which european zoos have an impressive venomous snake collection
- Thread starter gerome
- Start date
Probably the best venomous snake collection in a non-specialist zoo is the one at Zagreb in Croatia, at 43 species (6 venomous colubrids, 34 vipers and 3 elapids) - although about two-thirds of the collection is offshow.
Panda_Fan
Well-Known Member
While I don't know the exact number, I would say that Faunia and Cabarceno are up there as they have impressive houses dedicated to venomous creatures and there's lots of venomous snakes in them.
gerome
Well-Known Member
I specficaly kept it open ended. just to see what are the most intressething ones to visist
Mind you, it's a bit more than just a "snake collection". For the sake of clarification (and to illustrate my point): WdG is fully licensed as a category A zoo in accordance with the Austrian Zoo-Verordnung. Which is the highest zoo category in Austria. And it is officially categorized as a zoo in TRACES. As such, it's legally on the same level as any major zoo in Austria, may it be Zoo Vienna, Salzburg, Herberstein, Schmiding etc. - "specialist" or not. For reference: Reptilienzoo Nockalm (which has probably the largest collection of venomous snakes in Europe), as mentioned by @remar is a category B zoo. While the venomous snakes are the most popular among our visitors, they do not constitute the majority of the >80 species we currently keep, which includes amphibians, fish and several arthropods.
Sorry for the lengthy OT rant, but I want to make it crystal-clear that despite its small size, Welt der Gifte is a legit zoo, not just a "specialist snake collection". So at least one of you should have been polite enough to acknowledge that without me having to resort to self-promotion. Especially those among you ZooChatters who have been here in person...
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That depends on your interest. Which of the aforementioned options/categories describes your individual definition of "impressive/interesting" in this regard best?
I did not mean to insinuate that WdG is not a legitimate zoo. I do sometimes use the word collection to refer to zoos. I admit that I probably shouldn’t have put it in a way that sounds as if WdG keeps only snakes (edit: as in a collection of venomous creatures that includes snakes.)
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Very true, and I apologise for the omission which gave the (incorrect) impression that I view collections with a particular focus as being of lesser legitimacy to generalist collections
as you know, I was already aware that WdG had equal legal status to collections such as Schonbrunn, Salzburg and Innsbruck... although I was surprised to read that Nockalm does not!I think perhaps my point would have been better made had I described Zagreb as a "generalist zoo" rather than "non-specialist" - and I'll happily edit my initial remarks to reflect this if you want?
Mind you that many generalist zoo’s don’t call themselves “Welt der gifte” and then go on a rant about how it’s not a specialist zoo 
I’ll be happy to visit though
The most impressive venemous snake collection I ever saw was “Serpo” before it got closed. It will reopen soon though, although they have been claiming that for 15 years now
I’ll be happy to visit though
The most impressive venemous snake collection I ever saw was “Serpo” before it got closed. It will reopen soon though, although they have been claiming that for 15 years now
@PossumRoach & @TeaLovingDave Thank you.
Given the current state of venomous snake husbandry in European zoos, the "collection" could already be considered "impressive" if there was any venomous snake in it at all. Beggars can't be choosers...
For the sake of speeding up things, here are the European zoos relevant in regard to venomous snake husbandry:
Austria:
- Reptilienzoo Nockalm
- Welt der Gifte
- Haus der Natur
- Haus des Meeres
- Reptilienzoo Forchtenstein
- Reptilienzoo Happ
- Alpenzoo Innsbruck
- Zoo Vienna
Croatia:
- Zoo Zagreb
Czech Republic:
- Zoo Plzen
- Zoo Prague
- Dvur Kralove
- Zoo Dvorec
Cyprus:
-Pafos Zoo
Denmark:
- Terrarium Vissenberg
- Randers
Estonia:
- Pärnu Mini Zoo
Finland:
-Tropicario Helsinki
France:
- Reptiland
- Planet Exotica
Germany:
-Gifttierhaus Eimsheim
-Terrazoo Rheinberg
- Schlangenfarm Schladen
-Reptilienzoo Füssen
-Reptilienzoo Scheidegg
-Serpentarium Calden
-Reptilienzoo Oberammergau
-Reptilium Landau
- Tierpark Hamburg
- Tierpark Berlin
- Wilhelma Stuttgart
- Terrazoo Sontra
- Tierpark München Hellabrunn
- Unteruhldingen Reptilienzoo
- Tierpark Ulm
Hungary:
- Zoo Budapest
Ireland:
- The National Reptile Zoo
Norway:
- Den Lille Dyrehage
Romania:
- NHM Bukarest
Russia:
Zoopark Moscow
Spain:
- Benidorm Terra Natura Park
- Cabarceno
- Madrid Faunia
Sweden:
- Göteborg Aquarium
- Kolmarden Tropicarium
- Stockholm Skansen
- Malmö Reptilcenter
- Helsingborg
Switzerland:
- Schlangenzoo Eschlikon
- Aquarium Lausanne
Given the current state of venomous snake husbandry in European zoos, the "collection" could already be considered "impressive" if there was any venomous snake in it at all. Beggars can't be choosers...
For the sake of speeding up things, here are the European zoos relevant in regard to venomous snake husbandry:
Austria:
- Reptilienzoo Nockalm
- Welt der Gifte
- Haus der Natur
- Haus des Meeres
- Reptilienzoo Forchtenstein
- Reptilienzoo Happ
- Alpenzoo Innsbruck
- Zoo Vienna
Croatia:
- Zoo Zagreb
Czech Republic:
- Zoo Plzen
- Zoo Prague
- Dvur Kralove
- Zoo Dvorec
Cyprus:
-Pafos Zoo
Denmark:
- Terrarium Vissenberg
- Randers
Estonia:
- Pärnu Mini Zoo
Finland:
-Tropicario Helsinki
France:
- Reptiland
- Planet Exotica
Germany:
-Gifttierhaus Eimsheim
-Terrazoo Rheinberg
- Schlangenfarm Schladen
-Reptilienzoo Füssen
-Reptilienzoo Scheidegg
-Serpentarium Calden
-Reptilienzoo Oberammergau
-Reptilium Landau
- Tierpark Hamburg
- Tierpark Berlin
- Wilhelma Stuttgart
- Terrazoo Sontra
- Tierpark München Hellabrunn
- Unteruhldingen Reptilienzoo
- Tierpark Ulm
Hungary:
- Zoo Budapest
Ireland:
- The National Reptile Zoo
Norway:
- Den Lille Dyrehage
Romania:
- NHM Bukarest
Russia:
Zoopark Moscow
Spain:
- Benidorm Terra Natura Park
- Cabarceno
- Madrid Faunia
Sweden:
- Göteborg Aquarium
- Kolmarden Tropicarium
- Stockholm Skansen
- Malmö Reptilcenter
- Helsingborg
Switzerland:
- Schlangenzoo Eschlikon
- Aquarium Lausanne
Zoos, not zoo's. And I chose that name deliberately for the interdisciplinary aspect; WdG is also officially registered as a museum.New Mind you that many generalist zoo’s don’t call themselves “Welt der gifte” and then go on a rant about how it’s not a specialist zoo
I'll be even happier to see that smirk disappear all of a sudden during your visit when I "accidently" open up one of the enclosures...I’ll be happy to visit though
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If you start correcting all non-native English speakers on this forum, you’ll need to quit your dayjob.
I'll be even happier to see that smirk disappear all of a sudden during your visit when I "accidently" open up one of the enclosures...
You just made a point in telling me I’ve got over 50% chance the smirk can stay on
I’m a bit disappointed to see not one Dutch institution on the list. Last time I visited Artis I think all venemous snakes were gone (I remember a particularly impressive Gabon viper there at one point).
Blijdorp held an Aruba-rattler in the Oceanium, but I think that’s also gone? Emmen’s monocle cobras are also gone, which means I can’t think of one venemous snake in any Dutch zoo anymore. Does Serpo not play any role anymore in European snake husbandry (as far as I know they still hold a reasonable collection, just not on show)?
The next zoo is not impressive (very much the opposite) and its venomous snake collection is modest, but considering how venomous snakes are not commonly kept in local zoos it might as well be mentioned here.
"Tropical World" is Slovak contact reptile mini zoo that moved its public collection to village Sielnica around beginning of 2024. It previously could be visited within citycenter of nearby Zvolen. It has also a whole room dedicated to various venomous animals (spiders, dart frogs etc.) that includes a few snakes like a cobra, a gabun viper, rattlesnake or pitviper.
Last year I tried (and failed) to piece together something resembling a species list, but the zoo´s HP and socials are useless and 95% of visitors pics online show the x-time a bearded dragon or chamaeleon was randomly handed out for photo-ops. I hate concept of ambassador animals and private "contact zoos" that sprung from the ground in recent decade in Slovakia are my pet peeve so I gave up. (They keep some interesting species like Abronia - but my zero experience with this genus made me unable to determine it down to species and add it into ZTL.)
If we talk Czechia, local private breeder Honců is currently building his private reptile zoo on outskirts of Hradec Kralove that should open later in 2025. He keeps decent number of venomous snakes so I hope they will appear there (green mamba etc.)
"Tropical World" is Slovak contact reptile mini zoo that moved its public collection to village Sielnica around beginning of 2024. It previously could be visited within citycenter of nearby Zvolen. It has also a whole room dedicated to various venomous animals (spiders, dart frogs etc.) that includes a few snakes like a cobra, a gabun viper, rattlesnake or pitviper.
Last year I tried (and failed) to piece together something resembling a species list, but the zoo´s HP and socials are useless and 95% of visitors pics online show the x-time a bearded dragon or chamaeleon was randomly handed out for photo-ops. I hate concept of ambassador animals and private "contact zoos" that sprung from the ground in recent decade in Slovakia are my pet peeve so I gave up. (They keep some interesting species like Abronia - but my zero experience with this genus made me unable to determine it down to species and add it into ZTL.)
If we talk Czechia, local private breeder Honců is currently building his private reptile zoo on outskirts of Hradec Kralove that should open later in 2025. He keeps decent number of venomous snakes so I hope they will appear there (green mamba etc.)
There are still 3 venomous snakes in major Dutch zoos, 2 rattlesnakes in Burgers' and a monocled cobra in Blijdorp (in the Asia house). Apart from that "de Oliemeulen" in Tilburg still has a few venomous snakes. Serpo still keeps plenty of venomous snakes and is always opening next year, who knows when that will happen
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If the orthographic errors are limited to the correct spelling of "zoos" and "venomous", then I think I can fit that in with all the other activities.
We shall see...You just made a point in telling me I’ve got over 50% chance the smirk can stay on
Plenty of venomous snake keepers in the Netherlands, albeit mainly in the private sector.
Thanks for the reminder; I do remember seeing a picture of the "Venom room".
I haven't been to Hluboka yet, so I take your word for it.