32. Burgers’ Desert
Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem, the Netherlands
Opened: 1994
Size: 6000 square metres
Inhabitants: large variety of Sonoran/American desert mammals, birds and some ectotherms
After creating a rainforest replica, Burgers’ Zoo raised the bar and set out to recreate a desert. Designing an immersive environment that faithfully represents such an open landscape is challenging, but they largely succeeded in avoiding any cross-viewing (designers of Beauval should take note). Unsurprisingly the Desert has hardly been copied, given the difficulty of creating a large varied environment. Contrary to the Bush the Desert focuses on one specific location, the Sonora and Mojave desert of Northern Mexico and Southern USA. Apart from the high attention to detail in the landscaping, there is also a quite faithful representation in terms of animal species kept. Apart from a few exceptions, most animals are native to the represented ecosystem. Given the paucity of N-American animals in European collections, this naturally means that the Desert houses more zoo rarities than the majority of zoos on the continent (4 of the bird species kept are unique for European zoos). To maintain such a unique collection, several bird and mammal species are kept in larger numbers behind the scenes to maintain a breeding population, and there is close collaboration with dedicated private keepers. Now approaching it’s 30th birthday, the building has held up remarkably well and is still a unique sight in the European zoo landscape.
@Bosjesman
@lintworm
@Mr Gharial
@Goura
@Morgan
Similar exhibits: Dedicated desert houses are rather rare and in Eastern Europe are a pretext for stuffing a small building with small mammal and ecotherm exhibits as in Zoo Plzen, Czechia, and Zoo Wroclaw, Poland. Probably the closest is the Wuestenhaus next to Tiergarten Schoenbrunn, Vienna, Austria. At 1700 square metres it is far smaller and it houses desert species from around the world. But it does have some great exhibits and botanical collection.
@lintworm
@lintworm
@lintworm
Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem, the Netherlands
Opened: 1994
Size: 6000 square metres
Inhabitants: large variety of Sonoran/American desert mammals, birds and some ectotherms
After creating a rainforest replica, Burgers’ Zoo raised the bar and set out to recreate a desert. Designing an immersive environment that faithfully represents such an open landscape is challenging, but they largely succeeded in avoiding any cross-viewing (designers of Beauval should take note). Unsurprisingly the Desert has hardly been copied, given the difficulty of creating a large varied environment. Contrary to the Bush the Desert focuses on one specific location, the Sonora and Mojave desert of Northern Mexico and Southern USA. Apart from the high attention to detail in the landscaping, there is also a quite faithful representation in terms of animal species kept. Apart from a few exceptions, most animals are native to the represented ecosystem. Given the paucity of N-American animals in European collections, this naturally means that the Desert houses more zoo rarities than the majority of zoos on the continent (4 of the bird species kept are unique for European zoos). To maintain such a unique collection, several bird and mammal species are kept in larger numbers behind the scenes to maintain a breeding population, and there is close collaboration with dedicated private keepers. Now approaching it’s 30th birthday, the building has held up remarkably well and is still a unique sight in the European zoo landscape.
@Bosjesman
@lintworm
@Mr Gharial
@Goura
@Morgan
Similar exhibits: Dedicated desert houses are rather rare and in Eastern Europe are a pretext for stuffing a small building with small mammal and ecotherm exhibits as in Zoo Plzen, Czechia, and Zoo Wroclaw, Poland. Probably the closest is the Wuestenhaus next to Tiergarten Schoenbrunn, Vienna, Austria. At 1700 square metres it is far smaller and it houses desert species from around the world. But it does have some great exhibits and botanical collection.
@lintworm
@lintworm
@lintworm
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