Part 3 ~ Highs, Lows and Hippos:
In the previous post, I expressed, to the best of my ability, my immense fondness for Antwerp’s Aquarium. The trouble is, even before I entered that wonderful exhibit, it was playing for second with London and Bristol; even if I gave in to the charms of its architecture, fantastic collection and lively tanks, it would not be able to displace Burgers’ as my absolute favourite zoo aquarium, and truth be told, I don’t think anything ever will. However, there is another kind of house that many zoos have attempted, and that Antwerp does have its own answer to, in which I have never seen anything truly world-class, and as such, I entered knowing that there was a genuine chance that Antwerp would assert its attempt as my number one exhibit in that individual category - and I think I was correct. Of course, I am talking about the Reptile House.
Situated just above the aquarium, atop a steep hill from which it overlooks the rest of the zoo, this imposing building, supported on either side by tall stone pillars, can only be entered from a small and unassuming door above the aforementioned babirusa. Upon walking in, you are greeted by a small vivarium for
Chinese Crocodile Lizard (
Shinisaurus crocodilurus), and then a dimly lit forest of hanging branches. At the time that I entered, it was all rather calm, but within a few minutes, I got caught in a fake storm of sorts, in which the light levels change wildly and loud sound effects give the impression of thunder and splintering branches. It was fun for guests, and from the perspective of the inhabitants, I feel it could be rather enriching. So what are said inhabitants? The most notable are the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), of which Antwerp seems to display three. But more interesting to me was the presence of Black Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) in some of the trees across the enclosure. The practice of housing smaller, but arboreal species, alongside larger, more dangerous, but more terrestrial (and in this case semi-aquatic!) ones, is a criminally underused one in my eyes, as it can lead to some entertaining mixed-species habitats that are still very much safe. I would love to see more zoos attempt this! If memory serves, Antwerp’s iguanas in fact share this enclosure with another species, but my photo of the signage has corrupted, and as such, I cannot remember who.
Opposite the alligators is a beautiful semi-aquatic vivarium, phenomenally designed and landscaped that houses one of the broadest mixes of semi-aquatic reptiles that I have ever seen. There were
Caiman Lizard (
Dracaena guianensis), a species that I finally got to observe swimming, a behaviour which I had long-since known them to be capable of, but had never actually witnessed in person prior, alongside
Weber’s Sailfin Lizard (
Hydrosaurus weberi),
Branderhorst’s Snapping Turtle (
Elseya branderhorsti), a lifetick,
Central African Giant Mud Turtle (
Pelusios chapini), a lifetick housed only at two European collections, and the closely related
African Keeled Mud Turtle (
Pelusios carinatus), Europe’s only remaining individuals of the species if ZTL is to be trusted. As an enormous lover of freshwater turtles, these lifeticks were rather exciting, and it was especially good to get such brilliant views of them. Pictured below is a caiman lizard which, despite how the incredible water clarity in the tank may make it seem, is, in fact, rather deep underwater!
Opposite that wonderful vivarium is a window into a breeding room of sorts for the herptiles, something that most reptile houses, it seems, attempt to perform. That said, Antwerp is probably my favourite example of this, as I didn’t quite realise how ridiculously minute newborn testudines in fact are. There were
Pancake Tortoise (
Malacochersus tornieri),
Southeast Asian Box Turtle (
Cuora amboinensis), the latter housed in two tanks, and
Red-footed Tortoise (
Chelonoidis carbonarius), along with two
Moroccan Spiny-tailed Lizard (
Uromastyx nigriventris) and a seemingly unsigned iguana species.
Then began a long, winding hallway of fantastic habitats. Antwerp, I think, has less terrariums than certain other reptile houses, such as London, and yet the sheer size of the terrariums coupled with the innovative mixed species habitats results in a larger and more varied species inventory all the same, kept mostly in more memorable terrariums. And that is what makes Antwerp’s Reptile House so utterly amazing. The next terrarium housed
Green Water Dragon (
Physignathus cocincinus),
Smith’s Green-eyed Gecko (
Gekko smithii),
Solomon Island Giant Skink (
Corucia zebrata) and the adult Southeast Asian Box Turtle. The gecko would have been a highlight, one of only two remaining individuals of their species in Europe, although they were sadly nowhere to be seen in their enormous enclosure (ZTL states that they departed the collection earlier this year, although the possibly outdated signage suggested otherwise).
The next terrarium, rather curiously, mixed
Cane Toad (
Rhinella marina) with
Green Tree Python (
Morelia viridis). Although I have been to several zoos that display cane toads, I was yet to have seen one visible, and as such it was very fun to finally do so; I knew that they were large, but I was still somewhat caught off guard by the sheer size of them - no wonder they are such a threat as an invasive species! The next terrarium mixed
Zoutpansberg Girdled Lizard (
Smaug depressus), a lifetick, with
Panther Chameleon (
Furcifer pardalis) and
Standing’s Day Gecko (
Phelsuma standingi). Geckos were also present in the next tank in the shape of
Yellow-headed Day Gecko (
Phelsuma klemmeri), who, in another curious mix, share their habitat with two species of poisonous dendrobate, the
Variable Poison Dart Frog (
Ranitomeya variabilis), a beautifully coloured and decently rare species that I had missed at Paignton a few years prior, and the more common
Yellow-banded Poison Dart Frog (
Dendrobates leucomelas). These were followed by
Kaiser’s Spotted Newt (
Neurergus kaiseri).
It was at this point that the storm appeared at the alligator enclosure, so after briefly watching that to see if it stirred any crocodilian activity (one of the three began slowly drifting around the pool), I returned to the row of vivariums to find
Malagasy Ground Boa (
Acrantophis madagascariensis), followed by a rather exciting mixed-species tank. It was here that I found
Long-nosed Horned Frog (
Megophrys nasuta), a curious and fascinating amphibian, with excellent camouflage and an intimidating appearance, which I have wanted to see for a very long time, but had always assumed was absent from captivity. As it turns out, they are decently common in most of Europe, with this being yet another species which the UK is entirely absent of. They are just as impressive in person as I had always imagined, and were another unexpected highlight of my visit. They shared their enclosure with another lifetick, which I sadly could not locate, the
Crocodile Skink (
Tribolonotus gracilis). They were followed by
Oriental Fire-bellied Toad (
Bombina orientalis).
Next was one of the largest terrariums of the entire house, housing the adult Red-footed Tortoise alongside
Cuban Iguana (
Cyclura nubila), one of the most striking iguana species that I have seen, immediately reminding me of the (infamously inaccurate) dinosaur statues at Crystal Palace Park that I grew up with, but with a hint of dark blue. Only one collection on mainland Great Britain (plus Jersey) actually houses the species, so it too served as a lifetick. I think it is far more remarkable to admire than several other iguana species of a similar size. These were followed by decidedly smaller terrariums, with the first housing
White-lipped Tree Frog (
Nyctimystes infrafrenatus), the second housing
Dyeing Dart Frog (
Dendrobates tinctorius),
Brazilian Poison Dart Frog (
Ranitomeya vanzolinii) and
Merten’s Day Gecko (
Phelsuma robertmertensi), a rather rare species. Then there is yet another (the third so far!) mix of dendrobates and day geckos, this time featuring
Gold Dust Day Gecko (
Phelsuma laticauda),
Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog (
Dendrobates auratus), and yet more Variable Poison Dart Frogs. And, for the fourth time, the same mix idea is repeated, this time with
Peacock Day Gecko (
Phelsuma quadriocellata) and
Blue Poison Dart Frog (
Dendrobates azureus).
Golden Poison Dart Frog (
Phyllobates terribilis) and
Phantasmal Poison Frog (
Epipedobates anthonyi) follow. These were followed by some rather out-of-place invertebrate habitats housing
Brazilian Salmon-pink Tarantula (
Lasiodora parahybana) and an animal that was, somewhat frustratingly, signed simply as ‘Millipede.’ Then there was the largest terrarium that I have ever seen for
Carpet Python (
Morelia spilota), and a similarly vast habitat for
Reticulated Python (
Malayopython reticulatus). A brilliant mix of lizards, featuring
Frill-necked Lizard (
Chalmydosaurus kingii),
Major Skink (
Bellatorias frerei),
Spiny-tailed Monitor (
Varanus acanthurus) and
Shingleback Giant Skink (
Tiliqua rugosa) follows, as the theme of House begins to shift away from rainforests and towards deserts. The Shingleback was a curious and unexpected lifetick, which I did not know the zoo displayed.
More mixes of desert lizards are to follow, with
Blue Spiny Lizard (
Sceloporus cyanogenys),
Common Chuckwalla (
Sauromalus ater) and
Gila Monster (
Heloderma suspectum) being next. The enormous
Rhinoceros Iguana (
Cyclura cornuta) follow in another tremendously spacious terrarium, followed by the
Brazilian Rainbow Boa (
Epicrates cenchria), one of my absolute favourite snake species, and yet one that is rarely given large enough habitats for it; it was very nice to see a zoo that finally did so. Next up were the adult Moroccan Spiny-tailed Lizards. Two extremely rare and impressive snake lifeticks followed, the
Great Lakes Bush Viper (
Atheris nitschei) and the
Rhinoceros Viper (
Bitis nasicornis), the former being far more vibrantly-coloured in person than in photos (Antwerp is one of only four European zoos to keep this incredible species). The rhinoceros vipers are surely among the world’s most bizarre snakes.
Bizarre in a similar manner is the
Giant Horned Lizard (
Phrynosoma asio), who share their enclosure with
Motagua Spiny-tailed Iguana (
Ctenosaura palearis), both of whom being lifeticks. Around the corner was a decidedly more common, but in my opinion, given my love of venomous snakes, more exciting species, the
Monocled Cobra (
Naja kaouthia); even though the species is present in the United Kingdom, I have in fact never seen one, and as such, this encounter was fairly exciting. Thankfully, the species was posed rather visibly at the front of the habitat, allowing for this photo to be taken.
At that moment, the corridor widens to reveal the largest enclosure in the building, that for the
Komodo Dragon (
Varanus komodoensis). Although I have seen them countless times, I will never not be impressed by the size and majesty of the world’s largest lizard, the only lizard so impressive that most zoos devote to them their own themed complexes, which never fail to draw in crowds. Indeed, this is the first time that I have ever seen them casually dropped into a reptile house; having said that, they are clearly the stars of the show, and there is a nice symmetry in which the komodos and the alligators, the House’s largest inhabitants, are each housed at opposite ends of the complex, both ends happening to be visibly different from the outside, their facades pentagonal and lined with pillars. The enclosure for the komodos is fairly decent, although I have certainly seen better. I returned to the reptile house later on in the day, and saw that this too has a storm effect of sorts in the sense that the entire enclosure was flooded with mist, the outline of the komodos only barely visible through the fog.
It is also worth noting that the komodo enclosure is not the only one in the room;
Mexican Beaded Lizard (
Heloderma horridum), another lifetick, are also present, as is a large mixed-species habitat for
Madagascar Tree Boa (
Sanzinia madagascariensis) and
Radiated Tortoise (
Astrochelys radiata) and a smaller terrarium for the building’s final (of 6!) gecko species, the
Giant Madagascar Day Gecko (
Pholsuma grandis), sharing with the vibrantly coloured
Sambava Tomato Frog (
Dyscophus guineti). This room feels like a very appropriate finale to the Reptile House, and although there is the option to leave here, it is not.
Instead, visitors are guided into a walkthrough enclosure of sorts for
Green Iguana (
Iguana iguana), in which there is absolutely nothing to stop the iguanas from crossing your path. You also share the space with
African Spurred Tortoise (
Centrochelys sulcata), as do the iguanas, however the fact that your pathway is slightly raised, coupled with the tortoises’ complete inability to lift themselves over the rocks, meant that they could not cross the pathway. Interestingly, the reptiles actually share their enclosure with
Pekin Robin (
Leiothrix lutea) and
Gouldian Finch (
Chloebia gouldiae). I am not sure whether or not this is the zoo acknowledging the links between birds or reptiles, or simply because having free-flying birds immediately enriches any walkthrough! Either way, I thought it was a nice addition.
On that note, I left the Reptile House, feeling fairly certain that it was, beyond doubt, the best such exhibit which I have ever seen in a zoo, and I probably preferred it to both the Buffalo Savannah and the Aquarium. It is an absolute masterclass, that has really perfected the concept - quite an impressive claim, given just how common reptile houses are in zoos!
As you begin making your way downhill, you pass by a series of rocky habitats with mixed substrates, usually rather well- landscaped and decent aesthetically, but ultimately rather uninspiring and hardly the most spacious such enclosures that I have ever seen. The first formerly housed the zoo’s takin, but now sits sadly empty, and the second houses
Alpaca (
Vicugna vicugna pacos), while the third, the largest of the bunch, houses
Lion (
Panthera leo). I was rather eager to see the zoo’s male lion, Nestor, as I had read that he is believed to descend from wild-caught
West African Lion (
Panthera leo senegalensis), the most endangered lion subspecies in the world. Although it is not certain, that would make him the last surviving individual of his subspecies in Europe (possibly in captivity), and as such, was certainly a target. However, when I arrived, there were no lions to be seen, barring a cub (one of three recently born at the zoo), who was pacing along the wall of a separation enclosure at the back. At first, I suspected that the cubs and female were separating from Nestor for the cubs’ safety, however then I came to a concerning realisation - the moat that separated the lions from visitors (along with a very low rock wall which would not stop a pouncing lion) was entirely frozen over. I then suspected, although I cannot say for certain, that the lions are instead being kept elsewhere not for the safety of the cubs, but rather for the visitors. Alas, I would not be able to see Nestor, but I settled for the rather adorable cub. As his West African descent is not confirmed, the biggest loss is in fact that the lions have a Hagenbeck-inspired predator-prey setup of sorts with the alpacas in the background, something that is almost non- existent in UK zoos and as such would be rather fun to watch, had the lions and alpacas been more active!
By this time, the weather was worsening, so I began making my way towards the Hippo House for some shelter, along my way being heartbroken to find, tucket away beside the lion enclosure, a third Meerkat enclosure! Entirely needless and a tremendous waste of space! They were followed by
California Sea Lion (
Zalophus californianus), who, despite the cold, remained outdoors; I saw three or four sea lions leaping around excitedly, and truth be told, I don’t think I have ever seen pinnipeds so active except at designated displays, which was great fun, despite making photographing the animals an impossible task.
From there, you are invited to a rather pleasant area of the zoo, enclosed and sheltered entirely by trees. A stream ran through this area, with the area around it housing a group of
Nutria (
Myocastor coypus), one of many species that I saw in Antwerp that, due to its rarity in UK zoos compared to being relatively common in Europe, is a long overdue lifetick for me. As such, I was rather disappointed (although hardly surprised, given my eternal failure to see similar species such as beavers) when I could not find any. Thankfully, upon returning later in the day, I found a pair of the incredible rodents climbing across their frozen stream, somehow braving the cold that comes from standing on ice, playing with enrichment items which had, for some reason, been left there. It was bizarre, but very fun, and it is my deepest regret that I did not take any pictures.
Just around the corner, is a decently sized lake for Harbour Seals. Although these individuals, sadly, did not have underwater viewing in the same sense as the seals by the Aquarium, they were equally fun to admire, as there were no less than five of them, an enormous group compared to what I have seen at other zoos regarding pinnipeds, a great thing given the enormous numbers in which I have observed this tremendously social species group in the wild. Just around the corner, was the zoo’s
Malayan Tapir (
Tapirus indicus), an interesting species, of which Antwerp displays a pair, both of whom spent the day huddled up indoors visible only through remarkably steamed up windows! On that note, we entered the Hippo House, pictured below, with the Tapir House just visible in the bottom left.
One of the zoo’s first major buildings was a Hippo House, on the location of the current one, which was sadly destroyed during wartime bombings. The indoor basins, however, survived, and remain a nice touch of history and character in what is otherwise a very modern building. I was rather excited to observe the zoo’s hippos, as along with elephants, bears and apes, they are beyond doubt my favourite ‘ABC animal’ (that is, an crowd-pleasing animal loved by members of the public but too common to be of any interest to more regular zoo-goers), and the fact that most UK collections display them require a car to access from where I currently live, I have not seen them since the summer of 2020, around the time that our family disowned our vehicle. As such, I excitedly walked into the Hippo House - and it did not disappoint!
Upon walking in, I was greeted by eye contact with one of the zoo’s two
Common Hippo (
Hippopotamus amphibius), who was resting the head on the back of the other, barely surfaced, its eyes and ears ever so slightly above the water. There wasn’t a single other individual in this room - just me and two utter behemoths of an animal. You are separated from the hippos themselves only by a short glass fence, that could easily be peered over, and the result was quite terrifying. Their breathing was clearly audible, their eye contact was direct, and above all, their presence could be felt. It is quite difficult to describe, but this kind of zoo exhibit - quiet, indoor stables where the barrier is easy to peer over (or through, as is the case with bars) without placing the animal below you. An even more terrifying moment happened when a keeper (who had closed their land stalls so as to clean them out) moved a piece of heavy equipment, startling a hippo who then fully submerged themselves. And knowing that one of the most dangerous animals in the world is in a body of water a few metres from where you stand, and yet having no idea of its exact whereabouts (barring it occasionally surfacing) is surely one of the most terrifying situations that I have ever been in. Whether or not it is the best hippo enclosure I have seen (which it may well be if I am right in my assumption that the grass in the outdoor area becomes a bit more numerous during summer months), it is beyond doubt my favourite!
The Hippo House isn’t quite complete. Right beside it is one of the most curious aviaries that I have ever seen, in that its surface area is rather small, but its vertical height is jaw-dropping; the imposing structure is supported by the hippo house below, which also provides the birds with a very interesting place in which to perch. Sadly, I did not see it in good conditions. The recent rain meant that the upper level viewing was entirely closed, and the cold meant that no birds, barring a select few unsigned species of waterfowl, were actually using the outdoor area. I also could not find any signage, so I left the House and began searching for any indoor viewing or a species list, ultimately finding neither. I did, however, find a large aviary for some absurdly loud
Mexican Green Military Macaw (
Ara militaris mexicana), and another beautiful statue in place to commemorate the zoo’s rich history, in this case, the fantastic record which they have with elephant seals, the world’s largest pinniped species.
From there, I began making my way excitedly towards the Bird House, on my way passing an
Eastern Bongo (
Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) enclosure and the renovations to the Jubilee Complex. I will certainly have to return to Antwerp when the new complex is complete, even if its most notable exhibit, the Nocturama, will no longer be present, mainly out of curiosity to see how this zoo, with such limited space, manages to care for so many large crowd-pleasers, without presenting any with enclosures that feel cramped or undersized. Perhaps it will be the better version of London Zoo’s ‘Land of the Lions.’
So why was I so excited for the Bird House? It came down to one species - the
Black Weaver (
Ploceus nigerrimus). As mentioned earlier, I am rather fascinated by weavers, and as such, found myself longing to see more of that fascinating group of birds than the Village Weavers present at so many zoos. I had already seen the Buffalo-weaver, and hoped to also leave Antwerp having seen perhaps the most visually striking weaver present in European zoos - the Black Weaver. I made my way to the door of the Bird House, and my heart sunk. It was closed. The entrance was covered in scaffolding, and the doors were locked shut. Flooded with disappointment, I made my way towards the outdoor aviaries, desperately hoping for some sign of my weaver. I found their aviary, shared with yet more buffalo-weavers and a
White-crested Turaco (
Tauraco leupholophus), both of whom were absurdly active, somehow braving the miserable cold which was beginning to turn into rain. I must have stood outside that enclosure for a solid fifteen minutes (naturally looking briefly at some of the neighbouring habitats on the basis that, even if I wasn’t going to find the weaver, I could at least see something memorable) before I decided to move on, visit the other outdoor aviaries, and return later on in the day. So I did, returning to this enclosure yet again, only for that trip also to end in disappointment.
Well, we can never have everything our way. I saw the Hamlyn’s Monkeys, the buffalo-weavers, the laughing doves, the sengis, the cobras, the horned frogs, the macaroni penguins, the nutrias and both species of mud turtles. I saw king penguins diving and ruffs breaking ice with their beaks. I saw the most active birds that I have seen in my life, and of course, to top it all off, I saw Amahoro. So perhaps the weavers were allowed to fail me, in the end.
The rest of the aviaries contained:
Bali Myna (
Leucopsar rothschildi) +
White-necklaced Partridge (
Arborophila gingica)
Vietnam Pheasant (
Lophura edwardsi) +
Sumatran Laughingthrush (
Garrulax bicolor)
Brahminy Starling (
Sturnia pagodarum) +
Palawan Peacock-pheasant (
Polyplectron napoleonis) +
Scaly-breasted Munia (
Lonchura punctulata)
more
Pekin Robin (
Leiothrix lutea) +
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (
Pterorhinus courtois) +
more
White-necklaced Partridge (
Arborophila gingica)
Green Woodhoopoe (
Phoeniculus purpureus) +
Madagascar Partridge (
Margaroperdix magarensis)
Emei Shan Liocichla (
Liocichla omeiensis)
White-rumped Shama (
Copsychus malabaricus) +
Luzon Bleeding-heart (
Gallicolumba crinigera)
Spectacled Owl (
Pulsatrix perspicillata)
Crested Oropendola (
Psarocolius decumanus) +
Northern Cardinal (
Cardinalis cardinalis) +
Grey-winged Trumpeter (
Psophia crepitans) +
Green Aracari (
Pteroglossus viridis)
Golden-breasted Starling (
Lamprotornis regius)
more
Green Woodhoopoe (
Phoeniculus purpureus)
Village Weaver (
Ploceus cucullatus)
European Bee-eater (
Merops apiaster) +
Rosy Starling (
Pastor roseus)
more
Common Hoopoe (
Upupa epops) +
European Stone Curlew (
Burhinus oedicnemus) +
European Roller (
Coracias garrulus)
Despite the closures and the weaver’s elusivity, my visit to this House was not a complete failure. All three of the European Bee-eater, Green Woodhoopoe and Rosy Starling were lifeticks, and all could be seen, even if, in the case of the bee-eater, it was just a fleeting glance. And of course, there was one particular highlight in the Crested Oropendola. Somewhat disappointed, but not entirely disheartened, by the bird house, I concluded that I had seen the entirety of Antwerp Zoo. I revisited highlights from the day, such as the Penguins, the Reptile House, the Hippo House, and, of course, Amahoro. At 3:58, with just two minutes before the zoo’s (irritatingly early) winter closing time, we departed Antwerp Zoo. We spent the evening pottering around the city, which looked beautiful with the Christmas lights, before returning to our accommodation in Brussels.
After spending a good amount of time reflecting on Antwerp, the conclusions that I came to are tremendously positive. It has taken the limiting site of a 10 hectare city zoo packed with historical monuments, and it has transformed it into something beautiful. It has given one of the best collections in Europe, unbelievably vast and packed with rarities, and granted them with a perfectly adequate standard of exhibitry, hitting a few very impressive highs and only one or two truly unfortunate lows. By honouring its rich history through maintaining some of the most gorgeous architecture of any zoo out there, and caring for its gardens with evident effort, it has built an absolutely perfect city zoo, a model zoo, in many ways, that could inspire so many others - it is an enormous tragedy that similar zoos have not learned from the utter mastery that is Zoo Antwerpen.
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Well, just forty minutes to spare (GMT), and I kept to my promise. Here is the final part of my Antwerp Zoo review.
I thoroughly hoped that you all enjoyed reading this. No reviews tomorrow, but a review of the Brussels Museum des Sciences Naturelles will be out on the 26th (Boxing Day, as it is called in Britain).
On that note, Merry Christmas ZooChat!
