European (Tea)Cup - League D - Pairi Daiza vs Nuremberg

Pairi Daiza vs Nuremberg - HOOFSTOCK

  • Pairi Daiza 5/0 Nuremberg

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Pairi Daiza 4/1 Nuremberg

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Pairi Daiza 3/2 Nuremberg

    Votes: 4 13.3%

  • Nuremberg 3/2 Pairi Daiza

    Votes: 21 70.0%

  • Nuremberg 4/1 Pairi Daiza

    Votes: 5 16.7%

  • Nuremberg 5/0 Pairi Daiza

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .
TeaLovingDave

TeaLovingDave

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15+ year member
Much as is the case for the latest match over in League B, we have a new contender this time round with the Cup debut of Tiergarten Nürnberg - it will be facing off against Pairi Daiza, no stranger to the Cup at this point, in the broad and now-familiar category of HOOFSTOCK.

Will Pairi Daiza finally earn a victory, or will Nuremberg hit the ground running? You decide over the next three days!
 
Although Pairi Daiza has the larger collection of hoofstock, my gut reaction is that the exhibit quality at Nuremberg is superior, and to a degree which merits giving them the edge - albeit just about.

As such I am starting off with a 3:2 vote for Nuremberg, although I'm open to being swayed either direction!
 
Nuremberg is the smaller, but charmer version of Tierpark Berlin. Their hoofstock collection is presented in spacious, but nevertheless boring natural enclosures. Layers of Red Rocks and century old trees are defining the landscape and help for creative some beautiful hoofstock displays, like Alpine Ibex mountain and Dybowski Sika paddock. Addax/Somali Wild Ass dessert and Bharal/Mishmi Takin exhibit also deserve special mention.

They lost the Elephants and Hippos, but still have what to offer to Ungulate entusiasts - two species of Duiker, Babirusa and Musk Deer among others.


Pairi Daiza is a huge zoo with a huge collection, including it's hoofstock part. One of the biggest (if not the biggest) groups of Asian Elephants in Europe. Two hippos, White Rhino and Giraffes. Big, but unimaginative African Savanna. Very nice Asian area with Chinese Goral, Bharal, Hog Deer, Pere's David Deer and beautiful Golden Takin Exhibit. Many other Ungulates presented in a cultural and thematic context, like Musc Ox and Japanese Sika and Wapiti.

Collection wise, Pairi Daiza is definitely superior, but Nuremberg Ungulates are in a better place, imo. I will start with 3-2 for Nuremberg, but I am open for debate.
 
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I've based the score on animals found either at Nuremberg or Pairi Daiza plus animals found at up to 10 ZTL collections:
Nuremberg 23 + 3 = 26
Pairi Daiza 28 + 5 = 33
I'm going to make this 3-2 to Pairi Daiza
 
Despite PD having more species I can’t help but think Nuremberg as the “Hoofstock Zoo” since it feels more specialized in hoofstock unlike PD which feels like a jack if all trades but a master if none.
 
Am I wrong to think that in previous iterations of the cup, cetaceans counted towards ungulates? Taxonomically, it would make sense, although logically they do seem to fit better under miscellaneous mammals along with the sirenians. It could be a fairly significant factor in Nürnberg's favour (or against them, depending on the individuals stance on the matter).

Personally, regardless of whether or not the dolphins count, my feeling having not visited either collection at the moment is that Nürnberg's ungulate displays are considerably more attractive and interesting, and while the collection is smaller it is equally as exciting in terms of the species that it entails. So at the moment, I will be voting 3-2 Nürnberg, but very much open to being convinced otherwise as I am not all too familiar with Pairi's offerings here.

For anyone interested, per ZTL, Pairi Daiza has 36 taxa to Nürnberg's 28, so a fairly marginal difference. Also not sure how accurate the claims are that Pairi's elephant herd is comprised of three different subspecies, but someone more familiar with the collection than myself will no doubt have more knowledge on that.
 
Seems like Giraffes also left Nuremberg, but only temporary. The Giraffe house will be renovated and extended and it's expected to house breeding group when re open in 2026.
 
I think this is an easy win for Tiergarten Nuernberg. They might have slightly fewer species (28 vs. 33) for this category, but enclosure wise they win comfortably. There aren't any enclosures with major issues and the vast majority of exhibits are large and well-structured.

Pairi Daiza on the other hand has a not so impressive elephant set-up (huge but boring) and a seriously lacking pygmy hippo exhibit. Quite a number of other exhibits are fine, but not great.

Here are some direct comparisons:

Blue sheep in Nuernberg (shows only a part of the exhibit)
full

@ralph

Blue sheep in Pairi Daiza (shared with binturong)
full

@KevinB

Sika deer in Nuernberg:
full

@ralph

Sika deer walkthrough in Pairi Daiza:
full

@KevinB

Eland & Grant's zebra mix in Nuernberg:
full

@Philipine eagle

full

@Philipine eagle - African buffalo exhibit

Grant's zebra, wildebeest, scimitar-horned oryx, impala, with Cape buffalo in the background, which appear to be separated.
full

@KevinB


Enclosure-wise these are Nuremberg highlights:
full

@ralph - Alpine ibex

full

@Paul Kalisch - Addax & Somali wild ass enclosure (part of it)

Least attractive in Nuernberg are probably the Malayan tapir & babirusa exhibits, but that is mainly looks as both have still a significant amount of space, but with a building style from the 70s.
full

@lintworm (one of 2 babirusa exhibits)



For Pairi Daiza the visual highlight is the South American tapir exhibit, which has a lot of water with a mill in the background:
full

@Maguari

full

@KevinB

Obvious lowlight are the 2 pygmy hippo enclosures:
full

@MagpieGoose

Apart from the lovely tapir set up, I cannot think of any hoofstock exhibit that Pairi Daiza does better and I can think of a fair number which are worse...
 
Not the closest match, nor the most lively debate, but an enjoyable discussion nonetheless:

Pairi Daiza - 59/150 points - 39.333%
Nuremberg - 91/150 points - 60.667%
 
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