Zoo Berlin – Can Germanys oldest Zoo still hold up? | Zoo-Review

Zoo Berlin – Can Germanys oldest Zoo still hold up? | Zoo-Review

[Music] Berlin Zoo is the most visited zoo in Germany, also thanks to many international guests who come to Berlin as tourists. However, the zoo’s appeal is not only due to its favorable location right in the center of Berlin, but also from a rich history and an exceptionally large collection of animals, which once even made this park the most species lit zoo in the world. And even though the number of species has been reduced somewhat, there is still almost everything you could dream of seeing on a visit to the zoo and then some, including the ever popular giant pandas. But is Berlin Zoo really so popular for good reason? Should it be high up your Berlin to-do list? Or is it perhaps even more worthwhile to visit the second and much larger zoo, Tear Park Berlin, in the east of the city? Well, of course, you’ll have to decide that for yourself in the end, but I hope this video gives you a good overview of everything you can expect from this extraordinary zoo. Well, truth be told, for a long time, I didn’t think Berlin Zoo was that extraordinary. I mean, it was always special in some regard, but the zoo was simply getting more and more outdated, and it still is in some places. The zoo has three faces, and all of them come clear right from the get-go should you enter through the lion gate. As you can probably tell, this entrance area was recently modernized and brightened up. And on the left, you can already see the Rhino Pagod, one of the newest areas of the park, which we will take a closer look at in a moment. In the center, the view falls on historic rocky landscapes with mammoths and ibexes and also the historic hen house, both of which have been here for well over a hundred years. And yet, they still have their charm today. And there is certainly no debate about the need to preserve such buildings. This historic center, at least part of which survived the Second World War, most of it didn’t, is certainly part of what makes a visit to Germany’s oldest zoo so special. And on the right is the Elephant Enclosure and the Elephant House, a postwar brick expressionist building that was opened in 1955. And for a house from this period, it’s of an exceptional size. So, the housing conditions are still not terrible. But even apart from the old-fashioned appearance, there are numerous arguments in support of the need for modernization as soon as possible. Because even if the boxes here are relatively large, it is still a far cry from the kind of modern elephant house you’d find elsewhere. The outer enclosure for the herd of Asian elephants is still quite good thanks to some modernizations and extensions, but the rather cramped bull enclosure in particular makes it clear why I would like to see a change. And it was precisely these postwar buildings and in some cases even more drastic legacy issues and therefore inadequate husbandry conditions that long characterized the image of Berlin Zoo. But thankfully a lot has changed in the last 10 to 15 years. Since the current director Andreasim took over the management of zoo and tier park in 2014, there has been an undeniable and significant development in both facilities. Which brings us back to the rhino pagod. I still remember the old rhinoceros enclosures dating back to the 1960s. And as you can see, the interior of the building especially was not up to date, neither visually nor in terms of animal husbandry. And so the old house was demolished in 2021, just like the camel enclosures next to it to make room for the new rhino pigod, which opened in 2023. And together with the architects from the Pearlman group, they have definitely created a new landmark here with the 25 m high tower alone. At the same time, the building is a modern homage to the old elephant house which did not survive the bombing raids during the Second World War. So for around €23 million, they’ve certainly created a showpiece building. A pure improvement in animal husbandry could certainly have been realized for a smaller sum. But as long as it’s also convincing in this respect, I’m the last person to complain about a little architectural splendor. The house alone is more than 2,000 square m in size and is covered by a foil cushion roof. This allows the natural sunlight to shine inside, which is not only good for the animals, but also for the plants growing here. So, at least on sunny days, it’s very bright in here. And there are great views of the indoor areas for Indian rhinos and lowland tapers. Some of the views are through glass panes, others overwater areas where with a bit of luck, you can also watch rhinos or tapers bathing. There is even an underwater view very unique for rhinos. I think I’ve literally never seen it anywhere else. And even if I wasn’t lucky enough to actually film a rhino underwater, I think I was able to collect some material that shows how well you can observe the animals here. The house is also filled with small charming details, some very nice educational elements, and I could emphasize many design decisions here, such as the glass front through which you can see parts of the rhino’s outdoor enclosure. In the total area of 14,000 square m next to the house, there are four rhino enclosures, some of which can be connected to each other and the Indian rhino’s roommates, the even more endangered Visayian warty pigs, can use the entire area. The first of the enclosures can be easily seen from the forcourt across a dry mode, but there are good viewpoints to all four enclosures. For the animals, they are well equipped with different subtraits. For example, three of the enclosures have a pool for bathing. The other one has at least a mutole. The tapers are also offered quite a bit of space and a well ststructured and furnished enclosure. But yes, of course, Malayan tapers would geographically fit way better into the concept, but the zoo preferred to make the new enclosures available to animals that were already part of the current collection. In this respect, I can cope with this little blemish here. And in my opinion, this is overall a really, really beautifully designed area. And just talking about it makes me want to marvel at it again on my next visit. Right next to the area is the Hippo House, which was for the longest time probably my favorite place in the whole zoo. It was opened in 1997, but I’m such a big fan of the architecture here, especially the glass dome, that it’s probably still my favorite hippo house. Although, the hippo dome in Cologne is also amazing. I I guess it’s a coin flip between those two. In addition to the large hippos, the house is also home to pick me hippos. So, you will also find Tony here, who became a little social media star as a young animal in 2024. Of course, the animals also have outdoor enclosures, and the large hippos also share this with nialas. From here, the path leads past a beautiful but relatively small farm area with a petting zoo to the so-called world of birds. Originally opened under the old director Banhard Blushkitz in 2013, I didn’t like it that much with its sparse concrete walls. It just gave me this feeling of a very old-fashioned house where the primarily idea was to show off an animal collection. But in 2016, it was immediately remodeled and not only given a facelift, but the conditions in which the animals are kept were also improved, for example, with more sitting options and places to retreat. The bird population was at least a little bit reduced and the original 48 aviaries were turned into 35 larger ones. Thanks to these and other remodeling measures, it has been possible to make the most of the original structure. However, the building is still divided into four areas which are organized according to the continents of Africa, Australia, Asia, and South America. And there is also still an incredible number of almost 100 different bird species to marvel at. Accordingly, I’m not even going to attempt to list everything here, but I think you can see from the video material alone that bird lovers will get their money worth here. There is even a small nocturnal animal area where with a bit of luck, you can catch a glimpse of the ki. Apart from that, I particularly like the two large free flight halls, the 450 m Africa freef flight hall and the 405 m Asian tropical landscape where you can experience the birds up close in a completely different way. Overall, however, I personally feel almost overwhelmed by the large number of bird species in this corner of the zoo because right next to the world of birds is the pheasantry around which there is also a breathtaking variety of birds to see. The presentation of the animal enclosures here is noticeably more old-fashioned, which is hardly surprising given that both the building and the aviaries are clearly much older. There are also many exciting species to see here, but unfortunately this area always tires me out a little. On the other hand, however, I feel like I discover a new species every time I visit. My highlight is the walk-in wing bird aviary which creates a wonderfully relaxing beach atmosphere complete with beach chairs and waves thanks to a wave machine. I also always enjoy the sight of casawaries and if you are observant in the pheasantry among the feathered beauties you might also spot a lesser mouse deer. Definitely a small rarity. Opposite the pheasant tree is the old polar bear enclosure which has been unoccupied for several years now. Kud, the little polar bear who conquered the world once lived here. But now polar bears can only be seen at Berlin Tier Park. However, on the other side of the non-accessible bear house, there are still sloth bears. Their enclosure was last remodeled in 2013, but is now to be upgraded and redesigned once again for the animals. This has already happened next door with the brown bears. Since 2023, three bear brothers have been living in this newly refurbished enclosure, which has been designed more closely to their natural habitat with tree trunks, a water course, and caves. So now the people of Berlin can once again marvel at their heraldic animal at the zoo. And as you can see, they caused quite a spectacle during my visit. The wolf enclosure next to it was also reoccupied in 2023, but the residents didn’t show themselves here. But at least I got to see some of their relatives, the African wild dogs, on this beautifully overgrown enclosure. From here, the path leads us into a large walk in aviary with a wonderful forest river ambiencece. There are various bird species to discover here, including pelicans. As you can see next door is another large aviary for condors. It’s 1,400 m in size and is said to have been the largest aviary in Europe back when it opened in 2005. And 20 years later, it is definitely still by far the best condor aviary I know. And so we have now arrived in the so-called penguin Keats. Keats is another name for a neighborhood and penguin well is penguin. I think you got that one. And there really are quite a few penguins to be seen here. Not only African penguins and humbold penguins, but also two Antarctic species, the king penguin and the particularly rare northern rockhopper penguin. Of course, they live in a cooled house which also has a snow machine. And while it’s certainly not the most impressive and modern building of its kind, its architecture is still very exciting. Together with the renovated seal enclosures next to it, the house was the zoo’s most expensive construction project to date in 2002. The seal enclosures were originally built back in 1931 and survived the Second World War largely unscathed. Over the years, several seal species have lived here, including the impressive elephant seals, the males of which were always called Roland. So, this well-known photo, for example, shows Roland V with its keeper, Gart Shanker, the largest enclosure is currently home to Californian sea lions, which can also be admired underwater in the shade of the penguin house. Another enclosure is also home to harbor seals, while both other enclosures have been unoccupied for quite some time due to the need of renovation. Oh yes, a dwarf otter enclosure is also part of the area. And even though we’ve just been talking about the rich history of Germany’s oldest zoo, these buildings, which are still inhabited by hoofed animals, convey the historical weight of the park even more clearly. Thanks to buildings like this, Berlin Zoo is certainly not only interesting for animal lovers, but also for anyone with an interest in architecture. From here, a bridge leads over a canal into the zoo’s extension area. It was already added in 1987, but the 3.4 hectare area is still called that. And to be honest, I think it’s the most boring part of the zoo. I mean there is a South America shared enclosure for capiparas, nandus and guanakos as well as an African enclosure with ostriches, spring box, blast box and greater kudos. Maybe back in the 80s mixed species enclosures like this were still considered to be something fresh, but today it’s just nothing special anymore. And though there are some other interesting animal species like chivalskis horses or red kangaroos here, let me just say when I’m short on time, this is probably the area that I’m always going to skip. Although there are exciting plans for this site, but we’ll get to that later on. Now, it’s back to the main part of the zoo where two beautiful animal species, the bongos and the okapis, await us. Their enclosures are to be extended in the foreseeable future, presumably to include this area, which until recently was home to black rhinos. And this brings us back once again to the development that this zoo is currently undergoing, which perhaps is nowhere more evident than in the former Predator House. Originally opened in 1974, there was no denying that this house was a relic of the past, especially with its bitter interior cages with a child look. Far too many animals in far too little space, a site that reinforces the belief of every zoo opponent that zoos are merely animal prisons. So, it was high time to make a change. And between 2018 and 2022, the long-needed modernization finally took place and the so-called dea or in English empire of cats was opened. And the difference is immediately apparent at least visually like day and night. Instead of a sterile atmosphere and animals behind bars, you can now look through glass panes into indoor facilities that have been modeled like natural habitats. The corridors are kept relatively dark to emphasize the view into the enclosures even further. I must also expressly praise the work of Uvetau who as a specialist in artificial rocks and nature paintings has done a brilliant job here. The way in which the background visually expands the enclosures like a matte painting in a film is amazing. It’s simply the best I’ve ever seen so far. In addition, there are now numerous educational elements here, some of which are interactive and playful and teach a lot about the animals living here and predators in general. But let’s talk about the most important things now, the animals and the husbandry conditions. Even though the number of species in the house has of course been well reduced, there is still plenty to discover here. Let’s start with the big cats. The lions have an outdoor enclosure in front of the aquarium, which has been home to lions since 1936. However, the outer area was modernized again in the course of the renovation and is now designed as a 1,200 square meter African savana landscape. Heated rocks are intended to ensure that the lines do not have to freeze outside even in winter. Yet, the indoor area has also been extended from 115 to 192 m, and visitors can get very close to the animals thanks to large panoramic windows. The same applies to the indoor areas for leopards, tigers, and jaguars, which also offers a small pool with underwater view. Just like the lions, the tiger’s outer area is an older enclosure that has been remodeled. They have also switched from the larger armor tigers to the smaller sumatran tigers. The jaguars have two overnetted enclosures which look very nicely designed. However, they are neither exceptionally large nor are there really good climbing opportunities for the animals here. The enclosures for Persian leopards on the other side of the building are rather similar. Everything is very nicely designed here, also with great glass views, but once again, not exceptionally large and not very well equipped for climbing animals. Even now, this is certainly an improvement on the previous enclosure conditions in the old house, but for new enclosures, it’s kind of lackluster. That’s not just my opinion, but thankfully also that of the people in charge at the zoo. The leopards will get another enclosure with an area of 580 square m. The tigers will get another,000 square meter outdoor enclosure, and the jaguars will be able to cross a 19 m long and 8 m high steel arch bridge to reach an island enclosure with plenty of water area as well. That all sounds very promising, but is already taking longer than planned. And according to my sources, the realization of the Jaguar enclosure is anything but certain at this point, which would be a shame because it’s not only the most spectacular plan, but also probably most necessary. Moving on to the small cats, I first have to gush about the fact that the last time I’ve visited, I got to see cute little sand cat babies. Obviously a total delight. There are also Utakan Mares living here which can only be seen in a few zoos. However, southern tiger cats can only be found in three European facilities. Next to the cats, there are also some other animals living here, which really makes me wonder why they didn’t use the literal translation of Raicha, which would be Empire of the Hunters, not just the cats. As you might know already now, I’m talking about ring-tailed monguses, narrow striped manguses, as well as dwarf mangusies. And then there are also red pandas, which are actually living in the very enclosure where giant pandas used to live until 2012. You could still meet the legendary Bao Bao here who moved to Berlin in 1980 as a diplomatic gift from China and at 34 years old was considered to be the oldest panda in a zoo at the time. Last but not least, there are rhinoceros iguanas. They live in an enclosure that was not originally intended for them, but the result is impressive. These mighty lizards rarely have this much space. I particularly also like the outdoor enclosure for the ringtailed monguses. However, overall, I would say that the husbandry conditions here are now at a modern level, but no new standards have really been set, at least not in a way that I would recognize. But I believe that Zuberlin has its limitations due to the tight space and the simultaneous goal to remain a very species zoo. And you can criticize that, but I think this building embodies what you can and cannot expect here regarding the future development as well. Let’s see what happens with the planned extensions. With leopards or jaguars, it’s actually not that hard to raise the bar because sadly standards in Germany are still pretty modest regarding them. Even if this conclusion makes it sound like it’s time to move on, in fact, we still have to talk about the creatures of the night nocturnal animal area which is located under the house. Here you can see an impressive collection of nocturnal animals from artvox, the cute cynical bush babies, fenic foxes, speedy canker, eastern qualls, gray slender lorises to shrewfaced long tongked bats and many more. After Frankfurt, this is the second largest nocturnal animal area in Germany, which also still ranks among the best in the world. And since these are generally rather rare, many of the species living here are also more or less rarities. So, it’s a special experience. But as always, it should be noted that the negative side of keeping animals at night is that you cannot offer them outdoor enclosures due to the reserved day and night cycle. Back in the daylight and fresh air, we could go straight on from here to the Panda Pagod. But instead of the obvious highlight, I would like to explore the part of the zoo that I think is often neglected first. The central part of the zoo is known as the historic heart. Next to the Empire of Cats, a path leads into a wooded area where various deer live. These include reindeers and visan spotted deers. But on my last visit, I was lucky enough to still see a water deer, which in Europe can now only be seen five times each in France and the UK. And I know that for most people, deer are certainly not at the top of the list of must-see animals in a zoo like the one in Berlin, but the area is so beautifully designed. It’s comparatively quieter here, and I’m particularly impressed by the historical architecture. The letter applies all the more when we move on to the wild kettle area. The buildings for European and American bisons, in particular, are real eyecatchers. They date back to 1905 and refer to the bison’s origins with their Native American and Russian inspired design, respectively. Whether what was built here back then is all culturally appropriate is another question. The houses and enclosures for water buffalo watus kettle or lowland anoas are also visually impressive. However, these are all old school hoofed animal enclosures. So they don’t necessarily impress with their enormous size for example. The Bantang and Gwa enclosures on the other hand date back to 1996 and are significantly larger. Incidentally, the beautiful house was designed by two architects from Thailand who were sent to Berlin by the Thai government especially for this project. And if I now add the African forest buffalo to the list, it probably shows once again the still insane number of species at Berlin Zoo around the historic pig house from 1910. However, the population has already been significantly reduced. The impressive Sulavves babosas can still be seen as can Vietnamese potbellied pigs. Unfortunately, Neo, the last Bornean bearded pig in Europe, died last year. But there still is quite a large group of white lipped peckeries here. And in the background, you can already see the first aviaries of the so-called Eagle Canyon, which is also home to vultures, os, and numerous other birds of prey. This area was also recently modernized. Between 2015 and 2018, the original 65 smaller aviaries were combined into 25 larger units. The old rocks and indoor facilities were modernized and two new walk-in aviaries were built. In one of them, you can enter the habitat of the snowy owl, great grey owl, and Eurasian eagle owls. The other is home to Egyptian vultures, and the beautiful battle lur eagles among others. The secretary bird I encountered here in 2023 is unfortunately no longer here. Turns out it was a little bit too stressful here, which is a shame because it was a real experience to come this close to them. Despite the reduction in species population, there is still plenty to see here. The impressive king vultures, bearded vultures, harris hawks, the curious crested karakas, whitenecked ravens, white-headed vultures, palm nut vultures, and a few more. Definitely another area that has benefited massively for modernization. We are now back near the Lion Gate entrance on the back of the historic rocks. And here you will also find the very rarely kept Sichuan tarines. But our attention is now focused on the antelope house which in my eyes is the historic jewel of the zoo. The oriental style building is also the oldest still standing in the zoo and was opened by Kaisa Vilhan I back in 1872. A particular eyecatcher is the mosaic in the entrance portal with the name antelope hunting in Sudan. The central hall of the house is located under a large glass dome under which today dense planting is intended to create a natural environment for the animals living here. Some of the antelopes that gave the house its name still live in and around it today. Of special zoological interest are the giraffe gazels which are rarely kept anywhere else in the world and in Europe can only be found in Berlin Zoo and Tear Park. But the real giraffes also live here. Unfortunately, giraffe bull Max had to be put down in February of this year after he fell down during a playful altercation with fellow giraffe Mugami. He was also an important animal for research as he was the only giraffe in Europe to be trained to wear a halter on his head, allowing important behavioral and vocal data to be collected that enabled conclusions to be drawn about the natural behavior and protection of the species. It should also be mentioned that there is an exhibition on the history of the zoo in this building which fortunately does also not shy away from the Nazi past. And should you need some soul soothing after a look into the dark past, I have good news because just a few meters away from the house, we are standing in front of the panda garden. Since the grand opening in 2017, which was also attended by Angula Miracle and China’s President Xi Yinping, pandas can once again be seen here at Berlin Zoo. And right now, already for the second time, there are even young panda twins to marvel at. Unfortunately, I have not seen Lenny and Lotty yet. Those two here are Pit and Paola, the first giant pandas born in Germany, which as property of the People’s Republic of China, moved to the panda base in Changdu in 2023. Even without any offspring, pandas would be an absolute magnet for visitors and will be the absolute highlight for many here. So, it’s only fitting that their enclosure also does justice to the stars of the zoo. Over an area of more than 5,000 square meters, two enclosures have been built that are inspired by the cloud forests of the Chinese province of Sichuan. Here, the pandas have everything they need to live out their natural behavior with water courses, climbing trees, caves, and other retreats. Although, let’s be real here, pandas mostly just eat bamboo and sleep. So if you want to see some action, you need a bit of luck, even with the cups. Fortunately, parts of the indoor facilities are also visible through large glass panes, as this is where I usually encountered the pandas. As you have probably already seen, the building is of course in a Chinese pagod design. And from this central location between the two outdoor areas, there are wonderful views of the panda’s enclosure. But thanks to many educational elements, all of this is not just an architectural highlight, but also a place of information. I’ve seen quite a few panda enclosures on my travels by now. And this one is clearly my absolute favorite, both in terms of the husbandry conditions and the design in and around the enclosures. And with this in mind, I would also like to mention this pavilion which was inspired by an old Chinese music pavilion that was destroyed during the Second World War. So here too, I can only praise the architects very highly. What a worldclass facility. Now I don’t know if you still remember half an hour later how I described the three faces of the zoo at the beginning. the progressive or modern, the historical and the ugly outdated post-war buildings. Many of them have now been modernized already. And this aspect of the zoo is slowly disappearing. But finally, let’s talk about the monkey house. Probably the best or worst example of the fact that the zoo’s transformation is not yet complete. As you can already see, the old-fashioned tired look and sometimes small outdoor cages with a prison atmosphere are still a reality here. It should be said straight away, though that a comprehensive modernization is also planned here, but this is currently still pending. In recent years, however, the species population has at least been reduced. Menrils, Tokaks, East Javen Langers, Emperor Tamarins, and Goldies monkeys are all no longer here and this made it possible to give more space to the remaining animals by emerging enclosures. However, there are still numerous species to be seen from brown capuchins and squirrel monkeys to owlfaced monkeys and gray langers, siams and paleated gibbons. And from here at the end of the house, all four great ape species await us. Orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos. So, it’s still a lot. I mean, how many zoos have all four species of giant apes? Now, with the apes in particular, they have really done a tremendous job to make the best of the current conditions. For example, new climbing frames were installed for the gorillas and chimpanzees. That’s all good and respectable, but of course it still doesn’t make for really good enclosures. The conditions here are just okay at best. I mean, the grey langanger aviary, for example, is quite all right. I definitely also know quite a few ape enclosures in Germany that are way worse. But of course, a zoo like Berlin should be more ambitious than not being the worst. So despite all the minor improvements, I can hardly wait to see what the modernized house will actually look like. However, no concrete plans have yet been published. It is pretty much only known that the gorillas will no longer be here at the monkey house. They will get their own separate area on the extension side. Let’s see if Fatu, the oldest gorilla in the world at 68, lives to see it. Well, she probably won’t be moving with them anyway. I don’t know. But what I do know is that we now cover the whole zoo. I mean, more or less at least. There are, for example, also a few other enclosures here next to the monkey house, like this baboon rock, for example. I’ve also left out a few other little things here and there, such as the beaver enclosure, or well, with the zoo as large and species, which as Berlin, you simply can’t go into every detail. The overall impression is hopefully clear. Anyway, this is still a super speciesrich zoo that benefits from its rich history and has fortunately undergone a very positive development in the last 15 years. This development is far from concluded and to be honest in a really good zoo it never is, but they are currently on a very good path and that makes it easy to recommend a visit here. Also, thanks to its central location, you can definitely add the zoo to your list of things to do during a holiday or trip to Berlin. There is an incredible number of exciting animals to see, lots of interesting and sometimes historic architecture, a beautiful park landscape, and if you are traveling with children, there is also a great adventure playground. If you don’t want to take your own provisions with you, there are also numerous places to stop for a bite to eat that offer far more than the usual fries and the like. The zoo has a lot to offer in itself, but with a combined ticket, you can also visit the aquarium, which can also be visited separately. However, it is currently still being renovated depending on when you’re watching this video, obviously. And that’s one of the reasons why I will do a separate video on it in the future. And yes, there will also be a video about Tier Park Berlin. It’s a bit further out in the east of the city, but as the largest landscape zoo in Europe, it also has a lot to offer. So, if you don’t want to miss it, it’s high time to click the subscribe button. Also, leave me a like and let me know in the comments what your impressions of Berlin Zoo are. And with that being said, thank you so much for watching. Have a good one. See you soon. or as we say in Germany. Oh, I forgot to mention the beautiful elephant gate. Well, here it is. It’s gorgeous.

Berlin Zoo is not only the oldest, but also the most visited zoo in Germany. Thanks to it’s central location in the heart of the capital, countless tourists visit the zoo every year.

But is it really worth a visit? Of course, Berlin Zoo is extremely species-rich and offers numerous highlights and even giant pandas. At the same time, there is also plenty of exciting architecture with some historic buildings. But has the zoo also made the leap into the modern age? Is the animal husbandry at a good level? In this review, you will find out everything the zoo has to offer and whether you should definitely include the park in your plans when travelling to Berlin.