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Largest zoo in Europe?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Kwambeze, 6 Apr 2014.

  1. Kwambeze

    Kwambeze Well-Known Member

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    Which zoo is the largest zoo in Europe, if you compare the size of the parks?
     
  2. kiang

    kiang Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    In terms of area it is generally acknowledged that Whipsnade is the largest zoo in Europe, covering around 600 acres, usually followed by Tierpark Berlin at 395 acres.
     
  3. Kwambeze

    Kwambeze Well-Known Member

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    Thank you!
     
  4. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hi, check earlier threads, for the size of Askanya Nova zoo in Ukraine.
     
  5. devilfish

    devilfish Well-Known Member

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    But then you'd include Cabarceno at 1,900 acres. :)
     
  6. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    I believe that you are correct, but isn't it true that Whipsnade only utilizes about 200 of its 600 acres? Is there a lot of surrounding land that is not filled with animal paddocks?
     
  7. IanRRobinson

    IanRRobinson Well-Known Member

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  8. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Is not Port Lympne as big or bigger than Whipsnade?
     
  9. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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  10. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Yes, so probably Askaniya Nova it is!!! :D
     
  11. IanRRobinson

    IanRRobinson Well-Known Member

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    Port Lympne's own website claims only to be "one of the largest wild animal parks in the UK", so I think not. I suspect that more of Port Lympne's acreage is actually in use, though: big drive through areas do tend to use up a lot of space.
    Plan Your Visit | The Aspinall Foundation
     
  12. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hello, I just got access to International Zoo Yearbook.

    ZOOPARK OF THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE ‘ASKANIYA-NOVA, UKRAINE: 2376·4 ha (Zoopark 76·44 ha). Updated: 2013. Per the Askanya Nova website, the area actually keeping exotic animals includes an enormous ungulate paddock/enclosure of ca 3 km x 2 km.
    PARQUE DE LA NATURALEZA DE CABARCENO, SPAIN: 800 ha. Updated: 2013

    Réserve de la Haute Touche is not listed, otherwise the biggest French zoo is:
    RESERVE AFRICAINE DE SIGEAN, France 297 ha. Updated: 2012.

    ZSL WHIPSNADE ZOO: 260 ha.Updated: 2013

    I don't have time to check every zoo, so there could be more zoos bigger than Whipsnade (although it is unlikely that any is bigger by area than Askanya Nova).
     
  13. vogelcommando

    vogelcommando Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  14. temp

    temp Well-Known Member

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    Interesting article vogelcommando, but it is similar to other lists made by such pages = mostly wrong. The fact that they include both San Diego Zoo and Berlin Zoo, but neither San Diego Safari Park nor Berlin Tierpark says it all. Even if assuming that they used other criteria than area, e.g. number of species, the list is still far from being right.
     
  15. lintworm

    lintworm Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Not to mention Shedd, Plzen & Prague....
     
  16. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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  17. zoomaniac

    zoomaniac Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    ...as well as listing species numbers that are (mostly) completely outdated (= to high).
     
  18. docend24

    docend24 Well-Known Member

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  19. temp

    temp Well-Known Member

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    A few months since the last post but I wonder: How large is Longleat Safari Park? The whole estate is huge. Although the safari park only covers a tiny part of it, I guess it is up there among the larger? Wonder if someone has a number.
    Another large is the 660 hectare Knuthenborg Safaripark, which label themselves as the largest safari park in northern Europe. However, "only" 400 hectare are in use for animal park. Quite a bit above e.g. Tierpark Berlin or Whipsnade but far below Askanya Nova.
     
  20. zoomaniac

    zoomaniac Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I'm amazed. 400 hectare in use, not acres? Then it is a lot and not only a bit above TP Berlin (and in Western Europe only beaten by Carbaceno with its 750 hectares?)