Here is some in-depth road trip analysis on a Canadian Thanksgiving weekend:
The zoos are listed in the order that I visited them on my 95-zoo, 33-day European journey.
19 zoos with Asian Elephants: Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL), Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Zoo Maubeuge (Maubeuge, FR), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Nuenen, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg, DE), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Berlin Tierpark (Berlin, DE), Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE), Tierpark Strohen (Wagenfeld, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE), Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE), Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL) and Dierenpark Amersfoort (Amersfoort, NL).
3 best Asian Elephant exhibits: Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE) is easily #1, Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE) is second and Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL) third. There are, unfortunately, a number of fairly small, disappointing Asian Elephant exhibits that I saw on my trip.
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10 zoos with African Elephants: Pakawi Park (Olmen, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Aywaille, BE), Opel Zoo (Kronberg, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL), Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL), Berlin Tierpark (Berlin, DE) and Serengeti-Park (Hodenhagen, DE).
3 best African Elephant exhibits: Opel Zoo (Kronberg, DE) is #1, Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) is #2 with a troop of Hamadryas Baboons in with the elephant herd, and Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) third.
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13 zoos with White Rhinos: Zoo Lille (Lille, FR), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Aywaille, BE), GaiaZOO (Kerkrade, NL), Dortmund Zoo (Dortmund, DE), ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Gelsenkirchen, DE), Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Serengeti-Park (Hodenhagen, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE), Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE) and Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL).
3 best White Rhino exhibits: Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) and Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL). The worst is probably Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE).
6 zoos with Black Rhinos: Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE) and Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE).
5 zoos with Greater One-horned Rhinos: Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE), Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Nuenen, NL), Berlin Tierpark (Berlin, DE) and Dierenpark Amersfoort (Amersfoort, NL).
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11 zoos with Common Hippos: Zoo Maubeuge (Maubeuge, FR), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Aywaille, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Gelsenkirchen, DE), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE) and Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL).
3 best Common Hippo exhibits: Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL) and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE). Honourable mention goes to Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) although it lacks underwater viewing.
7 zoos with Pygmy Hippos: Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), GaiaZOO (Kerkrade, NL), Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), ZooParc Overloon (Overloon, NL) and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE).
My favourite Pygmy Hippo exhibit is found at Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE).
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7 zoos with Okapis: Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE).
I think that all 7 Okapi exhibits are decent, with perhaps my favourite being Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL).
11 zoos with Polar Bears: Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Aywaille, BE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Nuenen, NL), Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL), Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg, DE), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Berlin Tierpark (Berlin, DE), Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE) – hybrid bear with Silver Fox and Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL).
3 best Polar Bear exhibits: Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE) is by far and away the best, followed by Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL) and Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL).
3 zoos with Giant Pandas: Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL) and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE).
3 zoos with Bottlenose Dolphins: Boudewijn Seapark (Bruges, BE), Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE) and Dolfinarium Harderwijk (Harderwijk, NL).
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18 zoos with Chimpanzees: Stichting AAP (Almere, NL), Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Pakawi Park (Olmen, BE), Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Aywaille, BE), Zoo Neuwied (Neuwied, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Gelsenkirchen, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Nuenen, NL), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE), Serengeti-Park (Hodenhagen, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE), Nordhorn Zoo (Nordhorn, DE) and Dierenpark Amersfoort (Amersfoort, NL).
3 best Chimpanzee exhibits: Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE) and Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL). There are at least 10 Chimpanzee exhibits that I would rate as ranging from mediocre to awful, with the European zoos that I visited doing poorly when it comes to our closest relatives.
17 zoos with Lowland Gorillas: Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL) with Meerkat and Diana Monkey, Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) with Colobus, GaiaZOO (Kerkrade, NL) with Black-crested Mangabey, Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE) with King Colobus, Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) with Colobus as well as Black-crested Mangabey, Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL) with Colobus, Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Hannover, DE) and Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE) with Red-capped Mangabey.
3 best Lowland Gorilla exhibits: Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL) and Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE).
15 zoos with Orangutans: Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) with Small-clawed Otters, Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Aywaille, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE) with Binturongs, Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Dortmund Zoo (Dortmund, DE) with Malayan Tapirs, ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Gelsenkirchen, DE) with Small-clawed Otters and Hanuman Langurs, Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL), Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL), Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg, DE) with Small-clawed Otters, Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE) with Northern White-cheeked Gibbons and Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE).
3 best Orangutan exhibits: Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) and Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE).
6 zoos with Bonobos: Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL) and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE).
3 best Bonobo exhibits: Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE) is apparently the world’s largest Bonobo exhibit and there are a series of indoor rooms as well, Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL) is second and Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE) third.
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15 zoos with Aquariums (only including those buildings of a substantial size): Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL), Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Bochum, DE), Duisburg Zoo (Duisburg, DE), Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg, DE), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE) and Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE).
3 best Aquariums: Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL) and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE).
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11 zoos with Tropical Houses (only including those buildings of a substantial size): Pakawi Park (Olmen, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Mondo Verde (Landgraaf, NL), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Dortmund Zoo (Dortmund, DE), ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Gelsenkirchen, DE), Krefeld Zoo (Krefeld, DE), Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL), Weltvogelpark Walsrode (Walsrode, DE), Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE) and Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL).
3 best Tropical Houses: Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL) and Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL) are the two stand-out Tropical Houses that I saw on the trip and they are just about the two largest in all of Europe. (Zurich and Leipzig would perhaps round out a ‘Top 4’ list). It’s difficult to make a third selection, but I’ll go with Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) for the inclusion of Sulawesi Bear Cuscus, Bulwer’s Pheasant, St. Lucia Amazon Parrot, St. Vincent Parrot and Andean Cock-of-the-Rock in its decent Tropical House.
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12 zoos with Reptile Houses (only including those buildings of a substantial size): Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL), Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE), Zoo Neuwied (Neuwied, DE), Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE), Wuppertal Zoo (Wuppertal, DE), Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Bochum, DE), Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg, DE), Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE), Osnabruck Zoo (Osnabruck, DE) and Allwetterzoo Munster (Munster, DE).
5 best Reptile Houses: I want to highlight 5 exceptional Reptile Houses in this category. My #1 choice would be Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE) with its 91 reptile/amphibian species and 64 exhibits on the upper levels of the greatest zoo building in the world, followed by Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE) with its 58 species and 60 exhibits, then Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE) with its 77 species, 43 exhibits and small walk-through ‘jungle’ area. You can’t go wrong with Berlin, Cologne and Antwerp in this category. However, the top floor of the Exotarium at Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE) is excellent and there are 69 reptile/amphibian species there. Finally, Zoo Neuwied (Neuwied, DE) also has an ‘Exotarium’ and it is excellent, with 55 species and 38 exhibits.
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3 zoos with Nocturnal Houses (only including those buildings of a substantial size): Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE), Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE) and Dierenpark Amersfoort (Amersfoort, NL).
I did not include Zoo Neuwied (Neuwied, DE) as there are only 3 exhibits in a room, or several other zoos with a couple of nocturnal exhibits. There were only 3 ‘proper’ Nocturnal Houses on the trip and now Antwerp has already closed theirs down! Those buildings are endangered species in modern zoos.
3 zoos with Insectariums: Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL) has 33 species, Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE) has 42 exhibits and Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE) has 51 species. There are also a number of zoos with small invertebrate collections, including Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) with its large wall of terrariums.
Here are the top 10 zoos on the trip:
1- Berlin Zoo (Berlin, DE)
2- Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE)
3- Cologne Zoo (Cologne, DE)
4- Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL)
5- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL)
6- Berlin Tierpark (Berlin, DE)
7- Frankfurt Zoo (Frankfurt, DE)
8- Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL)
9- Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE)
10- Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE)
That makes it 4 from Germany, 3 from Belgium and 3 from the Netherlands.
Honourable mention: Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL) – I loved my visit, but this is a difficult zoo to compare to my Top 10. Apenheul is not even open year-round, has basically nothing but primates, but is still a ‘must-see’ zoological experience and I had a fantastic time there.
Meat that is not considered quite good enough for human consumption can be bought in bulk very cheaply in most places, as can barrels of hay, etc. And if the owners are doing veterinary work themselves (not recommended!), then they won't have to pay for those services either. Few or no other employees means that the owners only have to support themselves mostly, and yes many have other income or revenue sources or perhaps ample savings. As for animal acquisitions, I'm not sure what the cost involved is for that or even where the animals come from; anybody know the market price for a tiger?
