City: Antwerpen
Country: Belgium
Province: Antwerpen
Opend 21st July 1843
Species 425
This is the biggest zoo of Belgium and the oldest, opened in 1843. Since its been known for remarkeble breedingresults like for the okapis and the congo peacock. Also to mention are the gorillas , Bongos and its big vivariums.
Since its foundation, the park has been controlled by De Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen, a society originally called Société Royale de Zoologie d'Anvers (The Antwerp Royal Society for Zoology). This also became the popular nickname for the zoo "De Zoologie". The initial objective was to encourage zoological and botanical sciences. The first director was renowned zoologist and botanist Jacques Kets (10 November 1785 – 1 February 1865). He accepted this position on one condition: a museum had to be built to house his nature-historical collections. This building was inaugurated in 1844 by H.R.H. King Léopold I. The predicate Royal was added to the name of the society on that occasion. Throughout the years it has tried to encourage wildlife preservation through activities and exhibits on a recreational, educational, scientific and cultural level. In its early years, the size of the park grew from less than 1.59 hectares (3.9 acres) to more than 10.5 hectares (26 acres). Notable buildings from that period are the Egyptian temple (1856) and the antelope building (1861) in Oriental style, which now houses the okapis. The zoo has also a cultural function. Originally, concerts where held in the garden. Later symphonic concerts where organized. The museum building was demolished to build a concert hall. The museum collections were moved to the second floor. For the 1920 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted the boxing and wrestling events. After World War II, the animal park was turned into a model zoo which conformed to new and modern scientific, educational, cultural and aesthetic standards. The animal compounds were enlarged with more light. Buildings from this period include the primate building (1958), the big jubileum complex, established on the occasion of the 125-year anniversary together with the nocturama (1968), which houses the nocturnal animals. The jubileum complex houses birds of prey and the sea lions. In 1973 a brand-new compound for reptilians was built and in 1978 a new building for smaller species of monkeys. The older primate building was renovated in 1989. To support its educational mission, the zoo started with group tours and special educational programmes called zoo classes in 1969. Around the same time, planetarium exhibits were installed. On 1 January 1983, the animal park was classified as a monument. Ten years later, its 150th anniversary was celebrated. In 1997 Vriesland (Freezeland) was opened. It houses subantarctic penguins and Alaskan sea otters. In spring 1999 the elephant compound was expanded. In 2003 a lot of animals, including hippos, Malayan tapirs and a number of swamp birds received a new home in Hippotopia. The Antwerp Zoo is also one of the leading zoos in the world in case of science and education.
Last visited 2014
Zoo Antwerpen
Koningin Astridplein 26
2018 Antwerpen
Belgium
http://www.zootierliste.de/en/zoosmap.php?showzoo=10001073
Phone number 03/202 45 40
E-mail info@kmda.org
Opened minimum 10 am - 4:45 pm
Entrance fee (for the zoo, there's also a combiticket with Aquatopia)
** Single Parent/ Family cards are for 1/2 parents with theire own children with the age of 17 ore less
For kids there is a petting area and several playgrounds
After haved payed the entrance fee we turn at the pavillion to the right and se a flamingo lagoon, behinde them there are som aviarys for birds. Oposite the lagoon we find the monkey house with Mandrills, Ruffed Lemurs and l´Hoëst's Monkey, just to mention a few. Inside we as well finde a tropical butterfly garden. Its neighbour is the flemish garden that is surrounded by the Planetarium, Congo Peacocks and Okapis. Behind we find babirusas. Now we have reached the house for greate Apes, here you meet the Gorilla and Chimpanzees. Oposite are African penguins. Behind som old aviarys we have som playgrounds, but also finde the Lesser Panda and Kangaroos. Across there are some padocks for deer like the Sika. Zoofans will love the next building, the Egyptian Temple, home for the Elephants and Giraffes. Opposite are the ostriches. Next we look at the pigs, like the Wart Hog and the Sulawesi wart hog. They share theire house with tropical pheasants. Now we have reached the Hartmann's zebras and the Cape Buffalos. The next house is home for the Seals, King Penguins as well as a big aquarium. Going past the kangaroos up the hill we meet the big terrarium with different species of reptiles. Right next door we have the Takins and in front of the Arabian Camels. Following the road on the left hand we meet some raptors, like owls and Vultures. Going on we see the noctural animals like the Aardvark, but its also home for the Californian Sea Lion. Below we meet the carnivores like the Spectacled Bear, the jaguar and the Amur Tiger. Going toward the lions and following the road on the left we meet seals again. If you now go over the bridge, you meet the Malayan Tapir and the Hippopotamus, going through theire house we meet on the other side a big aviary. Following the aviary on the right we stop at the big pond and turn left, where there are som aviarys with birds like the Ibis. Following the road on the left we soon after se the Bongo. Oposite we have 2 birdhouses for parots and smaller birds.
DE: Dieser grosse Zoo gleich neben dem Hauptahnhof ist der älteste von Belgien. Der Zoo ist bekannt wegen seinen Okapis, Kongo Pfaus und Gorillas- andere seltenheiten ist der Bongo
und die grosseen Vivarien
DK: Lige bagved Antwerpens hovedbanegård ligger Belgiens ældste zoologiske have. Haven er kendt for sine gorillaer, okapier og congopåfugle - af andre sjældenheder kan nævnes bongoen og dee store vivarier
