Official Description

If you work for this zoo – please send us: A description of the zoo (100 – 1,000 words or so) / Admission prices and opening times and zoo size (hectares or acres)  Address, telephone, email, web site,/ How to find you / An electronic copy of your logo / A summary of the number of species and animals (see table to the left) / A complete species list (common names and latin names please)

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Visitor Reviews

Review submitted by Niels Johs Legarth Iversen: November 2000

This is not just a zoo, but also a botanical garden and part of an old royal park founded by king Friedrich of Württemberg around 1808, which stretches from beyond the Wilhelma into the center of Stuttgart. Right from the start it contained a small zoo, which at the time seemed a wild extravaganza (the Napoleonic wars were raging all around Stuttgart). The next king, Wilhelm, didn't exactly sympathize with the idea and the animals were partly sold, partly killed off and stuffed. Later on there were volieres and even a cattle ranch in the park, but the present zoo really dates back only to the years immediately after the Second World war. The first thing that strikes you when you enter through the main entrance is a formal garden in the middle of the area, though the official tour plan first lures you through the greenhouses to your left. When you are through these you enter an enclosed area (the 'Moorish' garden) with a pond in the middle and a broad stairwall along one side. Behind this you find the main part of the zoo. The official tourline goes on right through the area to the ape house, but I have never been able to resist the walk up the stairs, – there is a fine view from the top. The reason for the offical route planning is perfectly valid however: the ape house is one of the best equipped in Europe, with all the big apes plus gibbons. It even contain a group of rare bonobos (you know, the smaller kind of chimp) who live their lives according to the good ol' adage “make love not war”. They are quite entertaining when they are in the right mood. But so are the ordinary chimpanzees, though their livestyle is less amicable. Now you have to get up to the higher part of the zoo. Up here you pass the cheetas to your left and other big cats to your right, and after these the indian elephants and rhinos. The path leads into an narrow strip of land, where the childrens farm has found its place. When you return from this you arrive at the African section, with ostriches, giraffes, elands, bongos, nyalas and more. Past this area you find the South American section with nandus, tapirs and alpakas to your right and a 'mountain' with ibexes to your left. At the other side of the mountain the various species of bear live. Now you are back at the staircase down to the 'moorish' garden. Walk through and follow the left perimeter of the garden. If you thought this was it, you are wrong – the Wilhelma still has some gems in store, such as a kiwi night house. All in all this a magnificent zoo, in my opinion one of the best in Europe

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