DierenPark Amersfoort DierenPark Amersfoort News 2025

Sneeuwpanter said:
I've been to Amersfoort today. I realy liked the Chimpanzee valley...

There were a lot of empty exhibits...Former Chimpanzee, lynx, sable antilope and one other in the middle of the which i couldn't remember.
The row of aviaries was also looking sad...I couldn't even find the former cassowary exhibit

Anybody know any plans for these exhibits ?
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Well, the old cassowary exhibit was turned into a BTS holding enclosure. And I assume the old chimp habitat and aviary row will be the location of Amersfoort's next project, especially seeing as the Pig-tailed macaques still haven't moved from their awful enclosure into the (also terrible but slightly better) old Chimp cage.

If I were to bet, I think it might become an expansion to the elephant habitat
 
Mr Gharial said:
Well, the old cassowary exhibit was turned into a BTS holding enclosure. And I assume the old chimp habitat and aviary row will be the location of Amersfoort's next project, especially seeing as the Pig-tailed macaques still haven't moved from their awful enclosure into the (also terrible but slightly better) old Chimp cage.

If I were to bet, I think it might become an expansion to the elephant habitat
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If it were up to me (and it's not haha). I would redevelop the entire dinosaur area as a new elephant exhibit with also new stables. Than redevelop that entire side of the zoo from entrance up to japanese area

What used to be between the meercats and the penguins ?
 
Sneeuwpanter said:
If it were up to me (and it's not haha). I would redevelop the entire dinosaur area as a new elephant exhibit with also new stables. Than redevelop that entire side of the zoo from entrance up to japanese area
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I get that a lot of zoo fans aren't going to be fans of the dino forest, but personally I do kinda like it. And it's a major selling point of the zoo, especially for "pulling in" kids. I do think it could use an overhaul with better education, some comparisons to modern animals and more up-to-date models for some of the dinos (mostly the raptors).

And if it were up to me (which it also isn't), I'd personally drop the elephants and instead use that space (with the old aviaries and monkey cages) for a new Indian rhinoceros complex, with some Asian hoofstock and the pig-tailed macaques, and then use the old Indian rhino habitat for an expansion of the tiger enclosure

Sneeuwpanter said:
What used to be between the meercats and the penguins ?
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Looking at some older maps of Amersfoort, this seems to have been a lemur enclosure
 
 
KevinB said:
A Dalmatian pelican chick hatched in the Snavelrijk aviary.
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The full Snavelrijk walkthrough is open again. Social media said as of today, but we walked the whole route yesterday, wondering when the bird flu measures were fully lifted. Recently, it seems. ;)
Spotted the pelican hatchling there yesterday, and also one of the vulture chicks.

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I spent most of my visit fawning over the chimps moving around in and enjoying their outside enclosure. A keeper tossed some handfuls of nuts in and the group spent a while picking the treats out of the high grass.

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Also there were some small works going on.
- The dry moat in the elephant enclosure seems to have been broadened a bit, and the plants trimmed. Also two statues moved from inside the elephant house to the start of the pathway going there.
- The red lemur house is being painted and therefore the lemurs were inside / off exhibit.
- The northern bald ibis exhibit is being expanded. In the 'Stad der Oudheid' is / was a decorative platform, that's being added to the exhibit and specifically being used for building a night house.

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Yunha said:
The full Snavelrijk walkthrough is open again. Social media said as of today, but we walked the whole route yesterday, wondering when the bird flu measures were fully lifted. Recently, it seems. ;)
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In most places, bird flu measures have been lifted since May 28. However, Amersfoort is located in a region where this should not be the case...
 
Mr Gharial said:
And if it were up to me (which it also isn't), I'd personally drop the elephants and instead use that space (with the old aviaries and monkey cages) for a new Indian rhinoceros complex, with some Asian hoofstock and the pig-tailed macaques, and then use the old Indian rhino habitat for an expansion of the tiger enclosure
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Eek, dropping the elephants! ;) Not my personal preference but I see your point. I don't think Amersfoort will drop their elephants very willingly, as they used to be very proud of their maternally based group. However, the sad circumstances with the last three younglings do open this door, I think... :( But more as a long term idea, I think the current priority would be to breed another young with Kina. (Or... perhaps she might still be carrying one? Just some speculation here.)

If Amersfoort is going to make a shift towards themed areas, it's going to take some major shifts in the entry area. Which is so incredibly impractical, it would have to be done in phases. I believe in the middle of the currently quiet area is a staff centre. The former Geoffrey Cat / Chimp enclosures are bordering this area. The species left in the entry area are the parakeets in the aviary, the asian small clawed others, prairiedogs, spectacled bears, red pandas and pig tails. And of course the bird walk bordering the elephant enclosure.

I'd say on the shorter term, the bird walk is gonna go to be pulled with the elephant enclosure. (We honestly think they may wait it out until the eagle-owl passes. The screamer / golden pheasants - not sure which ones - are currently swapped out for peacocks and there's hardly black-crowned night herons left.)

But to make the entry area Asian themed, the prairie dogs would got to go, and I'm not sure if that's in the cards, considering the interactive prairie dog enclosure is a more recent project, and a big visitor favourite. But... there's so much empty space around here... also the former scimitar oryx enclosure that's empty now... Never say never, I guess?

But seeing the works that are done now, I'm not expecting anything major. I'm not sure I posted it here, but the former chimp enclosure is boarded of quite neatly, so I'm guessing Amersfoort needs to fill the piggy bank back up before doing big works again. ;)
 
MennoPebesma said:
In most places, bird flu measures have been lifted since May 28. However, Amersfoort is located in a region where this should not be the case...
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It's interesting you state the latter, because on our way home we drove by a house with a big hobbyist bird collection, and they kept their bird flu measures in place. Fueling our confusion on the current measures. If I look at the Rijksoverheid data it suggests Amersfoort and a part of the Veluwe still has quarantine duties. It appears an error might have happened in Amersfoort. o_O
 
Small Amersfoort news:
- The Black-crowned night heron-enclosure was empty. The snowy owl group was split up - three of them are now in the former BCNH-enclosure. Enjoying the water by taking an extensive bath! Interesting to see.
- It seems peacocks definitely replaced the golden pheasants. (Slight speculation here, but I haven't seen them in months and winter / cold temperatures no longer seems a reason to keep the pheasants inside.)

I think this goes with everyone's speculations here about the bird gallery making place for a new project. It's getting rather empty.

- Extensive works near the Siamang enclosure: the path between the enclosure and restaurant 'De Boerderij' was closed off for works. The windows and fencing have been removed on the visitors' side and we were speculating the enclosure being enlarged. (There was no information so we went by imagination. I'll keep you posted, perhaps things aren't as interesting as we thought ;) )
 
Tiny and small news from Amersfoort zoo today:

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Tiny news first! Meerkats have been born recently. :) Signing at the enclosure stated cubS (multiple), but not how many and when they were born. We saw one! It's still so tiny. :)

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Welcome Maung Htoo! :) Introductions seemed to be going on with the new bull and Indra / Kina. When we saw the group, they were all outside but still seperated with a fence. Not really any interactions going on as they all had fresh feeders to tend to.

- Then: the bird gallery soap - the Black-crowned Night Heron enclosure is again empty. The Snowy Owls residing there moved back to the original Snowy Owl enclosure where there are now five big owls.
Still peafowl in the golden pheasant enclosure.

- The works near the Siamang enclosure have concluded. The pathway has moved from: passing the Siamangs, you can move towards the restaurant 'De Boerderij', to: passing restaurant 'De Boerderij' and you can move towards the siamangs.

- An old decorative staircase next to the tiger enclosure was being demolished today (yay!), hopefully making space for observing the animals. :rolleyes:
 
Yunha said:
Introductions seemed to be going on with the new bull and Indra / Kina. When we saw the group, they were all outside but still seperated with a fence. Not really any interactions going on as they all had fresh feeders to tend to
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There is an extra electric barrier between the fence and the ladies. They can't touch each other with their trunks yet. The next step is to remove the electric barrier, so they can be closer and touch. If that goes well, the gates will be opened. But I think Maung Htoo is in musth. If that's the case, it takes a little longer before they meet.
 
Yunha said:
The works near the Siamang enclosure have concluded. The pathway has moved from: passing the Siamangs, you can move towards the restaurant 'De Boerderij', to: passing restaurant 'De Boerderij' and you can move towards the siamangs.
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Very bad that they moved the pathway. They should have made the enclosure bigger, because this way makes no sense.
 
I received an email from Dierenpark Amersfoort today mentioning the birth of two meerkats.
So there's one more than we saw at september 8th :)
 
Amersfoort zoo plans to renovate the Ancient city region of the zoo, starting with the old Egyptian fruit bat enclosure, which will become "the grain shack", a large and interactive new enclosure for Black rats. Some sketches have already been released:

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The enclosure will include many climbing structures, tunnels, and different ways to view the animals. There will also be wall murals and audio fragments telling the story of how rats and humans have been interacting for thousands of years.

The Grain shack is set to be finished at the end of this year, and there are also plans to make a new indoor enclosure for the Northern bald ibises. Personally, I also hope they plan on making new enclosures for the Mastigure and Spiny mice, since their current habitats are too small and very difficult to find
 
Mr Gharial said:
Amersfoort zoo plans to renovate the Ancient city region of the zoo, starting with the old Egyptian fruit bat enclosure, which will become "the grain shack", a large and interactive new enclosure for Black rats. Some sketches have already been released:

1008amersrat.jpg


The enclosure will include many climbing structures, tunnels, and different ways to view the animals. There will also be wall murals and audio fragments telling the story of how rats and humans have been interacting for thousands of years.

The Grain shack is set to be finished at the end of this year, and there are also plans to make a new indoor enclosure for the Northern bald ibises. Personally, I also hope they plan on making new enclosures for the Mastigure and Spiny mice, since their current habitats are too small and very difficult to find
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Manifesting Egyptian fruit bats eventually find their way back to Amersfoort..
 
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