Pallas cat feeding enrichment at Nordens Ark About Zoos 2026-09-23 | Pallas cat feeding enrichment at Nordens Ark
Leafcutter ants show their strength at Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem About Zoos 2023-02-22 | Since October 2022 a colony of 300,000 leafcutter ants (Atta cephalotes) can be admired in the Bush section of Burgers’ Zoo (Arnhem Zoo) in the Netherlands. They were kept behind the scenes for over a year before being moved to a world class scenery where they show their particular behaviour as if roaming freely. So, no plexiglass tubes for these critters through which they carry fresh cut leaves to their nest. No way. A network of interconnected telephone poles and wires allow the ants to travel at eye level of the visitors between food source and nest. In the nest these highly social insects have worker-ants chew up the leaves that are harvested and feed the resulting chew to a fungus colony that serves as food for the ant’s larvae.Permission for use of the song Land Grab granted by Eric Vloeimans, composer. This song is part of the original soundtrack that was made specially for the nature film Wild Port of Europe by Willem Berents.See also the trailer of the film: https://paradisofilms.nl/Movies/wild_port_of_europe/Check out the music of Eric Vloeimans: https://www.ericvloeimans.nl/
California sea lion at Auckland zoo About Zoos 2022-08-17 | The California sea lion in Auckland Zoo can be found at The Coast. This exhibit was designed to recreate a New Zealand Coastal ecosystem featuring a beach and a large pool for California sea lion as well as the native Fur Seal (kekeno in Maori language; Arctocephalus forsteri), featuring an enormous underwater viewing window, and an aviary for little blue penguins and other native shorebirds. The California sea lions on display were born at Auckland Zoo in the 1990s and will be taken care of for the rest of their lives. And although not found in New Zealand waters, they face many of the same threats as their New Zealand cousins and therefore are as good an ambassador for biodiversity and ecosystem health as a native marine mammal. Yoy can see one such ambassador in this video flying through the filtered salt water tank with a circulating supply.
Charlie the infant chimpanzee of Wassenaar Zoo About Zoos 2022-08-10 | Historical footage of Wassenaar Zoo in the Netherlands. This small Zoo never made it to modern times where animal welfare became paramount in animal husbandry and in zoos. In this video you see Charlie the infant chimp going to the doctor for his medical check-up.
Wellington Zoo historical chimps tea party About Zoos 2022-08-10 | In 1956, as a part of Wellington Zoo’s 50th anniversary celebrations, three female chimpanzees arrived from London Zoo. This must have been the reason that they introduced tea parties with the chimps afterwards. Like in London zoo the tea parties were very popular with the public.The last tea party was in February 1970, four years after Koenraad Kuiper became Zoo director. After World War II Kuiper emigrated to New Zealand because he couldn’t find a suitable job in the Netherlands. More remarkably, his father had been director of Rotterdam Zoo (Diergaarde Blijdorp) before and during the war. Kuiper senior had been a strong opponent of using zoo animals for entertainment of the public. This might have influenced the ideas of the son, and together with the new era of zoo development and husbandry this led to an end of the chimp tea parties. Today, Wellington Zoo’s chimpanzees live in a large outdoor park and new indoor home, which was completed in 2007.(Video source: Archives New Zealand — Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga; Reference: Pictorial Parade 55. National Film Unit, 1956; open access)
Historical footage Basel Zoo, highlights since the Zoos opening About Zoos 2022-06-12 | Basel zoo opened its gates to the public, on 18 July 1874. At the time there were 94 mammals (of 35 species) and 416 birds (of 83 species) to be seen on a premises of 4.3 hectares.Soon the Zoo management started to exhibit exotic people as well, an idea first introduced and made popular by Carl Hagenbeck, an animal trader who opened his own zoo in Hamburg in the beginning of the twentieth century. These ‘Völkerschau’ became successful in those days in Europe, when colonialism was still common practice. It increased the turnstile numbers significantly. From 1879 until 1935 exotic people were – voluntarily but against payment – exhibited in Basel Zoo.In 1949 an aardvark was sourced from the wild in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), and transported to Basel by Dr. R. Geigy.In 1952 a female Indian rhinoceros, called Joymothi, was caught in India and transported to the Zoo in Switzerland. When her first calf was born on 14 September 1956 she made the headlines, because Rudra was the first Indian rhinoceros born in captivity ever, globally. Since then Basel Zoo became very successful in breeding this rhino species, with over 30 Indian rhino births. And as of 1972 Basel Zoo has been coordinating the International studbook (ISB) and the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for Indian rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis).Then Goma was born 23 September 1959 at Basel Zoo, the first gorilla born in an European zoo. She grew up during the first year of her life in the family of Basel Zoo director, veterinarian prof. dr. Ernst Michael Lang, because her mother Achilla didn’t know how to nurse her baby.Heini Hediger must be mentioned as he introduced modern husbandry and science based zookeeping based on a biological way of thinking when he became Basel Zoo director in 1944. He also made the general public in Switzerland aware of typical traits of exotic animals with regular appearances in a television show around 1960. Improving the life of animals living in captivity was ongoing business with the construction of the "new worlds of experience for great apes" as one of the examples. It was a thorough renovation and expansion of the 1960s monkey house opened in 2012 as the new great ape exhibit.(Source: SRF DOK, Wir und der Zoo, 29.11.2012; rhino resource center website; Zoo Basel website; Zoo Basel YouTube channel)
Het Nieuwe Artis, The New Amsterdam Zoo, some highlighths About Zoos 2022-05-22 | Is it still acceptable to keep animals in captivity in 2018? What is the task of a zoo? These are dilemmas that the management of Amsterdam Zoo (Artis) is struggling with.The New Artis, a documentary by Willemiek Kluijfhout, gives a look behind the scenes of the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, which has welcomed visitors for more than 175 years. Kluijfhout not only shows how much attention and care is paid to the animals, but also shows how people think about the role of the zoo in the present time.Can and should a zoo, for example, intervene in the survival of an endangered species? A dead serious, but at the same time ridiculous scene shows how a whole team of zookeepers helps in the reproduction process of a rare crocodile species – the false or Malayan gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii).Marketing also plays an increasingly important role in the zoo. How can the upcoming birth of an elephant be exploited the best? Will the birth take place before the autumn holiday begins? That would certainly boost the number of visitors.At the same time, the zoo tries to shift the visitor’s attention. Where once the focus was on large, exotic animals, the zoo now focuses more and more on entire ecosystems. Not only exotic giraffes should attract visitors, but also the world of bacteria and viruses gets attention.In addition, the experience of the animal is becoming increasingly important. But how do people relate to animals? Are they able to imagine – let alone assess – what animals experience in their artificial environment? The New Artis provides an interesting and transparent insight into the world behind the zoo fences.(Source: 2Doc Het Nieuwe Artis)
The construction of a brand new zoo in Paris, bois de Vincennes About Zoos 2022-05-22 | The construction of the new zoo in Paris, le Parc Zoologique de Paris, has been carried out by Bouygues Construction, a company with many years of experience in innovative projects, in France and elsewhere.As part of the Chrysalis project, Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France was responsible for the full renovation of Zoo de Vincennes, which first opened in 1934. Every care has been taken to ensure the well-being of the animals in the new zoo, with in particular the installation of heating from fake rocks and the construction of a tropical greenhouse which is heated to 25°C all year round. Visitors can observe animals living in virtual freedom in five vast bio-zones that include 16 ecosystems.This timelapse will give you an idea what happened during the transformation of the old ‘Zoo de Vincennes’ into a modern zoo ‘le Parc Zoologique de Paris’, that is reorganised into 5 vast biozones for the well-being of the animals(Source: Bouygues Construction website and YouTube channel)
Chimpanzees grooming each other at Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem About Zoos 2020-06-01 | In 1971, the director of Burgers´ Zoo, Antoon van Hoof, and his brother Jan, an ethologist, decided to create a one hectare outdoor island for about 25 chimpanzees. A unique way of keeping chimps in those days. This environment provided great opportunity for behavioural researchers to observe social interaction in a large group of chimpanzees. Since the opening in 1971, the chimpanzees have been observed by numerous researchers.A number of animals in the group are already very old as you can see in the video. In nature, chimpanzees’ life expectancy generally does not exceed forty years, but in Burgers’ Zoo several animals in the group are already in their fifties.When it is colder than 10 ºC, the chimpanzees prefer to stay in the heated indoor enclosure, where they can be observed as well. There’s an observation booth that appears at the end of the video in the right top corner.In Arnhem they mimic the natural situation, with several adult males in the group. The chimp colony in Burger’s Zoo was and still is a great success, and it became an example of how to keep chimpanzees in captivity, for many zoos all over the world.
Pebble juggling by small-clawed otter at Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem About Zoos 2020-05-31 | See this Asian small-clawed otter practising its paw skills. The otters’ front paws are very important for their foraging behaviour when they search for food, such as crabs and shellfish, on the bottom of the creeks in their habitat.
American manatee with one year old calf at Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem About Zoos 2020-05-31 | Here you see the manatee calf born on 19 March 2019 showing a successful effort in synchronised swimming with its mother.
Squirrel monkeys roughhousing at Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem About Zoos 2020-05-31 | At Burgers’ Zoo the bachelor group of Peruvian squirrel monkeys are housed together with another species from the South American continent, the ring-tailed coati. It was a rather chilly morning with 6 C, but the energy of the winter sun enticed the squirrel monkeys to go outside. In a playful state as you can see.
Speedy grooming of golden lion tamarin at La Flèche Zoo About Zoos 2020-05-13 | There’s grooming and there’s grooming. In most cases when one animal grooms the other it is a behaviour that, besides the removal of irritating skin parasites, stabilises the social structure of animals that live in groups, and confirms the social status of the individuals who are engaged in the grooming activities. But you can do it ‘quick and dirty’ when you really want to go somewhere else ;-), as you can see in the video.
Just a lazy afternoon for the hippo parents and their calf at La Flèche Zoo About Zoos 2020-05-13 | The hippo calf in the video is 3.5 months old and already adjusted to the slow pace for which the species is known to the general public. But looks can be deceptive. In outbursts of aggressive behaviour they can run up to 30 km/hr during an attack.
Humboldt penguins splashing around at La Flèche Zoo About Zoos 2020-05-13 | These Humboldt penguins have a moment of pure splashing around after their lunch. Although confined to a very small-scale replica of their natural habitat in coastal Chile and Peru, it seems they make the most of it.
The Indian rhino that likes the long grass around the pool in La Flèche Zoo About Zoos 2020-05-13 | The pair of male Indian rhinoceroses, from Whipsnade and Warsaw, that were introduced in Zoo de la Flèche in 2017 have familiarized themselves readily with the 2 ha exhibit and at least one developed a particular preference as well. In the video you see him wading through the pool to satisfy his craving for long grass growing at the waterside.
The red-and-green coffee mug killer of La Flèche Zoo About Zoos 2020-05-13 | This red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) does an excellent job in destroying disposable coffee mugs. In the open pit in which two specimens of the largest of the Ara genus are kept without any barriers, one of the enrichment features fosters the species’ effective destructive behaviour.
A macaque with a surgical mask at Hanoi Zoo About Zoos 2019-01-01 | Here you see a macaque exploring the possible use of something that probably was handed to him by visitors through the fence of its enclosure, a broken surgical mask. You see those being used by people in public in East Asia. The background noise level is typical and even quite low at this part of Hanoi Zoo, because most of the kids entertainment facilities, such as electrical trains and merry-go-rounds are situated in other sections of the Zoo. You wonder where the elastic bands of the mask have gone.
A bossy Barbary sheep ewe at Tallinn Zoo About Zoos 2018-12-05 | It looks playful, but seems serious enough at the same time – this Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) ewe that wants to be the highest in hierarchy.
A restless polar bear in Tallinn Zoo’s brand new Polaarium About Zoos 2018-12-05 | This footage shows the difference in behaviour of the two polar bears that just over a month ago were moved to their new home, the Polaarium. This new exhibit was opened in October 2017 and is a great improvement compared to the bears’ old enclosure. It could be the difference in their characters, but it is obvious that one bear is relaxed and has a wait-and-see attitude, while the other is more excited. It could just be a snapshot of the current situation at the time, but it could as well be the expression of how they deal with their new captive environment and adapt to it.
Brown bears exercising their fighting skills at Rhenen Zoo About Zoos 2018-10-28 | In a friendly playfight these two brown bears keep themselves busy in the Bear Forest. In this bear sanctuary of Rhenen Zoo 10 rescued bears (October 2018) live together with a small pack of wolves on 2 hectare of forested land. The bears’ fighting skills are somewhat better than my camera skills that is for sure. Nonetheless, besides the out of focus footage of the bears, you may see the appearance of a wolf’s back right at the end of the video.
Malayan sun bear on a quest for the last drop of honey at Rhenen Zoo About Zoos 2018-10-28 | In a separate part of Expedition Bear Forest, the 2 hectare bear sanctuary at Rhenen Zoo, two female Malayan sun bears are kept. These bears arrived from a German zoo where the conditions of their enclosure were poor, in spring 2016. In the video you’ll see the natural exploratory behaviour of one of the bears while she is checking whether the honeypot – one of the enrichment features – is really empty or not.
Family playtime for the jaguars at Krefeld Zoo About Zoos 2018-10-07 | The jaguar mother and her two cubs, born 8 February 2016, are engaged in a serious play fight when suddenly one of the cubs is distracted. You’ll see this happen at the end of the video and it is caused by an approaching dog. Dogs are allowed in the Zoo when kept on a lead.
A red daredevil at Krefeld Zoo About Zoos 2018-10-07 | Though red pandas are excellent tree climbers, it looks as if this individual in Krefeld Zoo is taking a few risks while seeking a high level sleeping place.
Gorilla ‘Jaap’ is given a bath at Amsterdam Zoo, 1938 About Zoos 2018-07-25 | In the spring of 1936 there was great news in Amsterdam Zoo, Natura Artis Magistra. For the first time ever in the Zoo’s history a gorilla was on display. His name was Jaap, or more affectionately Japie. He was sourced from the wild in Cameroon.Here you see Japie when given a bath, in 1938.Creator: Polygoon-Profilti (producer) / Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid (administrator)Publication date: 29 November 1938Video is in the public domain
Bears roughhousing in the Brown Bear Valley at CERZA Zoo About Zoos 2018-06-09 | Three of the five brown bears are really enjoying the brand new (spring 2017), large enclosure (2 ha). As you may notice, one of the bears is less enthusiastic to engage in some play fighting, but the other two are entertaining the audience while testing their fighting skills in the water.
Young gelada baboons aren’t playing nicely at CERZA Zoo About Zoos 2018-06-09 | At CERZA Zoo they have a good track record concerning the gelada baboon (Theropithecus gelada) reproduction. As you can see offspring are born to the second largest group of gelada baboons in Europe this year as well. There’s one youngster who is systematically ignored access to the current favourite play tree, but it has got a admirable perseverance.
The loud calls of the siamang in a treetop at CERZA Zoo About Zoos 2018-06-09 | That the siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), the largest of the gibbons, is an arboreal species is shown in this video. To make themselves better heard they first travel to the top of the trees in their enclosure as they would do in their native habitat, the forests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra.The siamang is distinctive for two reasons. The first is that two digits on each foot are partially joined by a membrane – hence the name "syndactylus", from the Ancient Greek "sun" (=united) + "daktulos" (=finger). The second is the large gular sac (found in both males and females of the species), which is a throat pouch that can be inflated to the size of the siamang's head, allowing it to make loud, resonating calls or songs. The amplified call can be heard over several kilometres. The second feature is clearly audible in this footage, and you can see the gular sac too.
Two siamang youngsters playing at CERZA Zoo About Zoos 2018-06-09 | These two young siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) are playing to their heart’s content while being supervised by one very relaxed adult. The latter appears at the end of the footage.
Spectacled bear cub at CERZA Zoo likes walking on a high level About Zoos 2018-06-09 | This spectacled bear cub, born January 2017, enjoys the enrichment in the bear enclosure made of tree trunks on which it can climb and walk. But some trunks are off-limits, which is made clear by one of the four adult bears.
Gorilla foraging behaviour at Berlin Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-11 | This male gorilla is collecting the best grass he can find, after which he retreats to the porch where he silently enjoys his late afternoon snack without sharing some with his female companion.
How a chimp gets its juicy leaves at Berlin Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-11 | The outdoor enclosure of the chimpanzees doesn’t provide a lot of tasteful vegetation for the chimps to enjoy. So, the ape in the video is literally reaching out to pick some juicy leaves from the tree just outside the exhibit.
A handful of baboon youngsters at Berlin Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-11 | After viewing playful activities within the troop of Hamadryas baboon youngsters you’ll see how one of the parents shows a neat trick to control one of these little buggers.
An itchy rock hyrax at Colchester Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-10 | This is a rock hyrax that has a terrible itch, that’s for sure!
Rhinos being energized after the rain at Colchester Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-10 | What a little rain can do. These southern white rhinoceroses start galloping around the paddock, which to no surprise makes the other animals move out of the way of those heavyweights.
Capuchin monkeys are trying to escape their enclosure at Colchester Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-10 | Some of the critically endangered buff-headed capuchins have accepted their fate as inmates at Colchester Zoo. While others apparently have not and try to break out, using tools to find the hidden latch to unlock and open the window. See them peering out and being alert. Nonetheless, they are completely preoccupied with their mischievous act, and do not notice the lady who tries to attract their attention by knocking on the glass.
Excitement in the giraffe paddock at Colchester Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-10 | The giraffes in the African savannah area get all excited when there’s a thunderstorm approaching. At least so it seems. Just before the rain arrives they act a little crazy, while the rhinos are being calm. The zebras are wary of the galloping giraffes, though.
Ring-tailed lemurs with infants at Colchester Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-10 | The ring-tailed lemur infants were three weeks old when I visited the Zoo. As you can seen they are very active and crawl all over the adults. There’s one adult that doesn’t like to be used as climbing pole and shakes off the little one, repeatedly.
Smooth-coated otters rough-housing in their pond at Colchester Zoo About Zoos 2018-05-10 | All otters are playful, but these smooth-coated otters do play it rough sometimes. Just watch these rascals.
A minute in the life of emperor tamarin in London Zoo’s Rainforest Life About Zoos 2018-03-18 | Watch emperor tamarin go about their business in the patch of rainforest that has been established at London Zoo, while in the meantime interacting with a red titi monkey who seems to disapprove. Rainforest Life, as the exhibit is called, is a magnificent example of how an exhibit can support a thriving community of a variety of species, such as emperor tamarin, red titi monkey, golden-headed lion tamarin, Linne’s two-toed sloth, southern tamandua, and Rodrigues fruit bat.
A white-cheeked gibbon braving the cold at London Zoo About Zoos 2018-03-18 | A northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) enjoys its veggie meal in the outdoor enclosure while the temperature dropped to just above zero Celsius and some snowflakes come down occasionally. He is even making you jealous by showing how much he likes the food. The video shows the size of the enclosure and the enrichment features to allow the gibbon express its natural behaviour, swing through the treetops.
Grizzly bear in the snow at Sofia Zoo About Zoos 2018-03-03 | Considering the pristine condition of the snow in the enclosure the grizzly bear has just left his indoor quarters. The reason for this is obvious, he knows when his morning apple will arrive. Although it disappears in the snow when the zookeeper throws it in the enclosure the bear finds it immediately – watch carefully.
Black rhino calf frolicking at Rotterdam Zoo About Zoos 2018-01-14 | This three weeks old black rhinoceros calf, born 23 December 2017, knows exactly how to make an entrance. First she couldn’t wait to leave her mother’s womb unexpectedly early. Secondly, she proves to be fearless when preceding her mother entering the outdoor enclosure.This female calf is the second black rhino calf ever to be born in a Dutch Zoo. The first one was born 57 years ago – also in Rotterdam Zoo.
Bickering of chital at Munich Zoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | There’s clearly some anxiety within the herd of chital or axis deer, which leads to a bit of quarrelling between two individuals.
Dama gazelle pronking around in the enclosure at Munich Zoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | The dama gazelle (Nanger dama) or mhorr gazelle of Munich Zoo showed briefly their typical pronking. This behaviour of quadrupeds, particularly gazelles, involves the animal hopping up and down with all four of their legs stiff, so their limbs all leave and touch the ground at the same time. Many explanations of pronking have been proposed, but there is evidence that at least in some cases it is an signal to predators that the pronking animal is not worth pursuing. Not sure where they saw what predator, but at least they warned each other by natural behaviour.
Asian elephant calf frolicking in and around a mud pool at Munich Zoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | Though the raw footage of this video dates from August 2011, long before my first visit to Tierpark Hellabrunn, I like to include this in my review. It’s always a delight to see this elephant calf enjoying itself in the makeshift mud pool.(permission for use of the raw footage granted by Androom)
Gelada baby riding piggyback on its mum at Rheine NaturZoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | Watch the gelada infant tighten its grip when mum bends over to drink from the stream.
Feeding time for the geladas at Rheine NaturZoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | To see this gelada troop enjoy their afternoon vegetables and fruits is a delight in itself. There’s a certain routine of how they eat, and they respect each other’s space – except for the little ones of course.
Sexual endeavours within the herd of lamas at Rheine NaturZoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | Llamas breed lying down in a prone position (male on top), and copulation may take up to 45 minutes. This being shown by the lamas in Rheine Zoo’s walk-through paddock in the best educational manner you can imagine. Unfortunately, the young male has not paid close attention and turns mating into female abuse.
The grooming of a newborn red-capped mangabey at Munster Zoo About Zoos 2018-01-02 | One of the hands of this red-capped mangabey infant is being cleaned meticulously by a parent. These mangabeys live together with western lowland gorillas in the outdoor enclosure.
