A day at the Zoo......

Frankfurt Zoo... (Zoological Garten)

The Frankfurt Zoo......

Donna........

Gorillas, lions and rhinos: you don`t have to travel to Africa to see these fascinating animals. A trip to the Frankfurt Zoo is just as good :-)  Last weekend i was in the mood for a little safari adventure and so it was off to the zoo:-) I had a glorious time together with my family, watching the different animals. Presently there are some construction work going on in the zoo premises but this doesnt really interrupt the visits. It was quite exciting for my son to see first hand, all different types of wild animals, ranging from lions to rhinos. But on the other hand i could not stop thinking whether it is ethical to confine a wild animal to a synthetic version of its natural habitat. Well, i guess i will never know how these animals really feel about this but hey, they all looked physically in best shape.

on-going construction work

Besides most zoos today play a major role in promoting conservation by providing educational and scientific mechanisms which can be crucial in saving species from the brink of extinction. With increasing threats to wildlife in their natural habitats, it is becoming more important to find ways to sustain populations. The Frankfurt zoo is doing a great job in this department and that is definately a plus :-))

The Frankfurt Zoo opened in 1858, is the second oldest in Germany. Like an oasis of nature right in the city center, it shows a rich variety of rare species and unique buildings. It looks incredible from the outside, you wouldn't even think it is a zoo.

The main entrance........It looks incredible from the outside, you wouldn't even think it is a zoo.

The zoo concentrates on choice species, since space ist strongly limited and big herds and wide landscaped enclosures cannot be presented.The zoo contains over 4,500 animals of more than 400 species. The zoo has taken great care to construct different climate and socially controlled habitats suited to each of the animals.

info center

One of the things i loved about the zoo is that they have activities for all ages and in true German style, you can also enjoy a drink or a meal in the beer garden after touring the zoo :-))
One of the highlights for kids is a petting zone with a dwarf goat enclosure, where children are encouraged to get 'hands on' :-))

Pet Zoo for kids

Our first stop was at the cat jungle. Here one has close-up encounters with lions and tigers. The big cats are seperated from observers just through a thick glass or water ditches. Quite an intense and exciting encounter.

tiger zone :-))

tiger at rest

listening to the different sounds they make

me against the cat :-)))

the latest tiger trainer in town.... :-))

a lion and a lioness

Inside the modern ape house a tropical climate has been created for the great apes and the visitors. Many plants and a waterfall gives the illusion of a jungle and many interactive information boards informs visitors about the lifestyle of the great apes and some of the problems they encounter in the wild.

a tropical climate just like in the jungle

one of the interactive boards........L to R Chimpanzee, Bonobo and Man (in this case a female specie) :-))))

just a glass panel seperates the Bonobos from the visitors

a baby

an orang utan

i loved the jungle atmosphere :-))

my baby was so excited seeing all these animals close up :-))

In the Giraffe House one gets really close up with the giraffes especially when they are indoors. Here there is an artificial giraffe and interactive signs waiting to be discovered.  For longer observations there are seats available.

After a stop at the Girafee house we made a short break and later checked out some more animals. Below are some of the animals we saw.

i wonder what happened to the rhinos horn?????

Back to africa......Rhinos sent back home to South Africa

Our last stop was  at "The Grzimek House". It offers a unique opportunity to observe nocturnal animals in their habitats. Here no photos were taken because of the sensitive nature of the nocturnal creatures :-)) The Grzimek House is named after Dr. Bernhard Grzimek.

In 1944, the zoo was razed to the ground, only 20 animals survived the bombing. The reconstruction is inseparately linked to Dr. Bernhard Grzimek. Famous for his TV programs and protection of the Serengeti, he led the zoo to an international top position. Grzimek is most famous for the work he undertook for the conservation of the Serengeti. He spent several years studying the wildlife there along with his son Michael. In 1959 Michael was killed in an air crash while flying the Dornier Do 27 due to a collision with a Griffon Vulture. He wrote a best-selling book called "Serengeti shall not die", which appealed enormously to the public and was key in driving the creation of the Serengeti National Park.

The Jeep and the airplane called "duck" on the roof of the monkey house(with a most unique Zebra paint) were used by family Grzimek when making the film "Serengeti shall not die". In the Grzimek cabin you can learn about their life and their works.

the Grzimek cabin

the airplane "duck" with it´s unique zebra paint job

the safari jeep

hope you had fun with me.....see you all again pretty soon, i hope :-)

It was all in all an interesting and exciting day. Hope you did enjoy my little City-Safari adventure :-)) Stay cool as always until we meet again.

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from "Deutschland" with luv,

Nakutana.