Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
The only contenders for Herps are Blijdorp and Antwerp in my opinion (who are available by public transport and boast the best collection).
Rotterdam Zoo Blijdorp Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter Jessica Hogervorst
- Start date
Since you already have Artis on your list, I'd say Blijdorp is worth a visit, yeah.
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
The baby Langurs are 1 male and 1 female.
They have been called BAO and YEN.
Diergaarde Blijdorp - Rotterdam Zoo on Instagram: " Na een succesvolle namenwedstrijd hebben de dierverzorgers twee namen gekozen voor de pasgeboren François-langoeren. Het vrouwtje heet Yen en het mannetje Bao. Beide namen zijn Vietnamees. Yen betekent rust en vrede en Bao betekent waardevol. Bezoeker Celine wist deze foto van het duo te maken. Heb jij ze al bewonderd?"
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Hiya guys, I'm gonna visit Blijdorp for the first time today, and I'd like to know where to find the following species I'm especially interested in and haven't seen yet:
Malayan tapir
Francois' langur
Tufted deer
Diana monkey
Visayan spotted deer
Steller's sea eagle
Also, do you have any particular advice for a first-time visitor?
Thanks in advance!
(p.s. This is my first sign of life on ZooChat in years, and while I'm no longer the obsessive zoo nerd I used to be during the quarantine years, I have very fond memories of the forum and it has definitely shaped my early teen years, so thank you all)
Malayan tapir
Francois' langur
Tufted deer
Diana monkey
Visayan spotted deer
Steller's sea eagle
Also, do you have any particular advice for a first-time visitor?
Thanks in advance!
(p.s. This is my first sign of life on ZooChat in years, and while I'm no longer the obsessive zoo nerd I used to be during the quarantine years, I have very fond memories of the forum and it has definitely shaped my early teen years, so thank you all)
I'll give a more detailed response later but for now I'll just refer you to my Dutch Zoo Guides:
Dutch zoo guides
Assuming you're not already there,
If you're moving by public transit, don't trust google maps between the station and the zoo. There's two entrances, and google maps will send you to the car entrance, at the other side of the city. You'll have to search for the route to the Stadsingang - Diergaarde Blijdorp.
Some enclosures are pretty well-hidden, including the Francois langur habitat and the Victoria conservatory.
If you go into the Rivièra hall, you'll see a small playground, but the East Wing is actually a bird section with some rare species like Yellow cardinal and Regianna bird-of-paradise.
The Francois langurs and Eurasian otters are also next to the Victoria conservatory, if you walk past the Waterlily dome you'll find the langur enclosure. The Eurasian otters are in the Chinese garden, which should be easy enough to find if you follow the "main" route.
The great aviary, Burung Asia, is unfortunately closed down, but there's still Woolly-necked storks and some other in there, so it's still worth trying to get a peek. This is best done from the Asian swamp area.
Other than those two there is a "main" route to follow which will take you past pretty much all animals. But that will still skip a few animals.
Main route:
- Flamingo aviary
- Amur leopards, Dalmatian pelicans, Asia house with Komodo dragons and Philippine deer
- Chinese garden
- Asians swamp with Celebes macaques and the best view you'll get into the Burung Asia aviary
- Viewing point to Lion-tailed macaques, Bantengs and Blackbucks
- Himalayan area with Tufted deer, Red panda and Indian rhino
- Taman Indah with squirrels, an Aquarium, Pythons, Hornbills and Stables for Rhinos, Tapirs and Elephants
- Route under the train tracks to the new zoo
- African aviaries
- Oceanium
- Arctic area with Arctic fox, Polar bear and Steller's sea eagle
- Prairie area with Black-tailed prariedog and American bison
- Pampas and Pudu enclosures
- Back under the traintracks to Asia
- Asiatic lions, Mhorr gazelles and Vulture aviary
- Kopje enclosures (Mangabey and Serval)
- Safari bridge
- Crocodile river and Okapi aviary
- Meerkat and Kopje aviary
- Through the stables and past the Red river hogs and Red forest buffalo
- Route past the Black rhinoceros, Pygmy hippos and Gorillas
- Gelada enclosure
- Victoria conservatory
This is the route I always walk, but it does skip a few enclosures if you don't know where they are so:
- Francois langur opposite the Amur leopards against the Rivièra hall
- Tigers, Mongooses, Bongos, Zebras and Ostriches if you go the other way when between the Asiatic lions and Vulture aviary
- Raccoons opposite the restaurant near the Arctic foxes and the Oceanium
- Reindeer and Swamp wallaby if you go straight ahead after the gorillas instead of left to the Geladas. It honestly looks like a staff area but there are some enclosures there
I'm pretty sure that should cover all the enclosures...
The Dutch zoo news website ZooFlits has the scoop that Belinde Bakker will be the new director of Blijdorp.
Dit is de nieuwe directeur van Diergaarde Blijdorp - ZooFlits
A short English summary:
Rotterdam Zoo Blijdorp Appoints New Director
Diergaarde Blijdorp has appointed Belinde Bakker as its new director, according to sources close to the zoo. Bakker, formerly a senior executive at Landal GreenParks, brings extensive experience from the retail and real estate sectors to the financially struggling zoo.
The zoo’s job listing for the director role emphasised the need for an "entrepreneurial and unifying leader" skilled in securing funds and subsidies—qualities Bakker is believed to possess. Her appointment marks the first time a woman will lead Blijdorp in this capacity.
Career Background Bakker holds a degree in business economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam. She began her career at Leen Bakker as head of purchasing and marketing, later working as a consultant and holding management roles at Schiphol Airport. She then served as operational director at Wereldhave, a listed real estate investor specialising in shopping centres and offices. Most recently, she was chief development officer at Landal GreenParks, overseeing strategic growth.
A spokesperson for Blijdorp neither confirmed nor denied the appointment when contacted.
Dit is de nieuwe directeur van Diergaarde Blijdorp - ZooFlits
A short English summary:
Rotterdam Zoo Blijdorp Appoints New Director
Diergaarde Blijdorp has appointed Belinde Bakker as its new director, according to sources close to the zoo. Bakker, formerly a senior executive at Landal GreenParks, brings extensive experience from the retail and real estate sectors to the financially struggling zoo.
The zoo’s job listing for the director role emphasised the need for an "entrepreneurial and unifying leader" skilled in securing funds and subsidies—qualities Bakker is believed to possess. Her appointment marks the first time a woman will lead Blijdorp in this capacity.
Career Background Bakker holds a degree in business economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam. She began her career at Leen Bakker as head of purchasing and marketing, later working as a consultant and holding management roles at Schiphol Airport. She then served as operational director at Wereldhave, a listed real estate investor specialising in shopping centres and offices. Most recently, she was chief development officer at Landal GreenParks, overseeing strategic growth.
A spokesperson for Blijdorp neither confirmed nor denied the appointment when contacted.
So long as she reverses course on phasing out gorillas and polar bears, and doesn't dress up the zoo's mission in cloying apologia, fine by me.
I could understand keeping the polar bears, especially when expanding in to the bison area. But the Gorilla enclosure, epically indoors, has no future
This continues a trend across the globe of major zoos hiring new directors with zero zoo background. Hopefully Belinde Bakker is excellent at raising money for some much-needed improvements to the zoo, as Blijdorp has struggled financially in recent times.
Blijdorp had plans for a new gorilla house at some point - honestly I'd just build something like that and move the gorilla holding completely out of the Rivierahal...
Currently, Gorillas are on the phase-out. Blijdorp doesn't plan to hold them anymore
Then again, with the change in lead and Blijdorp's notoriety for changing plans, who knows
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
Deutsch unten Neushoorn-ruil! Zwarte neushoorn Kito is verhuisd van @erlebniszoohannover naar @diergaardeblijdorp, terwijl Nasor binnenkort van Blijdorp naar Hannover verhuist. Deze wissel is nodig voor het populatiemanagement programma, want zwarte neushoorns worden bedreigd. Maar hoe gaat zo’n verhuizing nou eigenlijk? Dat vertellen onze verzorgers in deze video. Kijk je mee? Nashorn-Tausch! Das Spitzmaulnashorn „Kito" ist im Rahmen des Europäischen Erhaltungszuchtsprogramms von @erlebniszoohannover nach @diergaardeblijdorp umgezogen, während „Nasor" bald von Rotterdam nach Hannover umziehen wird. Dieser Tausch ist für das Populationsmanagementprogramm notwendig, da Spitzmaulnashörner vom Aussterben bedroht sind. Aber wie läuft so ein Umzug eigentlich ab? Das erzählen unsere Tierpflegenden in diesem Video. Schaut doch mal rein!"
Seven of the young puffins have recently been moved to Copenhagen Zoo. In the coming period, several of the rescued birds will be moved to other European zoos. These “fresh” genes will make a valuable contribution to maintaining the genetic health of the EEP population.
Source: Diergaarde Blijdorp
A new male Black-casqued hornbill, unrelated to the female who previously lived with her brother, has arrived and has been successfully introduced to the female.
Diergaarde Blijdorp - Rotterdam Zoo on Instagram: "In het mangrovedeel van onze African Jungle volière is een blauwkeelneushoornvogel gearriveerd! Hij vervangt zijn voorganger, die samen met zijn zus leefde. Dit op advies van het populatiemanagement programma is hij verhuisd, zodat we een onverwant stel kunnen vormen. De nieuwe man en vrouw hebben elkaar inmiddels ontmoet. Voorlopig hangt er nog geen liefde in de lucht en dat is logisch, want hij is nog jong. Het belangrijkste is dat ze elkaar verdragen en dat gaat gelukkig goed! Foto's: Jolanda Berkelmans "
Diergaarde Blijdorp - Rotterdam Zoo on Instagram: "In het mangrovedeel van onze African Jungle volière is een blauwkeelneushoornvogel gearriveerd! Hij vervangt zijn voorganger, die samen met zijn zus leefde. Dit op advies van het populatiemanagement programma is hij verhuisd, zodat we een onverwant stel kunnen vormen. De nieuwe man en vrouw hebben elkaar inmiddels ontmoet. Voorlopig hangt er nog geen liefde in de lucht en dat is logisch, want hij is nog jong. Het belangrijkste is dat ze elkaar verdragen en dat gaat gelukkig goed! Foto's: Jolanda Berkelmans "
According to Zooflits Blijdorp has, at least for the time being, placed the plans for a major expansion of the elephant exhibit on hold to focus on other projects.
The 1 million euro budget that was reserved for this by the Friends of Blijdorp will go to other projects. Half of this budget will go to an more extensive renovation of the Taman Indah building that has already started and that will include updates to the current elephant facilities as well as renovations to other exhibits in this complex and new education and vegetation areas. The Friends will now give 500K euros to the Taman Indah renovations instead of 100K. The Friends also intend to contribute to a new exhibit for the François langurs and the renovation of the former Amazonia house (presumably to an African jungle house, if those plans still go through).
Voorlopig geen olifantenbrug in Diergaarde Blijdorp: focus op andere projecten
The 1 million euro budget that was reserved for this by the Friends of Blijdorp will go to other projects. Half of this budget will go to an more extensive renovation of the Taman Indah building that has already started and that will include updates to the current elephant facilities as well as renovations to other exhibits in this complex and new education and vegetation areas. The Friends will now give 500K euros to the Taman Indah renovations instead of 100K. The Friends also intend to contribute to a new exhibit for the François langurs and the renovation of the former Amazonia house (presumably to an African jungle house, if those plans still go through).
Voorlopig geen olifantenbrug in Diergaarde Blijdorp: focus op andere projecten
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Goodness me, ... that makers all the more sense!
I am glad the zoo is back on a realistic budget, timescale and new projects. Just sad that during the interval there was a huge waste of capital investment, truly big losses for the zoo in terms of general public favourites and ill conceived grand plans that belong in a parallel universe really!
I am glad that the funds are also being used to create a new habitat for the Francois langurs and making alternative use of the defunct skeleton structure that erstwhile Amazonica now is!
On the Taman Indah side, this really makes me want to revisit - which I have not done in a long time ...! Sadly, I just could not let myself see more of the devies of the zoo I once coveted as the first and foremost zoo in the Netherlands (believe me, it aint now ... by a long shot ... and no it is not my hometown zoo ..., though that one has special place for us)!
BTW: I used to have membership for the zoo, but I let it expire last season. B.V. Z(I will not mention the name of the man, as it would give publicity to a fellow I rather see pushing up daisies in the fields!
)
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ZooFlits additionally reports the Friends of Blijdorp has doubled its donation for a new François' langur exhibit to 2 million euros. It is intended construction will start in 2026.
Blijdorp-fanclub maakt extra miljoen euro vrij voor nieuw apenverblijf