A sizeable chunk of the centre of the zoo is given over to deer paddocks, with a number of these small, attractive stable blocks. This is the Philippine Spotted Deer paddock; this block also house Chilean Pudu on the other side.
I remember these- as a Deer enthusiast it was great to see so many unusual species in one Zoo. I wonder how much the species have changed- what else is there now?
European Fallow Deer
Chilean Pudu
Barasingha
Pere David's Deer
Japanese Sika
Philippine Spotted Deer
Forest Reindeer
Reeves' Muntjac
Axis Deer
Chinese Water Deer
The 'deer area' also has Persian Gazelles and Siberian Musk Deer (not strictly speaking a deer, of course!).
This is one of the better examples of Tierpark and Zoo avoiding duplication - here is the Tierpark's current Cervidae list:
European Moose
Domestic Reindeer
Pere David's Deer
Bactrian Wapiti
Canadian Wapiti
Siberian Wapiti
Tule Wapiti
Barbary Red Deer
Vietnamese Sika
White-lipped Deer
Timor Deer
Malayan Sambar
Persian Fallow Deer
Burmese Brow-antlered Deer
Hog Deer
Michie's Tufted Deer
For all those species (and subspecies), only ONE duplication.
What an incredible list of deer! I'm in awe of a pair of zoos having so many wonderful examples of hoofstock, as countless species of deer and antelope have already been phased out at many major American zoos in favour of more popular and well-known animals. The Berlin hoofstock enclosures are also decent, although there is an unusual lack of grass in most of the exhibits.
Snowleopard, do remember Berlin's winters. Paddocks would have to be very big indeed for the grass not to be badly "poached" by springtime. And this is quite a well wooded part of the zoo; the general feel is of a forest glade, and the lack of grass doesn't feel out of place.
What an incredible list of deer! I'm in awe of a pair of zoos having so many wonderful examples of hoofstock, as countless species of deer and antelope have already been phased out at many major American zoos in favour of more popular and well-known animals. The Berlin hoofstock enclosures are also decent, although there is an unusual lack of grass in most of the exhibits.
Its a marvellous list for any Deer enthusiast.
I think it may be a cultural thing, in so much deer have always been prominent in Germany/Central European countries sportingwise-hunting/shooting/trophies etc and it has somehow extended perhaps into these major zoo exhibits too. Its wonderful that some zoos like these at least have retained such wonderful collections in these days of simplified zoos.
Similarly Bears figure more in USA culture than in Europe, and so feature in many US zoo exhibits too- though not in such diverse range as these deer!
I made a comment about the bare, or sanded deer paddocks on another photo(Fallow deer). In these urban-style zoos there just isn't enough space for the Deer to leave any grass growing in the enclosures.. I appreciate this comment is also a little at odds with my appreciation of such comprehensive collections.
Snowleopard, do remember Berlin's winters. Paddocks would have to be very big indeed for the grass not to be badly "poached" by springtime. And this is quite a well wooded part of the zoo; the general feel is of a forest glade, and the lack of grass doesn't feel out of place.
I think they may be sanded to keep them dry and prevent the 'muddy morass' feel that would otherwise be created. Or is sand the natural substrate here anyway?
I think they may be sanded to keep them dry and prevent the 'muddy morass' feel that would otherwise be created. Or is sand the natural substrate here anyway?
I think that Berlin, left to itself, is rather boggy. I was in Berlin in September 1997 and remember noting just how much water there was in the numerous building sites as the city geared up to regaining capital city status in 1999 following re-unification.
On many of my earlier visits to Berlin Zoo, the enclosure that now houses the Persian gazelles had marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus). I wish those were still in the collection.....
On many of my earlier visits to Berlin Zoo, the enclosure that now houses the Persian gazelles had marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus). I wish those were still in the collection.....
