Europe's 100 must see exhibits

lintworm said:
That’s a wrap. But while the list is finished, the thread is not quite done yet. There are still a few things to follow, including an index, some summary statistics, a list with near-misses and some thoughts on what makes an exhibit “must-see”. This will all follow in due course, but might take some more time than the profiles.

The list of 100 exhibits comes from 69 different zoos from 16 countries. The country with most represented exhibits is Germany with 29 exhibits from 18 zoos. 12 exhibits come from 10 French zoos and the country in third place is the United Kingdom with 11 exhibits from 9 different zoos. The Netherlands follows with 10 exhibits from 5 zoos. Other countries with five or more entries are Switzerland (7), Austria (6) and Belgium (5). Poland, Hungary and Portugal are represented only by a single exhibit, while no exhibits were selected from Ireland, Italy, the Baltic states, Greece, and most of Eastern Europe.

There is one zoo with 5 exhibits on the list: Burgers’ Zoo, followed by two zoos with four exhibits: Zoo Berlin and Zoo Zurich. 6 zoos are represented by 3 exhibits: Tiergarten Schonbrunn, Pairi Daiza, Tiergarten Nürnberg, Tierpark Berlin, Zoo Prague and Chester Zoo. A further 9 zoos are represented by 2 exhibits: Zoo Basel, Zoo Antwerp, Bioparc Zoo Doue-la-Fontaine, Reserve Africaine de Sigean, Apenheul, Tierpark Hagenbeck, Koelner Zoo, Zoo Leipzig and Zoo Frankfurt. This means that nearly half the list, 49 exhibits, comes from only 18 different zoos. Of the 69 zoos, 38 were also part of the Europe's 50 must see zoos thread, so 12 must see zoos missed out on having a must see exhibit.

Stay tuned for more and thank you for joining me on this journey across the continent.
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How many concrete structure are on the list? ;P
 
Hats off to you @lintworm. This took an incredible effort and will make a phenomenal resource for years to come. Checking this thread after waking up became part of morning routine and I always looked forward to seeing what the "exhibit of the day" was. In fact, I have no problem saying that this may be the greatest thread in ZooChat history. From the beginning to the end, it has been absolutely packed with well presented information and great discussion. All ZooChat newcomers should take note, this is what an amazing thread looks like.

As someone who has a limited knowledge of European collections, I've learned so much from this project and enjoyed every profile. I think my favorite selections were Nurnberg's Desert House and Doue's okapi aviary, which are two completely unique and totally cool exhibits. Both of these zoos were elevated high on my bucket list as a result of learning about these exhibits. Other favorites included the hippo and antelope houses at Berlin, the mountainside enclosures and Sichuan house at Prague, the Etosha house at Basel, the savanna at Boras, and all of those enormous polar bear enclosures. Of course, learning more about the juggernauts like the Islands, Masoala, Berlin Aquarium, etc, was just as enjoyable.

While we all would love to see another thread in the same format, take a well deserved break, you've earned it. Thank you for your excellent contributions. :)
 
birdsandbats said:
Melaka Butterfly Park in Malaysia has a walkthrough for (venomous) Mangrove Snakes.

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Photo by @Chlidonias
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There are days when I feel tempted to create something like this for WdG. Then my wife kindly reminds me that I haven't won the lottery (yet!) to afford the necessary ultimate liability insurance. ^^
 
A very commendable effort,tremendous work.....did TLD promise an index or have i missed it? And of course,for me,it is a much weaker concept for only existing inside a p.c. or a laptop...hmm. There`s almost too much for me to comment on at this point...and already, having seen Zoo Berlin`s "new" carnivore house recently, there is another candidate for the list.On the other hand, Tierpark`s "Himalaya" could learn quite a lot from Gorlitz`s much smaller version(seen for the first time by me,also recently).There is fertile ground for more of this such as "missed former zoo exhibits( Emmen`s penguins,Winged World in the UK,the old Clore Pavilion or aquarium at London,etc etc)",or "great exhibits in small zoos(Helsingborg Tropikariet Madagascan spiny forest,cave animal exhibit Caves of Postojna, etc)". Anyway,for now... have a deserved rest - well done!
 
Tim Brown said:
A very commendable effort,tremendous work.....did TLD promise an index or have i missed it?
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@lintworm beat me to creating one, but has yet to post it so that I can move it to the start of the thread :)

Tim Brown said:
There is fertile ground for more of this such as "missed former zoo exhibits( Emmen`s penguins,Winged World in the UK,the old Clore Pavilion or aquarium at London,etc etc)",or "great exhibits in small zoos(Helsingborg Tropikariet Madagascan spiny forest,cave animal exhibit Caves of Postojna, etc)".
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I'd definitely enjoy both concepts, if anyone ever had the time and mental energy to create threads on the subject :) perhaps you should consider doing an article on the former subject for Zoo Grapevine sometime, as I think that you'd be one of the best candidates for the task!
 
lintworm said:
That’s a wrap. But while the list is finished, the thread is not quite done yet. There are still a few things to follow, including an index, some summary statistics, a list with near-misses and some thoughts on what makes an exhibit “must-see”. This will all follow in due course, but might take some more time than the profiles.

The list of 100 exhibits comes from 69 different zoos from 16 countries. The country with most represented exhibits is Germany with 29 exhibits from 18 zoos. 12 exhibits come from 10 French zoos and the country in third place is the United Kingdom with 11 exhibits from 9 different zoos. The Netherlands follows with 10 exhibits from 5 zoos. Other countries with five or more entries are Switzerland (7), Austria (6) and Belgium (5). Poland, Hungary and Portugal are represented only by a single exhibit, while no exhibits were selected from Ireland, Italy, the Baltic states, Greece, and most of Eastern Europe.

There is one zoo with 5 exhibits on the list: Burgers’ Zoo, followed by two zoos with four exhibits: Zoo Berlin and Zoo Zurich. 6 zoos are represented by 3 exhibits: Tiergarten Schonbrunn, Pairi Daiza, Tiergarten Nürnberg, Tierpark Berlin, Zoo Prague and Chester Zoo. A further 9 zoos are represented by 2 exhibits: Zoo Basel, Zoo Antwerp, Bioparc Zoo Doue-la-Fontaine, Reserve Africaine de Sigean, Apenheul, Tierpark Hagenbeck, Koelner Zoo, Zoo Leipzig and Zoo Frankfurt. This means that nearly half the list, 49 exhibits, comes from only 18 different zoos. Of the 69 zoos, 38 were also part of the Europe's 50 must see zoos thread, so 12 must see zoos missed out on having a must see exhibit.

Stay tuned for more and thank you for joining me on this journey across the continent.
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Congratulations on finishing this epic thread. I am certainly someone who appreciates statistics, therefore I like your summary as it's something that I would have done myself. Ha!

One zoo that I find completely absent from your two major threads is Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany. It didn't have a single exhibit in the top 100 thread, nor was the zoo included in your Europe's top 50 zoo list. Each to their own, but the surprising omissions make me curious to visit that zoo one day. Our very own @CGSwans ranked Hellabrunn as the #6 zoo he saw on his epic European jaunt several years ago. Anthony Sheridan consistently has it as a top zoo in his trio of books and in the last publication Hellabrunn was #9 on the continent. It's also the #5 most attended zoo in Europe, with 2 million annual visitors. It seems that everyone who visits loves the place, but maybe it's a zoo with a very high level of exhibits...but nothing truly outstanding?

Other than Munich's famous zoo, there isn't much to quibble about on this spectacular thread. Well done!
 
snowleopard said:
One zoo that I find completely absent from your two major threads is Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, Germany. It didn't have a single exhibit in the top 100 thread, nor was the zoo included in your Europe's top 50 zoo list. Each to their own, but the surprising omissions make me curious to visit that zoo one day. Our very own @CGSwans ranked Hellabrunn as the #6 zoo he saw on his epic European jaunt several years ago. Anthony Sheridan consistently has it as a top zoo in his trio of books and in the last publication Hellabrunn was #9 on the continent. It's also the #5 most attended zoo in Europe, with 2 million annual visitors. It seems that everyone who visits loves the place, but maybe it's a zoo with a very high level of exhibits...but nothing truly outstanding?

Other than Munich's famous zoo, there isn't much to quibble about on this spectacular thread. Well done!
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The best way to put it, in my opinion, is that any thread on the 50 most important or historically-significant European collections would 100% have to include Munich in a high-ranking slot.... but in terms of "must-see" exhibits and enclosures, the zoo is solidly good but there isn't anything in particular which isn't done better elsewhere.... which has obviously led to it slipping the cracks in both of @lintworm 's threads :)
 
snowleopard said:
maybe it's a zoo with a very high level of exhibits...but nothing truly outstanding?
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As confirmed by TLD, this does describe Tierpark Hellabrunn quite well. I would have loved to see its mhorr gazelle exhibit (and maybe the giant tortoise house and some of the historic buildings) on the list, but as discussed by @lintworm , they didn't make the cut.
 
Thank you @pachyderm pro, @StoppableSan, @antonmuster and @PAT for your kind words, I am glad you enjoyed it.

Tim Brown said:
A very commendable effort,tremendous work.....did TLD promise an index or have i missed it? And of course,for me,it is a much weaker concept for only existing inside a p.c. or a laptop...hmm. There`s almost too much for me to comment on at this point...and already, having seen Zoo Berlin`s "new" carnivore house recently, there is another candidate for the list.On the other hand, Tierpark`s "Himalaya" could learn quite a lot from Gorlitz`s much smaller version(seen for the first time by me,also recently).There is fertile ground for more of this such as "missed former zoo exhibits( Emmen`s penguins,Winged World in the UK,the old Clore Pavilion or aquarium at London,etc etc)",or "great exhibits in small zoos(Helsingborg Tropikariet Madagascan spiny forest,cave animal exhibit Caves of Postojna, etc)". Anyway,for now... have a deserved rest - well done!
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:). Of course having such a thing on paper would be nice too, but the medium of internet does have the advantage that it is easily accessible to anyone and with over 110.000 views in less than half a year, this is already one of the most viewed threads on zoochat.

I haven't been to Berlin this year and intend to wait until the Pagoda in the zoo is finished (and maybe even until the elephant house in Tierpark is done). But Berlin's carnivore house doesn't strike me as really nice, based solely on pictures. It looks as it has gotten a typical Knieriem make-over with plenty of bamboo and mock rock, but still lacking in adequate housing for some of the inhabitants. I do like the fact though that it still is a carnivore house, far too many zoos feel obliged to follow a continental lay-out and city zoos are the ones least suited to it. So happy to see a more old-school approach.

One of my earlier ideas was a thread on overlooked small zoos, which is very akin to great exhibits in small zoos. But I quickly realized that I do not have enough knowledge to create such a thread. I am reasonably aware of the noteworthy small places in the Benelux and German speaking countries, but I lack knowledge for other regions. You might be one that could pull it of, as you have visited 2-3 times as many zoos in Europe as I have. But if you need input, I would be willing to help ;)

snowleopard said:
Other than Munich's famous zoo, there isn't much to quibble about on this spectacular thread. Well done!
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Batto said:
As confirmed by TLD, this does describe Tierpark Hellabrunn quite well. I would have loved to see its mhorr gazelle exhibit (and maybe the giant tortoise house and some of the historic buildings) on the list, but as discussed by @lintworm , they didn't make the cut.
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Tierpark Hellabrun is certainly a top European zoo, but is one with a consistently high level and some lovely exhibits, but nothing extremely special. As mentioned before the beautiful Mhor gazelle paddock nearly made the cut and I have a soft spot for several other hoofstock enclosures there too like the ones for Appenine chamois and European elk (moose). Hellabrun is in a very similar situation as Zlin-Lesna, which really is an excellent zoo, but where I couldn't really pick one exhibit or section that is truly must see, though the future Karibuni extension might well change that. Other zoos that are likely unlucky include the Parc Animalier d'Auvergne and Parc des Oiseaux, Villars-les-Dombes, both in France.
 
For easy reference, here is the index, sorted by country and zoo:

AUSTRIA

Herberstein, Tierwelt Mandrill and grivet enclosure (28)

Innsbruck, Alpenzoo Coldwater aquarium (52)

Salzburg, Zoo African savanna (2)

Vienna, Tiergarten Schönbrunn Bird house (98)
Vienna, Tiergarten Schönbrunn Rotunda (91)
Vienna, Tiergarten Schönbrunn Tirolerhof (48)

BELGIUM

Antwerp, Zoo Aquarium and Reptile house (94)
Antwerp, Zoo Egyptian temple (11)

Cambron Casteau, Pairi Daiza Crypt (13)
Cambron Casteau, Pairi Daiza Kingdom of Ganesha (64)
Cambron Casteau, Pairi Daiza The Middle Kingdom (56)

CZECHIA

Ostrava, Zoo Chitwan (33)

Prague, Zoo Giant salamander house (82)
Prague, Zoo Sichuan house (1)
Prague, Zoo Mountain ungulate cliffs (53)

DENMARK

Copenhagen, Zoo Elephant house (59)

Kolind, Skandinavisk Dyrepark Polar bear enclosure (72)

Odense, Zoo Sitatunga enclosure (95)

Randers, Regnskov Snake temple (77)

FINLAND

Helsinki, Korkeasaari Zoo Borealia (24)

FRANCE

Besancon, Zoo Citadelle Gelada moat (31)

Boulogne-sur-Mer, Nausicaa Voyage of the high seas (50)

Clères, Parc Le Grand Parc (66)

Doué-la-Fontaine, Bioparc Zoo Okapi Sanctuary (38)
Doué-la-Fontaine, Bioparc Zoo South American aviary (42)

Paris, Menagerie Jardin des Plantes Fauverie (47)

Paris, Parc Zoologique Great rock (100)

Romagne, La Vallée des Singes Bonobo enclosure (75)

Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, Zooparc de Beauval Hippo aviary (45)

Sigean, Réserve Africaine African drive-through savannas (12)
Sigean, Réserve Africaine African aviary (46)

Villiers-en-Bois Zoodyssée Odyssée des Campagnes (76)

GERMANY

Berlin, Tierpark Alfred-Brehm house (92)
Berlin, Tierpark Camel paddocks (34)
Berlin, Tierpark Vulture aviary (39)

Berlin, Zoo Antelope house (80)
Berlin, Zoo Aquarium (19)
Berlin, Zoo Bison houses (21)
Berlin, Zoo Hippo house (74)

Dresden, Zoo European and Tundra aviaries (68)

Frankfurt, Zoo Borgoriwald (57)
Frankfurt, Zoo Grzimek house (49)

Görlitz, Naturschutz-Tierpark Tibetan village (89)

Grafenau, Tierfreigelände I des Nationalparks Bayerischer Wald Wisent enclosure (73)

Hamburg, Tierpark Hagenbeck African panorama (81)
Hamburg, Tierpark Hagenbeck Eismeer (97)

Hannover, Erlebnis-Zoo Yukon Bay (93)

Köln, Zoo Reptile house and aquarium (22)
Köln, Zoo Urwaldhaus (69)

Leipzig, Zoo Gondwanaland (37)
Leipzig, Zoo Kiwarasavanna + Kopje (63)

Magdeburg, Zoo Tapir enclosure (23)

Marlow, Vogelpark Boddenaviary (61)

Nürnberg, Tiergarten Desert house (6)
Nürnberg, Tiergarten Slender-tailed meerkat enclosure (27)
Nürnberg, Tiergarten Yellow-throated marten enclosure (55)

Osnabrück, Zoo Underground zoo (87)

Rostock, Zoo Darwineum (62)

Stein, Freilandterrarium European herpetofauna exhibits (4)

Stralsund, Ozeaneum Baltic Sea (8)

Stuttgart, Wilhelma Gibbon cage (17)

HUNGARY

Budapest, Zoo Elephant house (35)

NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam, Natura Artis Magistra Micropia (70)

Apeldoorn, Apenheul Gorilla island (60)
Apeldoorn, Apenheul Squirrel monkey forest (40)

Arnhem, Burgers' Zoo Burgers' Bush (14)
Arnhem, Burgers' Zoo Burgers' Desert (32)
Arnhem, Burgers' Zoo Burgers' Mangrove (88)
Arnhem, Burgers' Zoo Burgers' Ocean (85)
Arnhem, Burgers' Zoo Rimba mixed species paddock (9)

Harderwijk, Dolfinarium Dolphin delta (84)

Rotterdam, Diergaarde Blijdorp Oceanium (96)

NORWAY

Ålesund, Atlanterhavsparken Atlanterhavstanken (67)

Kristiansand, Dyrepark Siberian tiger enclosure (83)

POLAND

Wroclaw, Zoo Afrykarium (51)

PORTUGAL

Lisbon, Oceanario Southern Oceans (43)

SPAIN

Madrid, Zoo Mountain ungulate rocks (30)

Obregon, Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Baboon enclosure (54)

Puerto de la Cruz, Loro Parque Planet Penguin (65)

SWEDEN

Borås, Djurpark Savannah (71)

Hunebostrand, Nordens Ark Leopard enclosure (20)

Kolmården, Zoo Brådjupet (90)

SWITZERLAND

Basel, Zoo Etosha house (36)
Basel, Zoo Geigy house (18)

Bern, Tierpark Dählhölzli Aare river bank (41)

Zürich, Zoo Kaeng Krachan Elefantenpark (29)
Zürich, Zoo Lewa savanne (16)
Zürich, Zoo Masoala (79)
Zürich, Zoo Sangay cloud forest (5)

UNITED KINGDOM

Bekesbourne, Howletts Wild Animal Park Gorillarium (7)

Burford, Cotswold Wildlife Park Walled garden (10)

Chester, Zoo Islands (86)
Chester, Zoo Realm of the Red Ape (3)
Chester, Zoo Spirit of the Jaguar (26)

Dudley, Zoo Tecton architecture (15)

Dunstable, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Bear enclosure (25)

Edinburgh, Zoo Living Links (99)

Kingussie, Highland Wildlife Park Snow leopard enclosure (78)

London, ZSL London Zoo Tiny Giants (58)

Newquay, Zoo Gems of the Jungle (44)
 
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Thank you for the index. Some 'missing' exhibits which I wonder whether you considered them for the list and why they didn't make the cut:
  • Equatorial Dome, Zoo Beauval: On including only three tropical domes, perhaps somewhat controversially, I would have selected Beauval's tropical dome over Leipzig's Gondwanaland. Imo the trio of Burger's Bush (have not visited yet), Masoala, and Beauval's equatorial dome would better represent a 'must-see' of large European tropical domes. As I interpret these enclosures, the former intend to recreate a tropical forest indoors, while the latter intends to be an indoor tropical zoo with diverse species in attractive enclosures. Gondwanaland on the other hand, imo intends to be both at once and for this very reason arguably falls short at both. I can see why Gondwanaland in a sense is a must-inclusion in a top 100 list. However, Beauval's equatorial dome, imo, is much better at being what it intends to be than Gondwanaland is.
  • The most rich in history and iconic bear enclosure on the continent arguably are the Bern 'bear pits'. They are located on a lovely steep riverbank immediately outside the medieval center town and date back as far as 1513. They are also a beautiful example of an enclosure where history is adequately preserved while husbandry has been updated to 21st century standards.
  • Tierpark Goldau has an imo excellent mixed species enclosure for bear and wolf. I believe similar enclosures exist elsewhere. I find the concept of (well-functioning) carnivore mixed species exhibits fascinating and indeed 'must-see', but I don't think such an enclosure made the cut.
 
antonmuster said:
Equatorial Dome, Zoo Beauval: On including only three tropical domes, perhaps somewhat controversially, I would have selected Beauval's tropical dome over Leipzig's Gondwanaland. Imo the trio of Burger's Bush (have not visited yet), Masoala, and Beauval's equatorial dome would better represent a 'must-see' of large European tropical domes. As I interpret these enclosures, the former intend to recreate a tropical forest indoors, while the latter intends to be an indoor tropical zoo with diverse species in attractive enclosures. Gondwanaland on the other hand, imo intends to be both at once and for this very reason arguably falls short at both. I can see why Gondwanaland in a sense is a must-inclusion in a top 100 list. However, Beauval's equatorial dome, imo, is much better at being what it intends to be than Gondwanaland is.
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I don't think Gondwanaland really attempts to be a real rainforest, for me it is really an indoor tropical zoo ("little Singapore") and a much more effective one than in Beauval, which is hampered by crossviewing, an overdominating structure and glare on all windows. Beauval's dome is nice for the masses, but not a truly good exhibit imo. Here are my unsalted thoughts on it from my review 2 years ago:


Next to the hippo aviary is the Equatorial Dome, a 3000 square meter rainforest hall. It is impossible not to compare it with Gondwanaland, Masoala or Burgers’ Bush but if you do it is a complete let-down. It seems as they have taken inspiration from Gondwanaland and Omaha’s Lied Jungle and the only lesson they learnt was not to put tapirs in. It starts already with the entrance, which is a mock rock tunnel appearing out of nowhere, clearly leading you inside a greenhouse (which located on top of a hill, isn’t exactly integrated in the landscape). In such a case using mock rock just makes no sense at all from a theming perspective (contrary to the entrance to the hippo aviary where you actually go underground and can't see where you are going). The dome itself is crammed full with enclosures and a winding pathway. This place will never produce a rainforest feeling, as there is simply no place for enough trees amidst all the paths, water bodies and enclosures. The execution of this hall comes across as lazy. I counted no less then 12 (!) waterfalls and only 3 free-flying bird species (and when do zoos finally learn Superb Starlings are arid country birds, not forest birds….). The fact you hear bird song played from a speaker says enough. The individual enclosures are mostly fine, but unspectacular. The monkey enclosures have a lot of height and climbing opportunities and the Giant Otter tank is also large. A highlight are the terraria spread around the building, they are really pretty with an interesting collection. The Pygmy Hippos get the short end of the stick with a tiny land area and one was swimming stereotypically a long time. The manatee pool (1 or 1.6 million liters?) is a disappointment. It is impressive at first sight, but seriously overcrowded, more so than Singapore. At least there is always a manatee visible in the murky water. A serious issue with the hall is the constant glare on the windows and cross-viewing between the upper and the lower paths, so any pretence of a rainforest is quickly gone…. I am not sure what the idea behind this building was, probably most normal visitors like it, but there was no need to build such an imposing dome if you only want to cram it with standard enclosures and when you forget to hire a landscape architect.

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Harpy Eagle aviary

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Dome entrance and when using mock-rock makes no sense

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Tunnel into the dome

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First view after entering the dome (Manatee tank)

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Pygmy Hippo enclosure

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S-American terraria

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Cross-viewing in the dome

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Upper path through the dome
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Into the unknown: zoos of western France


antonmuster said:
  • The most rich in history and iconic bear enclosure on the continent arguably are the Bern 'bear pits'. They are located on a lovely steep riverbank immediately outside the medieval center town and date back as far as 1513. They are also a beautiful example of an enclosure where history is adequately preserved while husbandry has been updated to 21st century standards.
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This one could easily be on the list, though I have some issues with calling it a zoo exhibit. The setting is fantastic, though it is still not one of the best bear enclosures, it is still good. From an architectural point the historical area is not the most interesting, but it does indeed show an important part of history (maybe not of zoos, but of human-animal relationships in general). In short, it is a close one that on another day could have made the cut.

antonmuster said:
  • Tierpark Goldau has an imo excellent mixed species enclosure for bear and wolf. I believe similar enclosures exist elsewhere. I find the concept of (well-functioning) carnivore mixed species exhibits fascinating and indeed 'must-see', but I don't think such an enclosure made the cut.
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There are so many good brown bear enclosures on the continent, it is hard to choose a best one. In the end I settled for the historic Whipsnade enclosure which is basically unchanged for 80 years. It doesn't have a wolf mix and Goldau is indeed a strong one with the multiple interconnected enclosures. It was on one of the drafts, but didn't make the final cut. If I would choose a wolf-bear mix I would probably choose the bear forest in Ouwehands Dierenpark which is quite a bit larger and houses rescue bears (mostly from Eastern Europe).
 
antonmuster said:
Equatorial Dome, Zoo Beauval: On including only three tropical domes, perhaps somewhat controversially, I would have selected Beauval's tropical dome over Leipzig's Gondwanaland. Imo the trio of Burger's Bush (have not visited yet), Masoala, and Beauval's equatorial dome would better represent a 'must-see' of large European tropical domes. As I interpret these enclosures, the former intend to recreate a tropical forest indoors, while the latter intends to be an indoor tropical zoo with diverse species in attractive enclosures. Gondwanaland on the other hand, imo intends to be both at once and for this very reason arguably falls short at both. I can see why Gondwanaland in a sense is a must-inclusion in a top 100 list. However, Beauval's equatorial dome, imo, is much better at being what it intends to be than Gondwanaland is.
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I couldn't disagree more with you about this specific part. Masoala is a National park remake, it intends to look like a "real" jungle, although for reasons that have been discussed on this thread and elsewhere, it is a very swiss jungle.

I visited the Bush two weeks ago, it felt like a wild tropical garden or more so a walkpathed forest maybe? Probably close to somekind of touristy trail with feeders along the way for people to see animals in a said national park. An awesome experience it was, very immersive.

Then you have Gondwanaland. I don't think it aimed at replicating the jungle feeling, as it feels more like a theme park or a mini Singapore zoo as Lintworm stated. It is entertaining, it is huge, and one can spend quite some time in there as it provides many bridges, viewing points and even a boat ride.

Last you have Beauval. It opened recently, ten years after Leipzig.
They made quite the marketing campaign about their Equatorial dome, overselling it and hence making our judgement of it quite harsh. It looks like a regular tropical area of a zoo - reminds me a bit of San Diego's feeling - put under a crazy dome. Nothing really innovative, you don't have the forest feeling, nor do you have the entertainment Leipzig provides. All this wouldn't matter if Beauval kept it a little bit more lowkey, but I guess business is business.
In my opinion it lacks a true vision, a true idea behind it all and attention to details, and I bet these issues are going to show again in the future aviary they're working on.
 
lintworm said:
For easy reference, here is the index, sorted by country and zoo:
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Now reproduced at the start of the thread :)

lintworm said:
Cambron Casteau, Pairi Daiza Crypt (13)
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Having been able to see the list in full and consider it as an entire work, I think that this is the only major quibble that I have with the final 100; although it lacks the attractive exterior of the Pairi Daiza Crypt (which I suspect is the main reason your selection went the way it did) I would nonetheless argue that the Fruit Bat Forest at Chester Zoo is *far* more of a must-see exhibit in the category/niche which the two inhabit :p

Another possible sequel to this thread (whether attempted by yourself or another well-travelled member of this forum) would be "Europe's 50 Must-See Zoo Views"; of course, the main issue there is that it would be even more subject to personal taste, sense of aesthetics and beauty, and travel experience than either of the preceding threads, and therefore might be rather tricky to pull off!

For me, such a thread would obviously have to start with the African panorama at Hagenbeck, the view across Alpenzoo over the Inn valley towards the Alps, white rhinoceros in front of the manor house at Cotswold Wildlife Park, and the view down the main avenue at Tierpark Berlin looking towards Schloss Friedrichsfelde.
 
With so many exhibits to choose from, getting to 100 wasn't easy. That shows in the countless similar exhibits that got a mention. But there are still large numbers of exhibits that are unmentioned, but deserve at least some consideration. In a few posts I will highlight some of those, it will end up being quite a long list, but won't be exhaustive.

The Nordic countries

Scandinavia gets a lot more snow than most on the continent. This means many zoos have adapted by housing many native species or exotic species adapted to heaps of snow. This can make winter visits extra memorable, especially as animal welfare standards are generally extremely high in the region. Visits to Polar Park, Tromso, Lycksele Djurpark or Ranua Wildlife Park the most northern zoos in Norway, Sweden and Finland respectively can be a memorable experience in winter time. A lot more snow falls here each winter than on the pictures here ;)

Polar Park
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@twilighter

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@twilighter

Lycksele Djurpark
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@Shirokuma

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@Shirokuma

Ranua Wildlife Park
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@Martin B

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@Martin B

Some of the best native species enclosures are located at the Kristiansand Dyrepark in Norway, their native species section came very close to making the cut

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@twilighter

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@twilighter

Carnivores definitely do not get the short end of the stick here either. Canids are somewhat lacking on the list, but it would have been easy to find not only great wolf enclosures here, but also for species like the exhibits for dhole and bush dog in Kolmarden Zoo, Sweden

Dhole
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@Kwambeze

Bush dog
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@swedish beaver

It is also time to mourn here for the soon to be closed Orsa Rovdjurpark, which would have been certain of 1-2 entries in the list if it wouldn't be lost to us within a few months time.
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@Jodra

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@twilighter

Siberian tiger enclosure
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@twilighter

Wolverine enclosure
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@twilighter

Brown bear enclosures
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@twilighter

Another species without a dedicated single enclosure is the giant otter, even though this charismatic species could deserve an entry on the thread. If so then the exhibit in Givskud Zoo Denmark would be an obvious choice with a 1200 square metre outside enclosure and a 500 square metre house
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@Toddy

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@Toddy

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@Toddy

If I had included whole aquariums just for the sake of their architecture, Den Bla Planet, Copenhagen would be a shoe-in. The building is a stunning piece from the outside, that works remarkably well inside too.

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@devilfish

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@devilfish
 
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