Has anyone visited the facility known as Grugapark Essen? The website Zootierliste states that there are 64 species at the establishment, mostly birds, and the large main aviary appears to be very impressive. The structure is 4,000 square meters in size (basically an acre) and 15 meters high, and apparently one of the largest aviaries in Germany. With 500 animals in total, this park clearly qualifies as a 'zoo' and it seems as if it is a popular attraction in the bustling city of Essen.
I hope you still want to know about the park. I went there earlyer this year (In my tour of all NRW Zoos), and since it is not that far away I went there too The Grugapark is a weird experince. Since it is a mix of multible facilities. Animal wise, in the greenhouses of hte botanical garden (also in the partk) has a smal group of Crested partridge. But besides that there are 5 areas with animals. The large "Freifluganlage" is truely a unexpected surprise. It was by far one of the best aviaries I have seen so far. It looks very beautifull, and has large mix of diffrent species. From flamingos, cranes, ducks, ibisis, storks, herons, swans and wadders The only thing I personaly would like to see there are may some aboreal flying birds somting like a pidgeon. to make it more lively Besides it there are 2 areas with diffrent areas with aviaries. One with parrots and one with owls. The parrot aviaries are pretty avrage. Both in species and how the aviaries are sized. With the Northern mealy amazon being the only species rare in captivity The owls are similar in the sense of avrage species and size. With the kaukasian eagle owl subspecies being the only noteble animals there. Than is there a domestecated animal area. With your avrage petting zoo, and pony exhibit ofr pony riding. Nothing noteworthy but a simple nice exhibit. And then there is a walk trough with european fallow deer. It is a good example of a insitutuion which is quite nice, but not worth to visit from a larger distance.
