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Like a Rhinestone Cowboy: FunkyGibbon in Europe

Discussion in 'Europe - General' started by FunkyGibbon, 30 Mar 2017.

  1. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    After reading the review of Stuttgart Zoo by @FunkyGibbon , I spent 15 minutes perusing the gallery and looking at a lot of greenhouses, concrete, good exhibits and poor exhibits at this famous, popular German zoo. The fact that the brand-new Great Ape House looks as if it was built in the 1960s is extraordinary, and I remember the infamous gibbon exhibit well as it's been there forever. It is really cool how so many people bring different perspectives to ZooChat, as I can name two zoo nerds that actively dislike Stuttgart and think that there are plenty of outdated exhibits all over the grounds. There are others (possibly @Tim May being one of them) that think the zoo is one of the best in all of Europe. A truly divisive zoo that I will 100% visit on my next Euro trek, whenever that might be.

    As for @Shirokuma , to have some of your favourite zoos be Stuttgart, Basel, Bern and Korkeasaari is both fantastic and shocking. Even without knowing you, if you asked me what your two favourite Swiss zoos were then I would have said Zurich immediately and yet you made no mention of that famous zoo. I thought that your post was enlightening, as we all have zoos that we prefer over others and thus there really should be no criticism of an individual's preferences. Judging from the comments on this thread, I really do need to see Stuttgart for myself one day...although what it will look like then is anybody's guess.
     
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  2. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Stuggart Zoo is one of my personal favourites; it is probably my third favourite German zoo (after the two Berlins) and would definitely feature in my top ten European zoos.

    I am certainly not claiming it is, objectively, "one of the best in all of Europe" but it is, subjectively, one I enjoy visiting enormously.

    I like the fact that it is a combined zoological and botanical garden, I love the old greenhouses with the impressive horticultural displays and the outdoor heated tropical waterlily pool is a wonderful sight.

    I wish the animal collection still included mountain tapir, elephant seal and shoebill though.
     
    Last edited: 22 Aug 2019
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  3. antonmuster

    antonmuster Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    ...but then, you haven't visited Bern or Basel, have you? ;)
    While I prefer Zurich over the other two, I get how one could come to the opposite preference. Basel and Stuttgart I think resemble each other in many ways. Both reject contemporary theming in preference of a more understated, museological aesthetic. They are proudly unapologetic about being zoos. For example, they see no need in hiding that the limits of indoor enclosures are, in fact, concrete walls. This approach, imo, is not inherently incompatible with naturalistic, animal friendly enclosure design. Basel's unapologetic concrete walls delimit some of the most beautiful naturalistic enclosures I have seen. I think it is great to hear that Stuttgart seems to be taking a turn in a similar direction. In many ways Basel seems to me like a smaller, 'objectively better', and less divisive version of Stuttgart. But being less divisive, I guess, cuts both ways. Bern in many ways is a zoo following a similar philosophy as Zurich, arguably with similar success - yet impressively, they manage to do so without the eight figure investments.
    I agree that Zurich's heavily themed, naturalistic, and behaviorally friendly enclosures are mostly excellent. And overall, I love how they are developing the zoo. But the path of heavy theming - I think - is a delicate one to tread. If the implementation is anything short of excellent you end up in the uncanny valley all too easily. This means cheesy, 'childish' (no insult to children intended :p ), no less extremely expensive monstrosities. The prime example of where Zurich almost strayed too far, to me, is the mock-rock in the elephant park. It falls decidedly too short of excellent, and imo greatly compromises the wonderfully abstracted aesthetic of forest foliage cover implemented in the design of the wooden dome roof of the indoor enclosure. MRJ's recent review of Zurich imo also nicely illustrates just how thin (and subjective) that line can be, for him in the case of the Australia section.
     
    Last edited: 22 Aug 2019
  4. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    I also extremely enjoy this feature. After close inspection I decided that it was unintentional (the source just seems like an overflow), but they presumably also recognise the simple beauty of it.
     
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  5. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Funnily enough, the zoo that Stuttgart most reminded me of was Tama in Tokyo.

    It's great to see some appreciation for Dahlholzli and Helsinki, which also feature very highly on my personal subjective list. Have you visited Odense? I suspect you'd find it to your tastes :p

    I see the link that @antonmuster is making between Stuttgart and Basel,and the later is certainly a very fine zoo, but for me it lacks both the star quality of a true heavy hitter and the personality that marks a more oddball choice for favourite zoo. I have, since my visit, regarded Basel as the 'gatekeeper' zoo. If a zoo is 'better' than Basel it is almost certainly one of Europe's Greats; 'worse' and it is merely Very Good.

    Like @snowleopard I am surprised Shirokuma doesn't prefer Zurich, but this is what makes zoo-appreciation so interesting.
     
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  6. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Nurnberg Zoo - 22/8/19

    "If you can't beat 'em, Nur'em"

    I am writing this review on the back of a strange evening: I ate an improbable amount of chicken, followed an improbable English win in the cricket and then improbably bumped into an old university acquaintance on the streets of Munich. I've left this a little late, but I'm visiting Hellabrun tomorrow so it needs to be done.

    After the high of Stuttgart a few days earlier it was inevitable that Nuremberg would disappoint to some extent. Ha! Not only did the zoo exceed my expectations, it pushed Zurich pretty hard for the title of 'Major zoo that is closest to perfection'. What I knew about Nuremberg before visiting is that it is a large mammal focused collection, in a beautiful wooded setting with great enclosures. All of this is true, and yet the zoo is much more than this and it is the much more that really lifts it to lofty heights.

    Before I wax lyrical, not everything in here is fantastic. The lion and tiger exhibits are underwhelming, and the main primate house similarly so, although I assume the major works adjacent to that are for a new and improved gorilla outdoors. The primate house does however have a series of tanks inside that allow Nuremberg to sneak in a few more aquatic species.

    The mammal exhibits are more than just beautifully enclosed woodland; they make use of the site's history as a quarry as well. One of the best is one of the earliest you see, a simple heavily wooded island for squirrel monkeys. These guys also have a caged outdoors and a large indoors as well. Similarly the fishing cats have a spacious indoor exhibit with a bay window that was open to allow them access to their huge moated enclosure. As for, I believe, many others, the yellow-throated martens provided another highlight, although I never saw them in their naturalistic exhibit. Instead, they were tearing it up in their more classic cage.

    It's the surprising bird exhibits that really grabbed me. The nice crane collection is nice, and the very large heron and ibis avairy very impressive. The lammergeier avairy, however, is one of the best exhibits I've ever seen. A genuinely enormous tent structure; it's a statement piece. The other avian highlight came in a surprising place: the manatee house. The bird line-up is nice enough, but it's the house itself that shines. It's not very large, but has freeroaming birds, bats, reptiles, frogs, ants and technically I suppose manatees and fish. Although a little hot for lingering, it's a really accomplished achievement.

    Next to the house are the dolphin lagoons, and both have underwater viewing from the same 'Blue Salon' (an unfortunate name). The lagoons are far and away the best cetecean holding I've seen, although I think Hardewijk and Singapore have similar set-ups. I enjoyed my time watching there and wish I had had more; I did the zoo as a long afternoon, which is totally possible, but next time I'll arrive early and just leave when I'm sated, as I did find that I would have enjoyed a longer visit.

    For me the best part of Nuremberg is one of the newest: the Desert House. It's a small building, with a desert landscape recreated inside. A single path wends its way from entrance to exit, and there are no barriers to separate visitors from the exhibit itself. Birds can be seen perched in the branches, and various reptiles are quite active, coming across the path at times and generally being quite tolerant of visitors (who, with the lack of staff present, felt happy to touch). The real stars of the house, and of the zoo, and the dung beetles. The house is full of them, Scarabaeus sacer and Pimelia angulata, the latter being far more active. They were rolling dung from the 'dung tray' to their burrows, presumably, but other beetles would constantly intervene and long and protracted wrestling bouts would follow, the dung ball totally forgotten for minutes at a time. It was a totally unique zoo going experience, any least for me. I imagine other zoos will follow, but I will always remember where I saw it first.

    I think the genius of Nuremberg lies in not building a reptile house, and making the dung beetles the centrepiece. The inspired step, which one imagines many zoos would not take, is to make the beetles THE experience. Adding exhibits of this quality will ensure that Nuremberg maintains its reputation for excellence, and if the zoo could continue to add more 'non-mammal' exhibits as well it would explode the only serious criticism which is leveled at it. A criticism, I hope, that this review shows is already largely unfounded.
     
    Last edited: 6 Sep 2019
  7. HOMIN96

    HOMIN96 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The joys of being an English man :D
     
  8. Hvedekorn

    Hvedekorn Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I agree with your assessment of the desert house. I had expected I would like it, but I didn't expect it to be so teeming with life. I saw almost all of the species (minus the geckos and for some inexplicable reason the Egyptian tortoises) which I hadn't anticipated.

    Speaking of less fantastic exhibits, the gorilla exhibit was also being rebuilt during my visit, and I wondered if anything would happen to the fish tanks in there. They are for the most part okay (maybe the lionfish could do with a bit more space), and there are some nice species, but they are just quite underwhelming compared to the huge exhibits the zoo is otherwise known for - most other zoo aquaria seem to have tanks that are at least bigger than pet shop standards.

    I also found that while Nuremberg is by and large a mammal-focused zoo, it doesn't neglect the other animal groups as much as other "mammal zoos" tend to do, as the desert house, lammergeier aviary etc. prove. I hope that's the future of zoos in these times of species number downsizings - big name mammals to draw guests through the gates, but also some evidence of the diversity of the rest of the animal kingdom.
     
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  9. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Tierpark Hellabrunn - 26/8/19

    'What the Heck'

    Is Hellabrunn an interesting zoo? That's a question I have been asking myself pretty much done I walked through the gate two days ago. I am pretty sure that the answer is 'No', but certainty eludes me. Let's break it down.

    What is Hellabrunn famous for, in its current form? ....... I think this question strikes at a key problem right away. Before I visited I would have probably said the thing I was most looking forward to were the Heck's cattle. Now, you might just say: 'Ah, but Josh, you were an uninformed idiot'. Trouble is, after visiting I can't really come up with a better answer.

    There are lots of things that Munich does really well. If you walk the zoo in an anti-clockwise direction it'll take you an awful long time to come across a bad exhibit. That's because Hellabrunn doesn't really 'do' bad exhibits - the notable exception being the cramped lion island that will soon be replaced. On our walking tour all we are going to see for quite a long time is hoofstock paddocks, ranging from good to great, for mostly paleoartic species. 'Well, that sounds wonderful', I hear you say. Yes, but it also sounds like about fifty wildparks, none of which are really making ripples on the international scene.

    There were some nice surprises in the Children's Zoo. Some lovely outdoor terraria for native herps, a further indoor room of the same and then a very interesting fish breeding building where they are raising large amounts of threatened species for release into the Iser. Adjacent to this is a polar area, which also surprises with mountain hare, as well as a classy exhibit for arctic fox, among others.

    The first real misstep is the Jungle World. Not only is this attached to the lion exhibit, it seems to fail on a more crucial level. As a tropical walkthrough, it just wasn't very fun. Possibly it's the anti-tardis effect (it feels bigger on the outside), possibly low stocks of free roaming inhabitants or possibly just poor path placement. It didn't do it at all for me, although I did get lovely views of the fishing cats.

    The primate collection is located next to the entrance, but from the map I got the sense it wouldn't be a highlight presentation-wise so I left it until last. I was somewhat justified in this; some species get nice islands, others get slightly less impressive meshed exhibits, and the whole area is a bit of a maze that encourages underappreciation. A large breeding group of Sumatran orangutans was fantastic to watch, and their exhibit seemed comfortably above average as well, although the zoo seems reliant on good relations within the whoop to be able to hold so many.

    My favourite part of Hellabrunn was the Urwaldhaus. I was worried this was going to be crappy all-indoor exhibits for chimps and gorillas, but it actually turned out to be very good. Both outdoors and indoors were spacious, if perhaps a little open. The supporting cast of large terraria and aquaria really set it off though, with the mangrove style tank absolutely hitting the spot for me.

    Having completed my circuit of the perimeter, I thought I'd mop up a few bits in the interior that I hadn't seen and then head off. It was then that I discovered another strength of Hellabrunn: it's large. Unmarked areas on the map hold multiple exhibits; I almost missed my first golden jackels (I missed them anyway because they didn't show, but I saw the enclosure). A series of excessively fenced exhibits for what I think was a single wolverine gave fantastic views of it climbing and swimming. And a previously unrevealed propensity for Hellabrunn to utilise space for secondary exhibits became clear, something we can all get behind.

    The more I saw of Hellabrunn, the more I liked it. It's deceptive in that it doesn't feel that big at first, and a lot of the paddocks are quite generous, and yet the carnivore and hoofstock collections are really rather large. The problem is that it lacks standouts, or highlights, or really anything to make you stop and say, 'Wow, this is better than pleasant'. I know that I'm being harsh, and I am sure there are many visitors who love Hellabrunn for what it is, but in a world of Berlins and Nurnbergs and Pairi Daizas, Munich just doesn't really stand out. I hate to say it, but honestly if you didn't visit here you wouldn't miss much.

    Except a nice day at the zoo of course. Let's not lose sight of that. It is a very good zoo, and it should be commended for that, especially when so many zoos I would place above it are doing a poorer job at dealing with their weak spots. I don't really know what the sizzle, or x-factor, that it's missing is; presumably it is innovation, or even just vision. Fundamentally the only thing surprising about Hellabrunn is that it didn't surprise me; and at this level that just isn't going to cut it.
     
    Last edited: 29 Aug 2019
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  10. lintworm

    lintworm Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I really enjoy all your reviews, I am missing the beer reviews this time though....


    The original plan did not include any outdoor enclosures for the apes, this is also the reason why the outdoor enclosures can only be assessed by going over the visitor path... The reason why outdoor enclosures were added, is political oversight. Local politicians demanded that an Ape house in 2000 had outdoor enclosures and this is a prime example of how governments can actually improve animal welfare.
     
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  11. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

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    Apologies for the late response but I was still travelling around Germany and Austria and wanted to be able to sit down at my desk to write a more thoughtful response than would be possible on my phone.


    Zürich is an excellent zoo with some amazing parts including the highly influential and beautiful Andean bear enclosure, Masaola of course, the elephant house (although the outdoor paddocks are somewhat underwhelming in comparison) and the Exotarium. But for some reason, the overall whole doesn’t knock me off my feet despite liking it very much. The Australian section was under construction when I last visited but from what I have heard, I don’t think I’d love it.

    I think Basel is an excellent example of a small-ish city zoo in transition that has retained a very representative collection. It's a nice scale and I love the themed buildings (in the sense of topic rather than cultural or geographic theming). I like the mix of concrete clean lines and naturalistic enclosures alongside typical grand zoo architecture like the Antilopenhaus and the bird house. My one main critique is that too much space is given over to domestics in the centre of the zoo. It has a stylish easy to follow map and a nice restaurant.

    Basel was the first traditional European city zoo I visited as a young child and I remember the intense excitement of my first snow leopard, okapi and fossa and I found all the storks fascinating. I also love the proximity of the city around it, something I like about places like Antwerp, Amsterdam, Cologne and Frankfurt. It's great seeing houses and blocks of flats through the trees or across a canal from giraffes for example.

    Huge comprehensive collections are something I can really appreciate. Arriving in a massive zoo for the first time is a special experience but I get overwhelmed and overloaded after a while. Big has its place but it definitely doesn’t mean better.

    I have been to Odense. There were elements I liked very much and the squirrel monkey island in particular was beautifully done. But overall, I didn't like all the theming. I get that they have a narrative of story telling which is of course appropriate to Odense with its literary heritage but it didn't entirely work for me.

    A couple of other responses:

    Nuremberg

    The weird thing is that I have been on countless visits to Germany throughout my life but as it was always on family visits to the same areas or travelling with friends until recently I hadn’t visited any German zoos. For example I kick myself that I had been to Cologne on a number of occasions whilst they had saiga but never made it to the zoo. I had only been to the Berlins before this summer and visiting 11 zoos in 2 weeks was on the one hand satisfying and fulfilled a need to address a large gap in my zoo experience but at the same time utterly draining.

    I arrive at zoos feeling almost elated but it’s not unusual for me to feel mentally and physically overloaded by the end of the day and leave feeling very grumpy and overwhelmed which is why as a child I would often have meltdowns at the end of an otherwise enjoyable family day out.

    My visit to Tiergarten Nürnberg wasn't my best day. I started on the wrong train from Munich, managed to get off in time but dropped my wallet - which was quickly found - and ended up with a one hour journey taking four due to a broken down train. So I ended up arriving at the zoo in the afternoon on a very hot and busy Saturday. Not the best conditions for me to visit a large new zoo for the first time. Nonetheless, I loved it for many of the reasons you point out. The lammergeier enclosure was spectacular (although no luck with the marmots - in fact I didn't see a single marmot on the whole trip), the site in general is stunning. I'm sure many of us wander around country parks or woodland and picture a zoo there and Nuremberg is just like that in many ways. I should add that I have major reservations about keeping cetaceans in captivity and I wasn't overly impressed with the dolphin lagoon. By the time I got round to the Desert House it had already closed but peering in through the windows I thought it looked excellent. The neighbouring deer paddock was simply beautiful, just a lovely zoo moment at the end of a stressful day.


    Munich

    I broadly agree with you on Munich too. My perception before visiting was that it was big and slightly bland with fairly uniform paddocks maybe a bit like a German Miami (I’ve never been to Miami so I could be completely wrong but I get the impression it’s got lots of similar-looking open 'golf course' paddocks and it’s never stuck me as especially exciting).

    My first impression was very positive, a lovely wooded site which was cool and peaceful with lots of flowing water. I sat on a bench by the Mesopotamian fallow deer for while and reflected on a busy two weeks and what’s coming next in my life. It was the last full day of my trip and I was really exhausted and not feeling very enthusiastic about visiting another fairly large zoo but in the end I really enjoyed Munich very much and it was a satisfying and pleasantly surprising end to a sometimes intense and very tiring trip.

    A few random thoughts: African crowned crane and ground hornbill in the old brown bear enclosure shows the weakness of the geozoo system which isn’t that fully implemented anyway. At least it wasn't empty. The map was definitely too vague! The fast flowing water throughout the zoo was quite lovely. There was greater variety in the enclosures than expected but there was a certain degree of uniformity. The rhino enclosures, for example, could be more like Basel or indeed Nürnberg's converted elephant paddock with a bit more landscaping. I hated the rhino house by the way.

    I thought the farm was very nicely done and it's always good to see local/regional breeds. Wild guinea pigs alongside their domesticated cousins was a nice touch.

    I got very close to a very active and playful young polar bear - and noted a dead duck in the water.

    I don't normally talk to staff but did ask about the golden jackal and where I might find it. A very friendly helpful member of staff told me where I could find it and when best to see it - although ultimately it was a no show. The walk through aviary was excellent with free flowing water and high subtle netting you would hardly notice.

    Overall the signage was really excellent, interesting, engaging and attractive.

    Munich was the last zoo of my trip. I was exhausted and overwhelmed - and would never do so many again - but at the same time I have no regrets (apart from missing the kaka in Stuttgart and not staying around longer).

    It's not perfect and not quite up there as a favourite but Hellabrunn is definitely a zoo I’m very fond of in a city and Land (Bavaria) I have come to love.
     
    Last edited: 2 Sep 2019
  12. oflory

    oflory Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    I'll be in Munich the week after next, so was interested and excited to read your review. Out of interest, what WAS the keeper's advice on seeing the jackal?
     
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  13. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

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    Early in the morning or late in the afternoon just before close. The enclosure is next to the wolverine/cat area.
     
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  14. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    @Shirokuma The site of the old bear exhibit will become the new lion exhibit. Crane and ground hornbill are still currently signed.
     
  15. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

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    Yes, this will become part of the Africa zone according to the master plan - and the nearby ibex enclosure is due to become a gelada enclosure if the plan is still on course.
     
  16. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Apparently the master plan on display in the Indian House is likely already outdated, according to @lintworm
     
  17. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Alpenzoo - 29/8/19

    'Taking an Innsdepth Bruck at things'

    Alpenzoo has become something of a crowd favourite on ZooChat. It is celebrated for its comprehensive collection of animals indigenous to the Alps. It is often said, correctly I imagine, that it is so strong in this one area that is the best collection of European animals by dint of this fact. I did notice one thing that is often missed; Alpenzoo holds wisent and elk, which I am not sure really belong in the collection as they are not currently found in the Alps.

    In truth, Alpenzoo is everything you have heard and expect. It is a beautiful site on the side of a mountain, with generally beautiful exhibits. I really liked, again, the aesthetic; concrete is not shied away from, and of course wood, metal and natural stone are also in abundance. One thing that ties everything together is the use of circles as a recurring feature, which I also enjoyed. There is also a lot of interpretive material on the botany and geology of the region. In this, as in all other areas, Alpenzoo excels.

    Not everything is perfect; a number of exhibits, whilst beautifully maintained, show their age in terms of size. I'm thinking of the bears and the passerine aviaries in particular. I would be very shocked if there isn't a long-term plan to build a 'modern-sized' bear enclosure at the top of the zoo. There are also a couple of other 'holes' in the collection that I'd like to see filled, most notably the absence of squirrels. For a zoo that naturally must lack primates I think this is a surprising oversight. Whilst you couldn't knock, at all, the collection in the aquarium, there is also a surprising amount of unused physical space that I would like to see filled somehow.

    The Aquarium is really the unsung star of Alpenzoo. Although, again, I have some misgivings about tank size for some of the larger species, the presentation and set-up are world-class. Each is a thing of beauty, and the architecture of the building itself also also quite attractive. It's sort of separated into different sections because it's integrated with the restaurant building and on multiple levels; visitors should take care not to miss any parts. One particularly large tank can be viewed from above outdoors, and then through a huge window indoors. The water is crystal clear, and the gradations of colour in the algae on the walls and sloping bottom bring to mind Yellowstone. Not only was it the highlight of the zoo, for me I think it was the highlight of the entire trip. Alpenzoo knows what they have here and has put reclining chairs in front of it to allow, indeed to encourage, visitors to really soak in the exhibit.

    Alpenzoo has been placed firmly on the ZooChat map in recent years and with good reason. It's a must-visit zoo that succeeds in every arena: collection, location, presentation and education. I would like to know more about the conservation side of things though.

    Although Innsbruck is an expensive destination, using budget buses it can be done as a day trip from Munich very cheaply. I have generally kept these reviews tightly focused on zoos this time*, but I couldn't not mention the Hofkirche, which as someone more used to the Protestant tradition I thought was probably the most extraordinary religious building I'd ever visited.

    * Beer reviews a notable sacrifice
     
    Last edited: 4 Sep 2019
  18. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Thanks for the Alpenzoo review, and on the zoo's website it states that the facility is 4 hectares/10 acres in size and thus not a very large zoo. Another section of the zoo's website says that "you need about 1.5 to 2 hours". It seems to me that it would be very easy to visit both Alpenzoo and Salzburg Zoo on the same day, as they are only separated by a two-hour drive and each seems like a fairly small establishment.
     
  19. Shirokuma

    Shirokuma Well-Known Member

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    Salzburg can easily be done in half a day but although Alpenzoo isn’t huge it is extremely steep and if you’ve been doing lots of walking in the days prior to your visit you’ll need to move up the mountainside at a slower pace. Luckily there’s lots of seating which I took full advantage of.

    Even if you are full of energy I think it’s a zoo that takes longer to see properly than its size might suggest.

    The limited remit of the collection means that every species is in the spotlight. I’ve never seen people so engaged by snakes or a pine marten and that was great to experience on my visit. I found that I spent much more time on reptiles and amphibians and small birds than I would in a larger, more general collection.

    I wouldn’t recommend doing Salzburg and Alpenzoo on the same day. Not least because Salzburg is a beautiful city and a rewarding destination in itself as is Innsbruck and you’d really miss out by cramming the two zoos into one day unless you’d already visited the cities.

    A visit to Alpenzoo can also be combined with a cable car up to the Nordkette mountain and if your visit to the zoo is thorough, adding the mountain will easily make a full day out.
     
    Last edited: 3 Sep 2019
  20. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    There are a few other species which fall under the classification of "historical residents of the Alps", if I recall rightly - so this is perhaps a better way to look at the remit of the collection.
     
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