I visited Overloon for the first time in 5 years, a lot has changed since then! I don't think there is still one enclosure the same as it was during my first visit in 2009 and even since 2020 probably over half of the zoo has changed significantly.
to start of with some news, the second yellow-backed duiker has arrived and is on show, the zoo now keeps a pair. The drills were visible too (indoor+outdoor in the early day, later only indoor, with the hogs+guenons outside).
I have come across a lot of praise about the new Ngyuwe area, but I am not convinced. Maybe that is due to the lack of vegetation for now, but there is more to it than just vegetation. They have surely made the most out of the available space, in the sense that every square inch is used, which makes it feel somewhat cramped with loads of crossviewing that is there to stay. That does mean that space for the animals is maximised and while no enclosure (apart from the aviary) could be said to be big, they aren't too small either.
In terms of inhabitants, the mammal collection is really good, especially for a Dutch zoo. Only the dikdik, a typical (semi-)arid species, are out of place in what is supposed to be an African rainforest theme. Hopefully they are replaced in the near future with red duiker once they become available (not that they are a central African species, but at least the habitat fits). But many zoos mix their okapi with dikdiks, so you cannot fault them too much there...
The bird selection does irk me the wrong way. From the 6 species currently mixed with the yellow-backed duiker, only the turaco can be said to be a real forest bird and hamerkop as a water bird alos occurring in forests, they found at least a second appropriate bird. With marbled teal (a desert duck if there ever was one) and lilac-breasted roller 2 real arid country birds are shown. Yellow-billed stork and African spoonbill also avoid tropical forest. So only 2 out of 6 species fit and some of the others are just plain wrongly placed. But given Overloon is such a mammal-focused zoo, we probably should be grateful they are there in the first place.... There aren't to many African forest birds around in Europe, but a serious zoo should do better. Species like olive pigeon, Hartlaub's duck, green pigeon, blue-bellied roller, grey parrot etc. would have been a much better fit.
Overall the area has a budget feel around it, like the whole zoo. But it shows that with some imagination 2 million euros go quite a long way. Ngyuwe is a real addition for the zoo, but compared to other European zoos, it is nothing too special.
