Europe's 50 must see zoos

sooty mangabey said:
The frankly fairly awful Riber Castle Zoo, in Derbyshire, was located in and around a sort of castle - although in this case it was more of a house-that-looked-slightly-castle-like, rather than a proper place of defence.
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A folly in both senses of the word then?

Zoo de Lille is located in the grounds of the Citadelle de Lille, a fortress built by Vauban, who was also responsible for Besancon (which, according to Wikipedia, is a World Heritage site).
 
sooty mangabey said:
I wasn't quite sure what constituted a UNESCO World Heritage location, so I looked this up - and, unless I am missing it (wholly possible) Besancon isn't thus listed.

This then raises the questions of zoos - UNESCO listed or otherwise - located in castles. Dudley is the obvious one - and an excellent castle it is too. Slightly more modern is the Isle of Wight zoo's location, in a fort built in the 1860s to guard against invasion from France. The frankly fairly awful Riber Castle Zoo, in Derbyshire, was located in and around a sort of castle - although in this case it was more of a house-that-looked-slightly-castle-like, rather than a proper place of defence. Of these, only Dudley could have any claim at all to being described as "major".
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As @TeaLovingDave already noted, Besancon Citadelle is a UNESCO world heritage site, as part of the Vauban fortifications. Contrary to the Isle of Wight Zoo and Dudley it is fully located in the castle itself, not also around it.
 
France - Nausicaa Boulogne-sur-Mer

Founded: 1991
Size: 17.5 million liters
Species and subspecies (including domestics):
Mammals 1
Birds 1
Reptiles & amphibians 12 (+?)
Fish ??

Europe has less of a mega-aquarium tradition than Asia or America, but by European standards the largest aquarium now stands in France. Though established over 25 years ago, it has only very recently become Europe's largest. At Pentecost 2018 an extension featuring a 10 million liter tank was opened. It will take some time to become very impressive apart from it's size, as the main inhabitants: Manta rays, Sunfish and Hammerhead shark are not in the tank yet, though the Hammerheads are currently being introduced. At the moment the most impressive inhabitants are Spotted eagle rays. The viewing window of the tank is also not that huge with 20x5 meters, but the tank also has a tunnel going through. Another extension is currently planned for Walruses, but construction has not yet started for this. Before the extension the aquariums in Nausicaa only held 4.5 million liters. Apart from a sizeable shark tank, reef tank and some native displays the original aquarium also has Californian sea lions and African penguin. Another highlight was the emerged forest, showcasing several Amazonian fish and reptiles. Until recently Nausicaa was a relatively unknown aquarium in Northwestern France, this will soon change and it has become a big player at once in the European aquarium world.

Link to pictures of the new Ocean tank (scroll down):
Le Grand Nausicaa, un chantier d’envergure pour le plus grand aquarium d’Europe – Actu'Zoo

Partez pour un voyage en haute mer à Nausicaä – Actu'Zoo


Video by Bart Brebels on the new tank

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@Hippo, Coral reef tank

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@Rafiaan, Coral reef tank

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@Cat-Man , view on shark and coral reef tanks from above.

Zoochat gallery, which is currently surprisingly empty:
Nausicaa Sea Life Centre | ZooChat

www.nausicaa.fr
 
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lintworm said:
France - Nausicaa Boulogne-sur-Mer

Founded: 1991
Size: 17.5 million liters
Species and subspecies (including domestics):
Mammals 1
Birds 1
Reptiles & amphibians 12 (+?)
Fish ??

Europe has less of a mega-aquarium tradition than Asia or America, but by European standards the largest aquarium now stands in France. Though established over 25 years ago, it has only very recently become Europe's largest. At Pentecost 2018 an extension featuring a 10 million liter tank was opened. It will take some time to become very impressive apart from it's size, as the main inhabitants: Manta rays, Sunfish and Hammerhead shark are not in the tank yet, though the Hammerheads are currently being introduced. At the moment the most impressive inhabitants are Spotted eagle rays. The viewing window of the tank is also not that huge with 20x5 meters, but the tank also has a tunnel going through. Another extension is currently planned for Walruses, but construction has not yet started for this. Before the extension the aquariums in Nausicaa only held 4.5 million liters. Apart from a sizeable shark tank, reef tank and some native displays the original aquarium also has Californian sea lions and African penguin. Another highlight was the emerged forest, showcasing several Amazonian fish and reptiles. Until recently Nausicaa was a relatively unknown aquarium in Northwestern France, this will soon change and it has become a big player at once in the European aquarium world.

Link to pictures of the new Ocean tank (scroll down):
Le Grand Nausicaa, un chantier d’envergure pour le plus grand aquarium d’Europe – Actu'Zoo

Partez pour un voyage en haute mer à Nausicaä – Actu'Zoo

full

@Hippo, Coral reef tank

full

@Rafiaan, Coral reef tank

full

@Cat-Man , view on shark and coral reef tanks from above.

Zoochat gallery, which is currently surprisingly empty:
Nausicaa Sea Life Centre | ZooChat

www.nausicaa.fr
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I have never heard of this aquarium before. Good job for introducing the aquarium to here!
 
Brum said:
Is this the afore-mentioned virtually unknown collection by any chance? ;)
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No Nausicaa at least has a zoochat gallery :p, though this is among the 3 most unknown institutions on the list I think, the biggest surprise will come from a different country ;)
 
lintworm said:
No this one at least has a zoochat gallery :p, though this is among the 3 most unknown institutions on the list I think, the biggest surprise will come from a different country ;)
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Oooh, I do like a mystery. I'm going to try and work it out! :p
 
lintworm said:
France - Nausicaa Boulogne-sur-Mer
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That's really interesting, I visited Nausicaa 15-20 years ago as a kid, and I'd never really thought much about it, I certainly didn't know that it was soon to hold mantas (I think I assumed it had closed!). You've sparked a wave of nostalgia, I remember the big tuna tank (which was actually far too small), the cool walkway bit Cat-Man took a photograph of, the mangroves with archer fish, and most vividly of all the 14 hours we spent trapped on the ferry at Calais during a major storm...

I think I'll go back when the walruses are around!
 
Nice write-up! I visited Nausicaa in just over an hour or so in 2016, and genuinely did like it, even though it has its obvious flaws and is a fairly small zoo. The walkway with reef and shark tanks don't at all convince anyone of the "tropical beach" theme they're going for, but in a certain way it still works and gives the place a very interesting feel. The same goes for the (very well hidden) penguin enclosure. The sea lion enclosure, though, definitely was cool; not the biggest I've seen, but one of the most beautifully made. I've been thinking of a way for me to make it back there to see the new expansion, mantas and sunfish are very nice species!
 
As a Ghibli fan this place's name really threw me for a loop!

Vision said:
The walkway with reef and shark tanks don't at all convince anyone of the "tropical beach" theme they're going for, but in a certain way it still works and gives the place a very interesting feel.
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I agree, at least from the photo - it's tacky, but in charming way :) Similarly I think the Nordic fishing village motif in the walrus enclosure (seen in the first link) is really cute and something I've not seen before. The expansion looks like it'll have some really funky architecture too, like that wave-tunnel over the escalator.

Will there be other aquariums on the list?
 
Vision said:
Nice write-up! I visited Nausicaa in just over an hour or so in 2016, and genuinely did like it, even though it has its obvious flaws and is a fairly small zoo. The walkway with reef and shark tanks don't at all convince anyone of the "tropical beach" theme they're going for, but in a certain way it still works and gives the place a very interesting feel. The same goes for the (very well hidden) penguin enclosure. The sea lion enclosure, though, definitely was cool; not the biggest I've seen, but one of the most beautifully made. I've been thinking of a way for me to make it back there to see the new expansion, mantas and sunfish are very nice species!
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Thanks, I have never actually visited and this wasn't the easiest zoo to find information on, so I am glad somebody who has visited agrees...

Mr. Zootycoon said:
I've been within mere kilometers of this aquarium a few days ago, yet because I was too busy collecting sea squirts and worms (see this thread) I didn't have a chance to visit. :(
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So you did follow the Wageningen course I never had time to follow :p

Okapipako said:
Will there be other aquariums on the list?
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Possibly.
 
France - Bioparc de Doué-la-Fontaine


Founded: 1961
Size: 15 hectares
Species and subspecies (including domestics):
Mammals 49
Birds 82
Reptiles & amphibians 9
Fish 0

All zoos are limited by their location, but a good zoo is one that uses its location to set it apart from the rest of the zoo world. Doué is located in an old quarry and makes perfect use of all the height differences and natural barriers. Doué does not sport high species counts but has some of the best exhibitry in Europe. Lush primate islands are dotted throughout the zoo, but they are not the highlight here. The highlights are the zoos lower level: the aviaries and enclosures constructed in the old quarry pits. Connected by tunnels they are home to some of the most interesting Leopard, Giraffe and bird enclosures. A highlight is a 1 hectare large aviary for S-American birds where they again have used the natural height differences perfectly. The sheer number of birds from Macaws and Parrots to Spoonbills, Ducks and Flamingo is unique in Europe. On the quarry floor there are also enclosures for Giant anteater and Humboldt penguin. Other new developments is a Rhino valley for Black rhino and Dama and Dorcas gazelles and a new Himalaya area for Vultures, Markhor and Snow leopards. When other zoos start copying your enclosures, you know you did something right. This is the case for the Okapi aviary in Doué. The aviary floor consists of two enclosures for Okapi and Natal red duiker. But the real highlight are the other inhabitants. This huge walk-through aviary is also home to Owl-faced guenon and a large selection of African birds, including Ducks, Storks, Herons, Rollers, Congo Peacock, Pigeons, Ibis, Hornbills and multiple Turaco species. Similar large mammal aviaries have now popped up in other zoos like Rotterdam, Antwerp and Beauval, but nothing comes close to the naturalness of the original in Doué.

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@molinea , Okapi aviary

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@dean , Rhino valley

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@Antoine , S-American aviary

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@Antoine , European birds aviary

Zoochat gallery:
Bioparc Zoo de Doué | ZooChat

www.bioparc-zoo.fr

Zoo map:
http://www.bioparc-zoo.fr/temp/1495636180_BIOPARC_Plan journal 2017_Complet copie.pdf
 
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If indeed you do only have one aquarium on the list then for the first time I must stridently disagree with you - Oceanografic is a big miss.
 
lintworm said:
So you did follow the Wageningen course I never had time to follow
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I guess so. It's a shame you didn't have time, it is certainly one of the more interesting courses I followed. Another course will bring me to the very south of France in a few weeks... :cool:
 
France - le Parc des Félins Nesles

Founded: 2006
Size: 60 hectares
Species and subspecies (including domestics):
Mammals 50
Birds 0
Reptiles & amphibians 0
Fish 0​

With 40 different feline species and subspecies, Nesles almost keeps the complete set of Feline species present in Europe, only Northern oncilla, Sunda leopard cat and Iberian lynx are currently missing. If you want to get an overview of cat diversity, this is the place to go, with 4 different Lion subspecies, three different Tiger subspecies (+White tigers), three different Leopard subspecies and multiple subspecies of Leopard cat, Wild cat and Asian golden cat. Nesles is more than a post stamp collection of cats, the zoo has ample space to provide huge enclosures for the larger species either woodland or more open grassland. Most smaller cats have spacious cages and the Sand cats have their own greenhouse to keep them dry. The zoo only opened its doors in in Nesles in 2006, before that le Parc des Félins was located southwest of Paris, now just east of the French capital. The zoo is organized per continent, with an Asian, American, European and an African section. There are even some other animals apart from cats, in the form of a Lemur walkthrough and a petting zoo. And when you have had your daily overdose of cats, there is a small Primate zoo next door.

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@Arizona Docent , Sumatran tiger

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@atheris , Fishing cat enclosure

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@Maxime , Asiatic lion enclosure

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@Arizona Docent , Sand cat enclosure

Zoochat gallery:
Le Parc des Félins | ZooChat

www.parcfelins.paris
 
sooty mangabey said:
How long has the Terre de Singes been there? Is it run by the same people as Le Parc des Felins, or is it a wholly separate enterprise?
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It was founded in 2016 by the same people as the Parc des Felins (and CERZA Lisieux as well), but it seems to be run pretty much separately, there are not even combined entry tickets.

Mr. Zootycoon said:
I guess so. It's a shame you didn't have time, it is certainly one of the more interesting courses I followed. Another course will bring me to the very south of France in a few weeks... :cool:
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You will have a lot of fun, I was never allowed to do that course, as I did not study Biology....

CGSwans said:
If indeed you do only have one aquarium on the list then for the first time I must stridently disagree with you - Oceanografic is a big miss.
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Possibly is neither a yes or a no :p Just wait until we get to the Iberian countries ;)
 
France - Réserve de la Haute-Touche, Obterre

Founded: 1958 (opened to the public in 1980)
Size: 180 hectares (out of 500 available)
Species and subspecies (including domestics):
Mammals 82
Birds 21
Reptiles & amphibians 4
Fish 0
​
As city zoos are often severely limited in space, zoos like London, Paris, Antwerp and Bristol have all sought to establish an outer zoo well outside the city limits. The Paris zoos bought a large piece of forest in the centre of France and developed it to what is now one of the great hoofstock collections of Europe. The number of deer species is on par with Tierpark Berlin and includes rarities like American moose, White-tailed deer, Sambar and Barasingha. Other interesting ungulates include Nubian ibex, of which a large breeding group is present, Gaur, Beisa oryx and Red lechwe. Although hoofstock make up the bulk of the collection, primates and carnivores are also well represented with among others Striped hyena, Dhole and a lemur walkthrough. Birds and ectotherms are harder to find, though the zoo has an off-show breeding centre for Little bustards, just over 20 non-mammal species are on show. The zoo is separated in two parts, a drive-through part for European hoofstock and a walking part with the bulk of the collection. Most enclosures follow the simple design of bigger is better and are often just fenced off pieces of woodland and grassland. Which is a simple but very effective way to keep large breeding herds of hoofstock. Obterre is located in the middle of nowhere and thus gets only around 50.000 visitors per year and undeservedly gets hardly any zoochat attention. Obterre is however the prime example of an outer zoo in Europe with a collection to match, even though Giraffe, Hippo, Rhino and Elephant are absent.

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@Maxime , North-American moose enclosure

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@Maxime, Gaur & Sambar enclosure

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@Maxime , Striped hyena enclosure

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@Maxime , Scimitar-horned oryx enclosure

Zoochat gallery:
Haute-Touche Animal Reserve | ZooChat

Réserve zoologique de la Haute Touche

Zoo map:
http://www.zoodelahautetouche.fr/si...s/atoms/files/mnhn_plan_haute_touche_2018.pdf
 
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