Hellabrunn Zoo

Hellabrunn Zoo
The old elephant house was built in 1914
48°5′50″N 11°33′15″E
Date opened	1 August 1911
Location	Munich, Germany
Land area	36 ha (89 acres)
No. of animals	19,811 (2012)
No. of species	757 (2012)
Annual visitors	1,810,178 (2012)
Memberships	EAZA, WAZA
Website	www.tierpark-hellabrunn.de

Hellabrunn Zoo (or Tierpark Hellabrunn in German) is a 36-hectare (89-acre) zoological garden in the Bavarian capital of Munich. The zoo is situated on the right bank of the river Isar, in the southern part of Munich near the quarter of Thalkirchen. As the groundwater level here is rather high and the water is of very good quality, the zoo can cover its needs for freshwater by using its own wells.

A high ratio of enclosures are cageless, relying upon moat features to keep the animals in place. The zoo was the first zoo in the world not organized by species, but also by geographical aspects. For example the wood bisons share their enclosure with prairie dogs. In some places, the zoo has food dispensers where, for a small cost, the correct food for the species may be thrown by the public. This reduces the risk of animals being fed inappropriate foodstuffs.

In 2013, the zoo was ranked 4th best zoo in Europe (up from 12th). It focuses on conservation and captive breeding rare species such as the rare drill and silvery gibbon monkeys. Also gorillas, giraffes, elephants, wood bisons, elk and arctic foxes were successfully bred in the zoo, which houses a large number of species.

Tierpark Hellabrunn is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and participates in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

History

On 25 February 1905 the Verein Zoologischer Garten München e.V. (Engl. Society of the Zoological Garden of Munich) was founded and the Hellabrunn area was chosen as the location for the zoo. The zoo was designed by architect Emanuel von Seidl, and opened to the public on 1 August 1911.

In 1922, the zoo was closed due to the inflation in Germany. It was re-opened on May 23, 1928. It became the first Geo-Zoo in the world (animals were shown and kept with other animals of the same geographic region). It also engaged in controversial back-breeding to "recreate" extinct animals like Heck cattle (to mimic the Aurochs) and the Tarpan.

During World War II, the zoo sustained extensive damage due to Allied air raids, but it was able to reopen in May 1945.

In 1970, a badly needed plan for the renovation of the zoo was drawn up.

Hellabrunn today

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Henning Wiesner, Hellabrunn is among the most biologically diverse zoos in Europe. In 2012 it was home to 19,183 animals representing 757 species.

The Tierpark Hellabrunn is very active in breeding, reintroduction and conservation projects.

Over 1.8 million people visited Hellabrunn in 2012.

Attractions

The Jungle House was finished in 2005

• The old Elephant house: Constructed in 1914,
• The new jungle house which houses Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Diana monkeys and Mississippi Alligators
• Rare but very acrobatic Silvery gibbons, Spider monkeys, rare Drills and colorful Mandrills
• The new savannah house where you are separated only by a glass wall from the giraffes
• The Aquarium with the Piranha-feeding
• "Dracula's villa" - bats fly around you
• Many other buildings like the "Polarium"
• The guided tours - especially when it's dark and there is no one else in the Zoo
• Children's birthday parties
• One of the very few zoos that allows you to take your dog

External links

• Official website
• Tierparkfreunde (Friends of the Zoo)