A couple of weeks ago I visited Planckendael for the first time (thereby completing the Big Three of Belgium). I wrote a review but didn't post it as I wasn't very happy with it. I do want say a couple of things about this zoo without writing an in depth review, so here goes:
Planckendael is very fine zoo with very little weak points. The theming is generally good and they seem to be able to keep it at the right level. The enclosures are decent to good, and a very select few reach brilliance. The collection has a couple of treasures, but while being mostly ABC it is still very strong. The zoo is expensive but the numerous playgrounds and restaurants make it easily a whole-day affair for families. There’s a strong educational focus and Planckendael seems to be concerned with genuine conservation and research. I could go and nit-pick at some of its minor weaknesses, such as the lion enclosure, the relatively ABC collection or the lack of just about anything cold-blooded (more on that later), but the fact is that Planckendael is a very good zoo. Heavily themed, but they never even try to hide the fact that one is still in a (very good!) zoo.
And while I really liked it, there’s something that keeps me from truly loving this place. Planckedael seems to play safe, both in terms of the species it showcases and the way those species are exhibited. There’s an oddball species here and there, and an unusual exhibit every now and then, but that’s it. Planckendael seems to take things that zoo often do and do it really well. But because of that, they rarely go beyond the very good into the brilliant. They don’t seem to risk building something major for a species few zoos highlight, or exhibit a species in a way that hasn’t been done before. The other side of the coin is that using a conventional set-up with conventional species is that there’s enough knowledge do it right, and as such Planckendael’s strength (consistently doing conventional things really well) can be seen as a trade-off against originality. Unfortunately for me, originality is something I really appreciate in zoos.
On the lack of cold-blooded beasts: Planckendael and Antwerp are supposed to complement each other. But while Planckendael mostly seems to stay away from small critters and focus on larger mammals and birds (why no large reptiles?), Antwerp seems to only increase its focus on large species. This situation keeps the two from truly complementing each other. I feel that either Antwerp should focus more on small animals (which is the option I prefer) or Planckendael should also diversify and be as complete a zoo as Antwerp (the more realistic option I think), including a more than rudimentary collection of non-endotherms.
