn’t big and doesn’t have much to offer a zoologist ….. [and] the Bear Pits are nothing special. [A presumptuous statement that I no longer agree with. A more correct statement would have been “doesn’t have much to offer this zoo enthusiast, at this time”].

 

Tierpark Hellabrun

Sunday February 26, 1984 (München)
Went to Tierpark Hellabrunn today. Cloudy. U-bahn to Hauptbahnhoff, then S-bahn to Siemenswerke. Walked about a mile to zoo from there.

Snow everywhere at zoo. Followed Guidebook around and missed Aurochs, Tarpan & Aquarium. Good Apehouse, Polarium (4 species of penguin). Took lots of notes.

Ran back to station to catch train.


Tuesday February 28, 1984 (München)
Up at 5:30 to go to Innsbruck & Alpenzoo but trains not running so went to Hellabrunn again.

Sky cleared up, took lots of photos. Saw aquarium, Aurochs, Tarpan etc. Left I late afternoon.

My review of this Zoo is here: Impressions of Hellabrunn - from 1984 [Tierpark Hellabrunn]

 

Nürnberg

Monday February 27, 1984 (München)
Went to Nürnberg today. Snowed all day restricting photos to a minimum.

Really nice zoo set in forest. Met vet Dr Glaucker & Director’s secretary Doo-Dah; Dr Claus was very busy. Shown Dolphinarium & introduced to Mr Klinckert and 4 Guyana Dolphins. Fed two Bottle-nosed Dolphins. Their Tropenhaus had a baby Malay Tapir and a family of Manatee – two adults and two babies!!!! Scratched babies!!!

Reluctantly left in late arvo.

My (short) review of the zoo is here: Impressions of Nurnberg - from 1984 [Tiergarten Nürnberg]

 

Wilhelma, Stuttgart

Wednesday February 29, 1984 (Munchen)
Up early again – this time to Stuttgart. Because of a delay on the U-bahn, missed train but got the next one instead.

Zoo has SHOEBILLS and MOUNTAIN TAPIRS !!!!! Keeper allowed me to scratch tapirs!!!

Also have Proboscis Monkey plus baby Indian Rhino.

Zoo is very good, highly recommended.

My review of this zoo is here: Impressions of Wilhelma - from 1984 [Wilhelma Zoo]

 

Frankfurt

Thursday March 1, 1984 (Munich)
Caught the 8:30 train from Munich to Frankfurt . Arrived at Hotel Am Zoo at 13:00. Went to Zoo at 13:30 and successfully walked around all of zoo by 17:00. Then I tried to make appointment to see Director the next day but no go. However, I spoke with Deputy Director Dr Sherpner for an hour-and-a-half. Very interesting.

Frankfurt Zoo is one of the best I have ever seen. The Grzimekhaus is an excellent building with both nocturnal and diurnal areas. The cages are spacious, some being absolutely enormous. Exotarium, Ape and Monkey houses are also very good as are the Bird Halls.

My review of this zoo is here: Impressions of Frankfurt - from 1984 [Zoo Frankfurt]