Limburgse Zoo, Genk - Polar bear 'enclosure'

sooty mangabey said:

Widely regarded as one of the worst zoos in Europe, this finally closed at around the turn of the century. This picture is from 1995.

This really was it - this is not a dirty corner of an otherwise capacious enclosure. Similar areas for many more bears, as well as big cats.

Click to expand...

chizlit said:

I'm almost speechless that this happened in a civilized country only a few years ago!
Where there not laws in place to close the zoo earlier or demand an improvement in conditions?
Did the locals in Belgium not complain?

Click to expand...

sooty mangabey said:

It was certainly quite notorious and attracted a great deal of criticism from the media. On the day I visited - an August in 1995 - we were the only visitors, and the place didn't look as if it had received many guests any time recently.

There was much comment at the time, from the BBC and other observers, on the irony of this being so close to Brussels. Belgians I know felt thoroughly ashamed that this was going on in their country. As far as I know, the country now has legislation in place which would not allow another Limburgse to happen...

Click to expand...

sooty mangabey said:

Widely regarded as one of the worst zoos in Europe, this finally closed at around the turn of the century. This picture is from 1995.

This really was it - this is not a dirty corner of an otherwise capacious enclosure. Similar areas for many more bears, as well as big cats.

Click to expand...