Top Zoos In Europe?

ShonenJake13

ShonenJake13

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
I know that this may become an intense topic of discussion based on people's differing opinions...but I thought maybe it would be a fun idea to sort of poll the top zoos in Europe not based on current statistics (TripAdvisor's lists for example) but purely on the facilities, species diversity and zoochatters' personal opinions. I was thinking one zoo per country :D

I'll start off by nominating Chester for the UK and Burgers' Zoo for the Netherlands :) as well as Praha for the Czech Republic and Leipzig for Germany!
 
ShonenJake13 said:
I'll start off by nominating Chester for the UK and Burgers' Zoo for the Netherlands :) as well as Praha for the Czech Republic and Leipzig for Germany!
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I haven't been to the Netherlands or Czech Republic myself - as yet - but I can definitely support your choices for those countries going on my knowledge of these collections, along with your choice for the United Kingdom :)

We shall, however, have to agree to differ where it comes to Germany :p given the fact that not only would I elect to nominate the two collections in Berlin as joint-best, but Leipzig wouldn't even come in second place for me..... or indeed within the top five.
 
I have yet to go to the Czech Republic myself, voting Praha as best is just from me looking on Zootierliste *theatrical booing and hissing from the Zoochat community ensues* and seeing some of the species they have there! And as for Germany, I have been to Duisburg and that's it!! Frankfurt and Stuttgart are also on the docket this year, and both Berlin zoos, Cologne, Wuppertal and Leipzig for next...as well as Walsrode if I can manage it.
 
Stuttgart, both Berlin collections (as already noted) and Walsrode all beat Leipzig hands-down as far as I am concerned :p I suspect you will enjoy Stuttgart a lot.
 
I would list, although I have never been in all but one:
1. Cologne zoo/ Valencia bioparc
2. Zurich zoo/ Leipzig zoo
3. Paignton zoo/ Burger's zoo/ Zoo de Beauval
4. Praha zoo
5. Chester zoo/ London zoo/ Emen zoo
 
I will make a country list as a template and we can go from there:

Albania = Tirana Zoo
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina = Pionirska Dolina
Bulgaria = Sofia Zoo
Croatia = Zagreb Zoo
Cyprus = Limassol Zoo
Czech Republic = Zoo Praha
Denmark
Estonia = Tallinn Zoo
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar = Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park
Greece = Attica Zoo
Hungary
Ireland = Dublin Zoo
Italy
Latvia = Riga Zoo
Lithuania = Kaunas Zoo
Luxembourg = Parc Merveilleux
Macedonia = Skopje Zoo
Moldova = Chișinău Zoo
Monaco = Jardin Animalier de Monaco
Netherlands = Koninklijke Burgers' Zoo
Norway = Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia = Ljubljana Zoo
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey = Ankara Zoo
Ukraine
United Kingdom = Chester Zoo

In most cases (with the exception of the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and the Czech Republic) here I have picked out either the most prominent zoo in the country or if there is only one major zoo in the country I have chosen that zoo in question.
 
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Nikola Chavkosk said:
I would list, although I have never been in all but one:
1. Cologne zoo/ Valencia bioparc
2. Zurich zoo/ Leipzig zoo
3. Paignton zoo/ Burger's zoo/ Zoo de Beauval
4. Praha zoo
5. Chester zoo/ London zoo/ Emen zoo
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What would you consider to be the best zoo in Macedonia Nikola?
 
ShonenJake13 said:
What would you consider to be the best zoo in Macedonia Nikola?
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Oh Shonen, in R.Maceonia (1.7 million people :) ) there are just 2 real zoos, Skopje and Bitola. Skopje is bigger and more diverse, and more visited, and with better enclosure quality; Bitola zoo's strong side is better natural surrounding - under mountain and more southern location and greater sun insolation. Actually If I list Balkan zoos, Skopje would be in fourth place after Attica, Zagreb and Ljubljana zoo (first of all in regards to enclosure quality and diversity). When seen on European level, Skopje is medium-sized zoo (at lower range toward small).

I think that Tirana zoo in the capital of Albania is non-existent or smaller than Bitola zoo (which is small zoo).
 
Nikola Chavkosk said:
Oh Shonen, in R.Maceonia (1.7 million people :) ) there are just 2 real zoos, Skopje and Bitola. Skopje is bigger and more diverse, and more visited, and with better enclosure quality; Bitola zoo's strong side is better natural surrounding - under mountain and more southern location and greater sun insolation. Actually If I list Balkan zoos, Skopje would be in fourth place after Attica, Zagreb and Ljubljana zoo (first of all in regards to enclosure quality and diversity). When seen on European level, Skopje is medium-sized zoo (at lower range toward small).

I think that Tirana zoo in the capital of Albania is non-existent or smaller than Bitola zoo (which is small zoo).
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Thank you. I've added Skopje and Zagreb to the list.
 
Anymore help as to which zoos are best for countries like Poland, France, Spain etc.?

And anyone here to add to the debate as to which German zoo is best?
 
You can freely add Sofia zoo as largest and ''best'' zoo in Bulgaria, other are quite small; Sofia also holds pygmy hippos, white rhino, Asian elephant and red ruffed lemurs :)
 
I have not been to any of these zoo but this is what I think
Belgium-Pairi Daiza
France-Zoo parc beauval
Austria-Tiergarten Schönbrunn
Switzerland-Zurich Zoo
 
aardvark250 said:
I have not been to any of these zoo but this is what I think
Belgium-Pairi Daiza
France-Zoo parc beauval
Austria-Tiergarten Schönbrunn
Switzerland-Zurich Zoo
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Pairi Daiza I think you will get quite some contention for from some Zoochatters! I have yet to visit the big Belgian zoos but from what I've heard Planckendael may be better?

Beauval is indeed a terrific zoo but then there are others like Doue la Fontaine which are great too...

Schonbrunn I may well give you for Austria, the only other big one I can think of there is Zoo Schmiding.

Zurich is good, but Basel is good too so I've heard!
 
1. Germanic language-speaking countries (except Scandinavia, excluding Denmark) in Europe tend to have the greatest zoos: Germany (1,000+ zoos), United Kingdom (350+ zoos), Ireland, Netherlands (80+ zoos), Belgium (30+ zoos), Switzerland (80+ zoos), Austria (80+ zoos), Denmark;
2. Czech Republic (60+ zoos), France (180+ zoos), Spain (100+ zoos) and Portugal would be in the middle;
3. Italy (70+ zoos) and Balkans (80+ zoos) would have the least developed zoos in Europe but in front of the, 4. far-East of Europe (Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia,Turkey, Georgia, Azerbeijan).
5. Scandinavia (excluding Denmark), Baltic countries and Poland (20+ zoos) seems that are not interested in zoos as Germany and have scarce, average-quality zoos. (?) :)

Of corse we can not draw clear line, and there are many exceptions.
 
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Nikola Chavkosk said:
1. Germanic language-speaking countries (except Scandinavia, excluding Denmark) in Europe tend to have the greatest zoos: Germany (1,000+ zoos), United Kingdom (350+ zoos), Ireland, Netherlands (80+ zoos), Belgium (30+ zoos), Switzerland (80+ zoos), Austria (80+ zoos), Denmark;
2. Czech Republic (60+ zoos), France (180+ zoos), Spain (100+ zoos) and Portugal would be in the middle;
3. Italy (70+ zoos) and Balkans (80+ zoos) would have the least developed zoos in Europe but in front of the, 4. far-East of Europe (Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia,Turkey, Georgia, Azerbeijan).
5. Scandinavia (excluding Denmark), Baltic countries and Poland (20+ zoos) seems that are not interested in zoos as Germany and have scarce, average-quality zoos. (?) :)

Of corse we can not draw clear line, and there are many exceptions.
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Would definitely disagree with point 5! Poland have Warsaw and Wroclaw which are both very good quality, and Norway and Sweden have Kristiansand and Boras/Kolmarden which are pretty good too!
 
So many wonderful zoos in Europe!

A personal favorite of mine is the Gangelt Wildpark on the German side of the border, near Brunssum in the Netherlands.
 
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