Lo people, My name is Jan and i'm a zoo-enthousiast from Holland, and like to find as much zoo-info as i can when i'm bored or have spare time. I'm 25 years old btw, still studying but hopefully done soon... I accidently stumbled into this forum which seems fine to find some information about the people and zoo's down under, so i think i'll be checking up every now and then Anyways, if there are any questions about zoo's in the northwestern part of Europe don't hesitate to ask. I'll give you lot two links to good photo-sites of fellow zoo-hunters (not mine, unfortunately but they're the best i know): They're both more or less Dutch but i don't think you would have a hard time finding your way through them, all names are dutch/latin so you can brush up on your official names All Dutch/Belgian Zoos: The ZooTrotters - Home European Zoo European Zoos @ Fotopic.Net (i think you lot might like the Duisburg photo's with the last Orinoco-River Dolphins outside South-America, one of the two since died at a record age)
gday and thankyou so mcuh for joining, i myself no nothing about holland zoos, could you fill us in on what zoos there are and types of exhibits thankyou and plz stick around!!!!
Holland is a tiny country with a rediculously high concentration of medium and large zoo's, in all kinds of formats (roughly 3/4 of tasmania with 12 medium and large zoos). Burger's Zoo is mostly comprised of 2 mega-greenhouses which contain a rainforest and a desert, and has a gigantic aquarium. Artis Zoo Amsterdam is one of the oldest zoo's in the world and still has a lot of history and karakter to it, even if it's enclosures are not among the largest. Blijdorp Zoo Rotterdam has a gigantic collection with a multitude of rare (and especially rare in zoos) animals. Emmen Zoo is known for their well-designed enclosures (including a pinguin coast which boasts over 150 humboldt, and still growing) but most of them contain common zoo animals... All in all i would say that all of the dutch zoo's are in the frontline of redevelopment and creating very nice exhibits, but none of the zoo's have EVERY exhibit up to scratch yet. Burger's Bush and Rotterdam's Gorilla-island are both on ZooLex Zoo Design Organization I live conveniently near the german border and thus close to the german Ruhr-area, which is a highly industrialised area where a lot of large cities have grown together, and all of them have a zoo. Considering the fact that a lot of german zoo's belong to the best in the world, there's about 15 decent zoo's within a 2 hour drive...
I live in Brisbane where the only decent zoo, The Australia Zoo (Steve Irwins) is about an hour and halfs drive, though there are a couple of native fauna sanctuaries close by. Taronga zoo is an hours flight and Melbourne two and half. So I feel very envious of you having so many good zoos so close. As you would also have aniamls that we will never be likely to see in Australia, this adds to my envy!
Well, i guess every continent has it's perks, tho i have seen wombat's and koala's in Duisburg Zoo, all other specialities like platypus (not outside australia), Tazzie devils (only in Copenhagen, very recently), fairy penguins (only small colony in Cologne Zoo), Bilbies, bandicoots and a whole host of native australian fauna is only to be seen in Australia. Would any of you know more species that are to be seen in Australian zoos that would not outside? Are there any more species of tree-kangeroos held besides Matschi and/or Goodfellow's? Does anyone know why the Australian government is so strict on exporting animals, when it seems that tho hard, australian zoos are allowed to import animals? Though you all are right, with so many zoo's around here, there are a lot of animal species to be seen (which is why i posted some photo-links...). There is btw a good Dutch Zoosite if you lot want to have a go at discovering it, this link will help: Testing If you click on a large zoo it will have the option "Verblijven Overzicht" on the right side of the screen, there you will find a map and photo's of every enclosure of every (large) zoo in Holland.
australians are notoriously stingy with exporting our native fauna - and for good reaon. koalas are one of the very reasons people come to our country. think of it as protecting our tourism industry. australia has two native species of tree-kangaroo, the small bennett's and paler lumholtz. oddly neither of these species have been established in captivity here or anywhere else!
Reading the forums i can see you like to discuss things, and i wouldn't mind discussing about that but we'll have to start a new thread if we would Remarkable indeed considering aussie zoo's do hold new guinea-species of tree-kangaroo's...
Dunno where to put this so i decided to dig this up, added a few photo's of Apenheul Primate park to my fotopic, link is in the sig... Too bad the light was very bad that day so not that many, and not very good ones. Sorry grant for not having a pic of Jambo, he was hiding a lot and gorilla's aren't my fav species (spent a lot of time with the sifaka's, titi's and woolly monkeys )
