Excellent , just the sort of thing I`m looking for. I presume you are talking about the Sloth Bears? Can I ask do you know where they came from? Also was "sarah" the youngster bred by Ben and Kim? Many thanks Duerener
Sara was a child of Kim and Ben. KIM, BEn and Laura was wild born. Theo was born in Nürnberg. Sara was born in Zwartberg.
Many thanks indeed for your help. If you have any other details of the Limburgse animals I would be very interested. You can always PM me if you like?
According to this postcard, , they had at least three elephants in their history. The latest two were called Myriam and Kismeth, wich were sold to a French circus by Louis Lenaers. Does somebody know the name of the third elephant and where they came from? To complete the date of opening:
Thanks Douanita , I have seen the top postcard before , although not the Chimp card, showing opening date , very interesting. I think only one Elephant remained by the time it was nearing closure?
On the subject of Chimps and Circuses does anyone know anymore about "Rosellys Circus" , they had a lucrative arrangment with Limburgse, who used to supply the circus with young chimps for training in their circus, one famous animal called "Tebo" was used in this way , he was bred at Limburgse as were many others like him.
According to my info two elephants were left at the time they closed. Myriam and Kismeth, wich were sold to a French circus by Louis Lenaers. (By the way; a picture of three elephants is also in de guide with a cheetahs on front!)
That guide book with Cheetahs on the cover is circa 1985 I believe, ten years later , in 1995 there were only the two left you mention , I would be interested to know what happened to that third female Asian Elephant and what her name was. ? Also can anyone tell me ; Which species of Crocodile was kept in the enclosure next to the Grey Seal. ? How many Giraffe were kept ? (Rothschild`s) and most interestingly ANY details about the Orang Utans kept please ? Many thanks.
Another question for you... In 1966 the Wauters started Limburgse zoo (Zwartberg) as a private collection prior to opening to the public in 1970 , does anyone know anything about that early zoo before 1970???
I have discovered that a young male Orang Utan arrived at Limburgse in 1971, he was wild born in 1969 and called "Bill". Does anyone have any further details on him or any other Orangs held ? I have no idea how long he was there for or what happened to him?. Also can anyone definately confirm the three Asian Elepants were female as there is a suggestion that "Kismeth" could have been a bull ?? Can anyone give a date for the postcard which depicts an Orang Utan (possibly "Bill" ) ? Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Nanook - Tried to PM you but your inbox is full! Can you get deleting if you wish to further discuss Limburgse....
Here are some pictures with the currect situation in Zwartberg. At this moment it is a public parc, but it will be (2017) transformed into a Artzoo/ museum by the artist Koen Vanmechelen. https://picasaweb.google.com/101837639401292326272/LKBeVoormaligZwartbergZooGenk?noredirect=1 More about the artist on Koen Vanmechelen Koen Vanmechelen
Last summer the public library in Genk held a small expo about the Limburg Zoo. In the meanwhile the Limburg Zoo has been transformed into LaBiomista. An artistic project by Koen Vanmechelen. Arts combined with animals. It's not an official zoo anymore. However there are some animals in the collection. Mostly petting-zoo animals, with extra aviary's for white-tailed eagle and toucans/ turaco's/ doves. Only the old directors-building has been kept from the old Zoo. Last summer i took the time for a visit, see
Thank you for these very interesting films, @Gorilla Gust. I had no idea that there was still a small collection of animals here. Is there any prospect of the animal collection expanding?
Yes thank you very much for the films. The exhibition looked to be detailed and positive, but I wonder, did it include the international condemnation at the hands of the BBC and other media, of the place before it closed? It looked not to have. A similar (slightly 'rose-tinted') exhibition took place in Wellingborough library last summer to celebrate the towns zoo. I visited both places in their day, and suffice to say, it is always fascinating to see the effect time has on perception.
The expo was build by a local history-group, and was indeed mostly postive and rose-tinted. The BBC-docu was mentioned, but not visualised.
Interesting videos. I`m not sure I like the bizarre combination of art and animals displayed in this way, its almost as if the art comes first and the animals are just incorporated as an after-thought. It is also bizarre, yet fascinating, the way the material from the former Limburgse Zoo is displayed almost like a tribute to the place. Though from a historical point of view this is interesting to see. How ironic is it to see how animals have returned to this place, in whatever form that takes, after all these years.
