| Ouwehands Dierenpark | |
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| Date opened | 1932 |
| Location | Rhenen, the Netherlands |
| Land area | 22 ha |
| Memberships | EAZA, NVD |
| Major exhibits | European and exotic species Berenbos |
| Website | http://www.ouwehand.nl |
Ouwehands Dierenpark is a zoo in Rhenen, in the Dutch province of Utrecht. The zoo is located on the Laarschenberg, a "mountain" that makes up the south-eastern tip of the great Utrecht Hill Ridge.
The zoo's founder, Cor Ouwehand, had moved from Rotterdam to Rhenen to start a cigar factory, but changed his mind and started a chicken farm on the Grebbeberg in 1919, where he held a number of other animals as well, including raccoons, peacocks, and pheasants, quickly drawing public interest.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s the chicken farm lost much of its business, though people kept coming to look at the animals, leading Ouwehand to turn his farm into a zoo. He visited European zoos to gather ideas, and opened his on 18 June 2004.
The park's commercial success had an unintended side effect. In the run-up to World War II, the Dutch government attempted to secure its defenses against a German invasion. The Grebbe line, a defensive line built in the 1700s to protect the Dutch Water Line, ran right through the Grebbeberg, on which the zoo was built. German officers, in civilian clothes, visited the zoo while the Grebbe line was being rebuilt, and were able to establish from the zoo that the Grebbeberg was a weak spot in the line since the bomb-proof pumping equipment, necessary to inundate the area in the case of an invasion, wouldn't be finished by May 1940. During the ensuing Battle of the Grebbeberg, 11–13 May 1940, the Dutch authorities demanded all the dangerous animals in the zoo be shot to prevent their escape if the zoo got hit. Ouwehand, trusting his own aim better than that of the Dutch soldiers, took it upon himself to do so.
The rebuilding process was slow. Ouwehand died in 1950, and his son Bram and Bram's brother-in-law Jo Baars took over. Compensation for the animals shot in WWII wasn't granted until 1953.
Since then the zoo's area has doubled, to 22 ha. Further expansion was prevented by the municipality, and some animals, including hippos, elephants, gorillas, and chimpanzees were done away with. By the end of the 1990s the zoo was practically bankrupt, receiving less than a half a million visitors per year.
Fortunes turned for the better when, in 2000, the zoo was bought by millionaire businessman Marcel Boekhoorn, who invested in new accommodations for lions, tigers, polar bears, and elephants, and built playgrounds and a new restaurant. Boekhoorn also began a pursuit to bring giant pandas to the zoo (on loan from China), which became reality in 2017.
London Zoo, previously known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens and sometimes called Regent's Park Zoo, is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. In 1831 or 1832, the animals of the Tower of London menagerie were transferred to the zoo's collection. It was opened to the public in 1847. As of December 2022, it houses a collection of 14,926 individuals, making it one of the largest collections in the United Kingdom.
Rhenen is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. The municipality also includes the villages of Achterberg, Remmerden, Elst and Laareind. The town lies at a geographically interesting location, namely on the southernmost part of the chain of hills known as the Utrecht Hill Ridge, where this meets the river Rhine. Because of this Rhenen has a unique character with quite some elevation through town.
Hanover Zoo is located in the city centre, or Mitte borough, of Hanover, Germany. The zoo was established on 4 May 1865, and comprises an area of 22 hectares. It contains about 3,414 animals in 237 species, which are cared for by more than 400 employees in the summer season.
Dublin Zoo, in Phoenix Park, is a zoo in Dublin, Ireland, and one of Dublin's most popular attractions. Established and designed in 1830 by Decimus Burton, it opened the following year. Today it focuses on conservation projects, breeding programmes, and growing awareness for animals. Its stated mission is to "work in partnership with zoos worldwide to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the endangered species on Earth".
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a 183-acre (74 ha) zoo in Cleveland, Ohio. The Zoo is divided into several areas: Australian Adventure; African Savanna; Northern Wilderness Trek, The Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building, Waterfowl Lake, The RainForest, Asian Highlands, and the newly added Susie's Bear Hollow. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has one of the largest collections of primates in North America, The Zoo is a part of the Cleveland Metroparks system.
The Louisville Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the Louisville Zoo, is a 134-acre (54 ha) zoo in Louisville, Kentucky, situated in the city's Poplar Level neighborhood. Founded in 1969, the "State Zoo of Kentucky" currently exhibits over 1,200 animals in naturalistic and mixed animal settings representing both geographical areas and Biomes or habitats.
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is a zoo and aquarium in the United States, one of only six major zoo and aquarium hybrids in the United States. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Highland Park, the zoo sits on 77 acres (31 ha) of park land where it exhibits more than 4,000 animals representing 475 species, including 20 threatened or endangered species.
Wuppertal Zoo is a 24-hectare (59-acre) zoo in Wuppertal, Germany. About 5,000 animals from around the world live at the zoo, representing about 500 species, including apes, monkeys, bears, big cats, elephants, as well as birds, reptiles, and fish.
The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium is a 202-acre (82 ha) zoo founded in 1909 and is located in Swope Park at 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. The zoo has a Friends of the Zoo program to help promote the work of the zoo which sees over one million visitors a year. The zoo is home to nearly 1,700 animals and the aquarium has around 8,000 animals. The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The Grebbeberg is a 52-meter high hill located east of Rhenen, Netherlands in the province of Utrecht. It forms the southeastern tip of the Utrecht Hill Ridge, a moraine. Due to its strategic location with a view of the Lower Rhine and the Betuwe, this hill was historically of great importance. The Grebbe Line was constructed from here in the 18th century. The hill is best known for the Battle of the Grebbeberg in May 1940. On the Grebbeberg is the Grebbeberg War Cemetery where Dutch soldiers are buried.
The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operated by the Milwaukee County Parks Commission and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo averages about 1.3 million visitors a year. The zoo houses 3,100 animals from 350 species and covers an area of 190 acres (77 ha). The zoo is noted for the second birth of polar bears and siamangs in captivity and for their locally famous gorilla Samson, who lived from 1950 to 1981 and whose bones are now on display at the Milwaukee Public Museum. During World War II, a celebrity animal of the zoo was Gertie the Duck and her ducklings. The zoo is also home to one of the largest group of bonobos in one location outside their native Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has two cheetahs from the National Zoo in Washington, DC.
The Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a joint zoo and botanical garden located at Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is open every day except Monday, and charges a modest admission fee.
Kolmården Wildlife Park is a zoo that opened in 1965 overlooking Bråviken bay in Sweden. It is the largest zoo in Scandinavia, includes the first dolphinarium in Scandinavia, which opened in 1969 and has daily shows, and the world's first cable car safari. The wildlife park also has a birds of prey display and a seal show. In the Marine World area is a roller coaster called "The Dolphin Express". Another, larger, roller coaster in the park is Wildfire.
DierenPark Amersfoort is a 20-hectare (49-acre) zoo located on the West side of Amersfoort, in the province of Utrecht, on the edge of the Birkhoven forest, in the Netherlands.
The Battle of the Grebbeberg was a major engagement during the Battle of the Netherlands, which was a part of the World War II Operation Fall Gelb in 1940.
Marcel Boekhoorn is a Dutch entrepreneur, investor, and owner of investment company Ramphastos Investments. Boekhoorn has a wide array of business interests in the Netherlands and beyond. With an estimated net worth of €1.9 billion, Boekhoorn is one of the wealthiest individuals in the Netherlands.
Como Zoo was the first zoo established in Minnesota. Founded in 1897, when the then mayor of Saint Paul wanted a place for his deer to live. The zoo is located within Como Park, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Como Zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Willem Pieter Landzaat was a Dutch military officer who died during the Battle of the Grebbeberg.
Veenendaal Centrum is a railway station located in Veenendaal, Netherlands. The station was opened in 1886, closed in 1944 and reopened in 1981. It is located on the Kesteren–Amersfoort railway. The train services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.
Rostock Zoo is a zoo in the city of Rostock, founded in 1899. It covers 56 hectares and with 4,500 animals from 320 species, Rostock Zoo is the largest zoo on the German east coast. Rostock Zoo is studbook keeper of Polar bears within the European Endangered Species Programme. The director of Rostock Zoo is Udo Nagel.
51°57′22″N5°35′27″E / 51.95611°N 5.59083°E
Zoos of the Netherlands | |
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| Zoos | |
| Aquariums | |
