So to the big question which is better Berlin Zoo or Berlin Tierpark ? I have personaly only visited Berlin Zoo 9 years a go. But judged from what I have heard about both of the zoos, it look like I would have voted on the Berlin Zoo. Berlin Zoo has the most species of the two. Although Tierpark is much bigger. Both zoos have several bad and utdated facilities. But both zoos have at least a handfull of good, to very good enclosuers. So what do you think, which is best of the two Berlin zoos ? Vote and comment below.
Good question! The thing is, the two zoos have increasingly divergent collections, so comparisons become increasingly difficult. Both have some awesome and very rare-in-captivity species, and extreme variability in exhibit quality. The Tierpark has a better reptile collection in my opinion, but the allowance of dogs on the grounds was ver disappointing to me. Overall I preferred Berlin Zoo, but only because of their superior bird collection (and I visited when the Bird House was closed!).
true, but only if you include the aquarium in the Zoo. Based on the latest published figures (December 2012), the Tierpark has more species of mammals (197 vs. 171), birds (367 vs. 306; however, the latter may well rise substantionally with the opening of the new Zoo birdhouse) and reptiles (104 vs. 69). The Zoo is far ahead in fish and invertebrates, but only because of the aquarium. I find it hard to choose between the two, but on balance the prize goes to the Zoo.
No voting from me.....they are so different, that no trip to Berlin is complete without visiting both!!
Both these zoos have some badly utdated exhibits. Zoo have the carnivore house, primate house, and bear enclosures, and so on. Tierpark have the Alfred Brehm house, african primates house, and more. But Berlin Zoo have at least improved much in the last years (nighthouse, hippohouse, penguinhouse, sealion enclosure, and so on). (And the upcoming birdhouse and bear enclosures). Tierpark have also tried to improve, but many attempts of doing it have ended badly. Now I am thinking about exhibiths such as the so called african primates house, which looks more like a primate laboratory, with its tiny, sterile cages, covered in tiles. It is unbelivable that an exhibit like that was build in 2001, although your surname is Blazieksiwitz, (unsure of spelling) that is not an excuse to have an hellhole like that for any animal, in a 21. century zoo. That Berlin Zoo have changed much to the better is one reason I like that zoo, better than its colleague in the east. Fortunately Berlin Tierpark have some big, wide, open enclosures that have worked brilliantly from the start, over fifty years ago. So the picture is not so black and white as you might think
These are in the process of renovation at the moment, with increased space, better substrates and other improvements. I dip my toe into this debate cautiously, because it has been done to death elsewhere here, but whatever criticism you want to throw at this house, it is not tiny - the outside enclosures are of a good size, while the indoor ones are no smaller than in many other zoos.
This is a good question and there cannot be an objective answer in my eyes. I think they complement each other rather well. The zoo always strikes me with the good old Aquarium building which I simply love. As I just wrote somewhere else, I hope the new bird house will be somewhat of a worthy equivalent. And I also like the penguin enclosure as well as some of the houses and enclosures for mammals (e.g. hippos, sea lions, night house, south American mixed species enclosure...). I think in addition to this there is a lot of very decent and some not so great enclosures. But many of the latter are presently being improved or will soon be improved. The landscape is also rather nice. The Tierpark in contrast has some very large and impressive enclosures for ungulates with large groups of animals. And in general most enclosures are far more generous than their zoo equivalents. The Brehm-building has often been criticized but according to the staff it does have some clear advantages and soon the outside enclosures are going to be largely expanded. Besides that the indoor halls may easily be some of the best INDOOR exhibits for cats. The primate house also offers good conditions for the animals in my opinion. It is ridiculous to claim that little has improved in recent years. Almost all enclosures have in fact been improved. Another thing I really enjoy about this parc is the sheer size. As a result it is far less crowded and I feel a more private atmosphere when I watch the animals. Well, to make it short: There is some clear advantages for either zoo. Due to personal preferences I did vote for the Tierpark, however, even though I am glad I can visit both zoos (I would strongly miss the aquarium, the apes, the night house and some other great enclosures in the zoo).
I visited both for the first time in 2013. I voted for the Zoo. It has a lot more atmosphere than Tierpark does imo.
What, and leave only half a day to visit the Zoo. A diligent walk round the Bird House, Pheasantry and Aquarium could exceed half a day (especially on a first visit). I think the reality (as you know) is that you can't really do the Zoo and Tierpark properly in one and a half days. I think Zootiger's got to choose their priority, visit that first, and accept they're only really getting a taste from their half day visit. As to which to prioritise, there lies the debate of ages.
Oh, I fully agree my advice was based on the fact that TP Berlin is so big that a half-day wouldn't even give a taste, whilst I reckon one could get a decent "feel" for Zoo in the same half-day. It's a devil's choice; do both collections badly or only do one and do it well.
Thanks for the advice, I'm afraid I don't really have another option! In terms of my photography, I tend to only really photograph carnivores (particurily cats and bears) so for me the zoo in half a day may be do-able if I don't do the aquarium and bird avaries?
In terms of cats, dogs and bears (based on a very quick scan of zootierliste) this is what I found for Berlin Tieprarc vs Berlin Zoo. Any corrections or additions would be appreicated! Berlin zoo: Barbary Lion Jaguar Polar Bear Sun Bear Andean Bear Brown Bear Asiatic Black Bear Sloth Bear African Wild Dog Sand Cat Jaguarundi Berlin Tierparc: American Black Bear Polar Bear Malayan Tiger Sumatran Tiger Siberian Tiger Asiatic Lion Jaguar Pallas Cat Bobcat Central Asian Lynx Cheetah Margay Ocelot European Wildcat Geoffrey's Cat Gordon's Wild Cat Clouded Leopard Javan Leopard Leopard North Chinese Leopard Leopard Cat Serval Caracal Bush Dog Dingo Spotted Hyena Striped Hyena Aardwolf Maned Wolf
Easily, I suspect - although I would suggest that even if you only give a cursory glance to the Pheasantry at Zoo Berlin, it is worth a quick visit in order to see and photograph the only Trumpet Manucode in captivity; it's not every day you see a Bird of Paradise! As far as carnivores at each collection goes, I believe this is the complete list for each, with taxonomic groups lumped together: Zoo Berlin - 28 carnivore taxa Canids - 3 taxa African Wild Dog Fennec Fox Non-ssp Wolf Felids - 8 taxa Arabian Sand Cat Barbary Lion Non-ssp Jaguar Jaguarundi Non-ssp Lion North Persian Leopard Ocelot Sri Lankan Rusty-spotted Cat Mustelids - 2 taxa Asian Small-clawed Otter Tayra Ursids - 4 taxa Asiatic Black Bear Non-ssp Brown Bear Indian Sloth Bear Polar Bear Pinnipeds - 4 taxa California Sea Lion Cape Fur Seal Eastern Atlantic Harbour Seal Northern Fur Seal Herpestids - 2 taxa Dwarf Mongoose Meerkat Euplerids - 3 taxa Eastern Ring-tailed Vontsira Fosa Northern Narrow-striped Boky Procyonids - 2 taxa Kinkajou South American Coati Hyaenids - 0 taxa Viverrids - 0 taxa Ailurids - 0 taxa Mephitids - 0 taxa Tierpark Berlin - 42 carnivore taxa Canids - 6 taxa Bush Dog Chinese Dhole Eurasian Wolf Dingo Maned Wolf South African Bat-eared Fox Felids - 21 taxa Asiatic Lion Bobcat Central American Margay Central Asian Lynx Southern Caracal European Wildcat Geoffroy's Cat Gordon's Wildcat Indochinese Clouded Leopard Non-subspecific Jaguar Javan Leopard Non-subspecific Leopard Malayan Tiger North Chinese Leopard Palawan Leopard Cat Pallas' Cat Serval Siberian Tiger Snow Leopard Sudan Cheetah Sumatran Tiger Mustelids - 2 taxa Central African Ratel Northern Yellow-throated Marten Ursids - 4 taxa American Black Bear Polar Bear Spectacled Bear Malayan Sun Bear Pinnipeds - 0 taxa Herpestids - 1 taxon East African Banded Mongoose Euplerids - 0 taxa Procyonids - 1 taxon Northern Raccoon Hyaenids - 3 taxa Eastern Aardwolf Spotted Hyena Striped Hyena Viverrids - 2 taxa Malayan Binturong Malayan Civet Ailurids - 1 taxon Nepalese Red Panda Mephitids - 1 taxon Striped Skunk
They're in the Tierpark, in a run of moated enclosures adjacent to the elephant house. No hyenas in the zoo for quite a while now, although some spotted hyena used to time-share the lion enclosure.
Sorry I mean the tierparc! Found the spotted hyena and aardwolves enclosure but can't find the striped Hyenas?! Any ideas
They are - or certainly were - in that same run of enclosures. Standing at the elephant house, and looking towards them, the spotted are in the larger enclosure on the right, aardwolves in the middle, and striped to the left...
It appears not? It goes spotted hyena, aardwolves, and bat eared fox then a path to the wolves. Can't see the striped. Maybe missing something myself!