For me, this has mostly been a placeholder vote so far. I find this category "Mountain en Poles" a particularly difficult one to judge. Firstly, because it's not entirely clear what exactly qualifies. But more importantly, because it’s quite a specific feature that a zoo either does or doesn’t have. And even when they do, it’s often on a rather limited scale. It feels a bit like an on/off switch, which I find a bit unfortunate. It can lead to odd or even slightly unfair results between parks - as we saw with Burgers’ Zoo.
In contrast to other categories, this one seems to allow less variation or interpretation. Most zoos have some sort of tropic house, savanna, or aquarium, for example, even if they're not world-class. But a proper mountain zone? Besides a red panda and snowleopard, that’s rare. Still, it is a category, so we do need to assess it fairly.
Personally, I think Leipzig’s Himalayan section - for snow leopards, red pandas and tufted deer - is exceptionally well done. The landscaping, the rockwork, the sightlines, and use of natural elements are all excellent. It blends beautifully into the surrounding architectural and layout style. I’m not entirely sure whether the adjacent aviary with various birds counts towards the mountain area, but it serves as a very fitting and atmospheric end to the route.
I also find Leipzig’s Amur section quite strong. The enclosures there might be slightly on the smaller side by today’s standards, but thematically it’s spot on - just like in the Himalayan area. Since i think these super cold forest count towards Poles. But i could stand corrected.
As for Paris: as I mentioned, this category feels very binary - either a zoo has something relevant or it doesn’t. And for Vincennes, it’s a clear "doesn’t", at least as far as i know. The Menagerie does have snow leopards and red pandas, but both enclosures are quite minimal. The snow leopard enclosure in particular, while housed in a historically significant building, doesn’t feel suitable anymore. They’re doing their best within the constraints, but the Menagerie - much like other parts of the zoo - is in need of serious renovation.
I love historical architecture, but in the Menagerie it feels like the buildings and enclosures are decaying rather than charming. It reminds me a bit of Buenos Aires just before the zoo there closed - full of potential, like Antwerp, but currently too limited and outdated. A few nice ungulate species here and there can’t make up for what I find to be underwhelming and outdated enclosures.
So, for now, I’m voting for Leipzig. A well-argued case could still persuade me to make it a closer 3–2 vote, but I haven’t seen one yet.
