Updated for September 2026
The Best Zoos in Germany
How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every zoo in Germany that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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PlaygroundParking
Allwetterzoo Münster
Zoo in Münster
The name refers to the roofed walkways that let visitors reach many of the buildings under cover. A predecessor zoo opened in 1875 and closed at the end of 1973, and the current woodland site near the Aasee was built by 1974.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyParking
Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum Düsseldorf
Zoo & Aquarium in Düsseldorf
The building has 6,800 m² of floor space and 25 themed rooms, holding roughly 560 animal species as of July 2018. The displays are rounded out by 1,400 natural history specimens, models and hands-on stations. Just under 500,000 visitors a year make it the city's best-attended cultural institution.
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Assistance animal policy
Hanover Zoo
Zoo in Hannover
Founded in May 1865 as the eighth German zoo, it covers 22 hectares. In January 2024 it held about 1,473 animals in 158 species. Just over 400 staff are employed in the high season, most of them in visitor services.
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Keeper talk or showGuided tourOn-site dining
Naturzoo Rheine
Zoo in Rheine
The zoo covers 13 hectares and houses around 1,400 animals in more than a hundred species. It forms a recreation area together with the Saline Gottesgabe, Kloster Bentlage and the surrounding Bentlager Wald.
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Animal encounterGuided tourKeeper talk or show
Opel-Zoo (Von Opel Hessische Zoostiftung)
Zoo in Kronberg im Taunus
Roughly 1,700 animals of 200 species from nearly every continent are kept. About 580,000 people visit each year, and the zoo is funded solely by ticket income and donations.
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Animal encounterChild friendlyGuided tour
Rostock Zoo
Zoo in Rostock
Fifty-six hectares of the Barnstorfer Wald hold about 6,500 animals of 500 species, making this the largest zoo on Germany's Baltic shore. The state tourism board's family-friendly quality mark has been awarded repeatedly. In 2020 Anthony Sheridan named it Europe's best zoo in the half-million-to-million visitor category, for the third year running.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyBehind-the-scenes tour
Thüringer Zoopark Erfurt
Zoo in Erfurt
Thüringer Zoopark Erfurt, opened in 1959, is a zoo in Erfurt, Germany. Animals on show include Geparde, Zebramangusten, Kattas, Bisons and Löwen.
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On-site diningParking
Tiergarten Bernburg
Zoo in Bernburg
Tiergarten Bernburg, opened in 1909, is a zoo in Bernburg, Germany. Its exhibits include Afrika, Eurasien, Australien and Amerika.
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Animal encounterChild friendlyGuided tour
Tiergarten der Stadt Nürnberg
Zoo in Nuremberg
At the close of 2020 the collection stood at 6,824 individual animals across 310 species. The grounds and the adjoining Schmausenbuck land together form the Natura 2000 protected site DE6532372.
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Keeper talk or showPetting zoo
Tiergarten Kleve
Zoo in Kleve
About 350 animals are kept on six hectares, mainly old and threatened domestic breeds, though maras and armadillos arrived in 2021 as the focus widened to endangered wild species. Pied tamarins and red pandas are kept under the European breeding programme. The park is run by a membership association, with the veterinarian Martin Polotzek as director since January 2021.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Tiergarten Straubing
Zoo in Straubing
Over 2,000 individual animals are kept, in roughly 200 species. European breeding programmes are joined for wisent, Amur tiger, African penguin and Bali starling. The zoo is a partner of the Stiftung Artenschutz and a member of WAZA and ZGAP.
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On-site diningParkingWheelchair accessible routes
Tierpark Hagenbeck
Zoo & Aquarium in Eimsbüttel
Tierpark Hagenbeck GGmbH, opened in 1907, is a zoo in Germany. Animals on show include Weißrüssel-Nasenbären, Seebären, Rote Riesenkängurus, Sumatra Orang-Utans and Stachelschweine.
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Animal encounterBehind-the-scenes tourParking
Tierpark Hamm
Zoo in Hamm
Tierpark Hamm is a zoo in Hamm, Germany.
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Keeper talk or showParking
Tierpark Hellabrunn
Zoo in München
The park claims to be the first zoo laid out on geographic principles, and holds about 18,500 animals across 529 species. It lies inside the landscape protection area of the Isar floodplain.
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PlaygroundPicnic areaWheelchair accessible routes
Tierpark Neumünster
Zoo in Neumünster
Twenty-four wooded hectares hold about 700 animals across 100 mammal, bird and reptile species. The park belongs to the VdZ, the DWV and EAZA. As of 2021 it took part in 17 European breeding programmes and is noted for its breeding of European bison.
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Keeper talk or showOn-site dining
Tierpark Nordhorn
Zoo in Nordhorn
Just under 200 staff work on recreation, species and nature protection, education and research. As an ark park it also covers regional history, through a section themed on the Vechte. It looks after some 170 hectares of protected habitat and hosts an ecological station whose remit spans roughly 40,000 hectares.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundEducation program
Tierpark Ueckermünde
Zoo in Ueckermünde
The park covers roughly 18 hectares and holds about 400 animals in around 100 species, with historic structures including a windmill and a drawbridge standing within the grounds. More than 100,000 people visit each year, about a tenth of them Polish. The zoo has responded with Polish-language leaflets, signage and an information telephone line.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundGuided tour
Tierpark und Fossilium Bochum
Zoo in Bochum
The zoo covers 1.9 hectares inside the Stadtpark and holds about 3,900 animals in more than 330 species. A mining museum and a planetarium stand close by.
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Animal encounterKeeper talk or show
Walsrode World Bird Park
Zoo in Walsrode
The park covers 24 hectares and holds roughly 4,000 birds of 650 species. The Humboldt penguin is the only penguin species kept.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyGuided tour
Wilhelma Zoologisch-Botanischer Garten
Zoo in Stuttgart
Some 11,000 animals are kept on about 30 hectares, and the roughly 1,200 species held make it level with the Zoologischer Garten Berlin for the largest species count in Germany. The botanical side shows more than 8,500 plant species. Attendance runs to roughly 1.8 million visitors a year.
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Keeper talk or showBehind-the-scenes tourParking
Wingster Waldzoo
Zoo in Wingst
Both wild and domestic animals are kept, some of them in a petting section. The collection centres on animals from forest regions around the world.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyDisability admission concession
Zoo am Meer Bremerhaven
Zoo in Bremerhaven
The zoo stands on the Weser dike at Willy-Brandt-Platz, near the large lighthouse. It has been described as the smallest scientifically run zoo in Europe.
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Child friendlyGuided tourOn-site dining
Zoo Dresden
Zoo in Dresden
The zoo houses 1,031 animals in 205 species, including 79 bird and 61 mammal species. It covers about 13 hectares in the south-western part of the Großer Garten.
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Keeper talk or showParkingDisability admission concession
Zoo Duisburg
Zoo in Duisburg
The zoo was founded in May 1934 by citizens of Duisburg. It held the first permanent koalas in Germany, and for a long time the only ones, having begun keeping them in 1994. Other rarities include giant otters, black colobus, Roloway monkeys, fossas, clouded leopards and wombats.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundEducation program
Zoo Eberswalde
Zoo in Eberswalde
Zoo Eberswalde, opened in 1958, is a zoo in Eberswalde, Germany. Animals on show include Löwen, Amurtiger, Affen, Wölfen and Pinguine.
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Assistance animal policy
Zoo Frankfurt
Zoo in Frankfurt
Zoo Frankfurt is a zoo in Frankfurt, Germany.
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Behind-the-scenes tourEducation programDisability admission concession
Zoo Heidelberg
Zoo in Heidelberg
The zoo covers 10.2 hectares and drew just under 500,000 visitors in 2015. It is run as a non-profit company, Tiergarten Heidelberg gGmbH, with Klaus Wünnemann as director since 1998. It takes part in several European breeding programmes.
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Child friendlyEducation programMobility equipment loan
Zoo Landau in der Pfalz
Zoo in Landau in der Pfalz
Zoo Landau in der Pfalz, opened in 1904, is a zoo in Landau, Germany.
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ParkingDisability admission concession
Zoo Leipzig
Zoo in Leipzig
A rebuilding programme is running until 2028, the year of the zoo's 150th anniversary. In Anthony Sheridan's ranking of European zoos it is placed second, behind Tiergarten Schönbrunn.
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On-site dining
Zoo Neunkirchen
Zoo in Neunkirchen
Zoo Neunkirchen, opened in 1926, is a zoo in Neunkirchen, Germany. Animals on show include Fanalokas, Kragenbären and Löwen.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyOn-site dining
Zoo Neuwied
Zoo in Neuwied
Zoo Neuwied is a zoo in Neuwied, Germany. Animals on show include Schimpanse, Löwe, Erdmännchen, Krokodil and Pinguin.
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Child friendlyGuided tourDisability admission concession
Zoo Osnabrück
Zoo in Osnabrück
The grounds cover 23.5 hectares and hold 3,186 animals of 299 species. They lie on the wooded slopes of the Schölerberg, which is the source of the zoo's forest-zoo nickname. Attendance passed a million in 2022, as it had in preceding years.
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Zoo Saarbrücken
Zoo in Saarbrücken
Zoo Saarbrücken, opened in 1956, is a wildlife park in Saarbrücken, Germany.
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Keeper talk or showOn-site diningParking
Zoo Stralsund
Zoo in Stralsund
The park was recognised as a zoological garden in 2005 but kept its older name. Its grounds contain an original farmer-burgher house, moved there from elsewhere, and a rebuilt mill.
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Education program
Zoo Vivarium Darmstadt
Zoo in Darmstadt
Zoo Vivarium Darmstadt, opened in 1956, is a zoo in Darmstadt, Germany.
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Guided tourMobility equipment loan
Zoologischer Garten Augsburg
Zoo in Augsburg
The zoo opened in June 1937 as the Park der deutschen Tierwelt, and exotic animals were added to the former Augsburger Tiergarten after the Second World War. It draws more than 650,000 visitors a year, which makes it the most-visited cultural institution in Swabia and one of the 20 largest animal parks in Germany. It lies on the northern edge of the Siebentischwald, which also serves as a water protection zone for the city's drinking water.
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Keeper talk or showParkingImmersive media attraction
Zoologischer Garten Köln
Zoo & Aquarium in Köln
Cologne Zoo, opened in 1860, is a mixed in Germany. Its exhibits include Elefantenpark, Hippodom, Clemenshof, Aquarium and Terrarium.
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Rides and attractionsOn-site diningParking
Zoologischer Garten Magdeburg
Zoo in Magdeburg
Zoologischer Garten Magdeburg, opened in 1950, is a zoo in Magdeburg, Germany. Animals on show include Spitzmaulnashorn, Sibirische Tiger and Nördliche Zwergmeerkatze.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyNight and evening opening
Zoologischer Garten Schwerin
Zoo in Schwerin
About 25 hectares lie between the southern shore of Lake Schwerin, the Fauler See and the Großer Dreesch estate. The zoo is operated as a non-profit limited company, and recent annual attendance has been above 200,000.
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On-site dining
Zoologischer Garten Wuppertal
Zoo in Wuppertal
Grüner Zoo Wuppertal, opened in 1881, is a zoo in Wuppertal, Germany.
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PlaygroundGuided tourOn-site dining
ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen
Zoo in Gelsenkirchen
ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, opened in 1949, is a zoo in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Animals on show include Löwen, Kalifornischer Seelöwe, Waschbär and McCords Schlangenhals-Schildkröten.
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Guided tourEducation programOn-site dining
Aachener Tierpark Euregiozoo
Zoo in Aachen
The stock runs to roughly 520 animals in about 70 species. The Beverbach flows through the grounds and is dammed into a pond of some two hectares in the north-western corner. In 2007 the zoo joined the Verband der Zoologischen Gärten, an association limited to scientifically run zoos with breeding programmes.
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Petting zooRides and attractionsEducation program
Bergtierpark Blindham
Zoo in Aying
It opened in 2004 on the grounds of a former farm and holds roughly 25 domestic and wild animal species. Alongside European natives it shows introduced species such as chipmunk, nutria and raccoon, together with rare domestic breeds. The animals are mostly kept in large enclosures matched to their natural surroundings and seen along a circuit of about 2.2 km.
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Guided tourOn-site diningParking
Chemnitz Zoo
Zoo in Chemnitz
About 10 hectares of former marshland in the Reichenbrand district hold roughly 1,000 animals of some 200 species. Attendance in 2014, counting an associated game enclosure, was 178,233.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundBehind-the-scenes tour
Eekholt Wildlife Park
Zoo in Bimöhlen
Over 700 animals of 100 Central European species are held across 67 hectares laid out naturalistically, on woodland and moor terrain crossed by the river Osterau and its meadows. The Schleswig-Holstein wolf information centre is based here. The park was founded in 1970 by Hans-Heinrich Hatlapa as a red deer research enclosure.
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Eifel-Zoo
Zoo in Lünebach
Around 400 animals are kept on a 30-hectare site. The zoo lies in the Bierbach valley, west of the B 410 road.
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Keeper talk or showPetting zoo
Greifvogelpark Katharinenberg
Zoo in Wunsiedel
Opened in 2007, the park keeps daytime raptors including several falcon and buzzard species, a golden eagle and several vulture species, along with night birds such as the great grey owl and the snowy owl. Flying displays are held every day except Monday. It lies within the Bürgerpark am Katharinenberg, whose nature stations include a red deer paddock and an educational trail.
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PlaygroundEducation programOn-site dining
Haustierhof Reutemühle
Zoo in Überlingen
The operator counts more than 200 animal species on show, and the collection is listed in Guinness World Records as the largest holding of dying-out breeds. Stock is mainly livestock, with horses, goats, sheep, poultry and pigs, alongside exotic additions including camels, otters, coatis, marmosets, skunks, maras, wallabies, coypu and meerkats.
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Inselzoo Altenburg
Zoo in Altenburg
The zoo occupies an island in the Großer Teich at the southern edge of the old town, reached by a permanent bridge. In a viewer poll run by MDR in early 2008 it was named the prettiest zoo in the state and placed fourth across central Germany, behind Görlitz, Leipzig and Weißenfels.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundBehind-the-scenes tour
Johannismühle wildlife park
Zoo in Lübben
Privately run, the park covers over 55 hectares and holds roughly 500 animals of about 50 species. Annual attendance runs at roughly 60,000 to 80,000.
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Petting zooGuided tourEducation program
Kaiserslautern Zoo
Zoo in Kaiserslautern
Around 112 animal species and over 500 individual animals are presented on seven hectares, along with a nature trail.
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Animal encounterEducation programOn-site dining
Kleinzoo Wasserstern
Zoo in Ingolstadt
Kleinzoo Wasserstern is a zoo in Ingolstadt, Germany.
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Müritzeum
Zoo & Aquarium in Waren (Müritz)
Displays cover about 2,300 square metres and deal with nature, the environment, and regional and collection history. They are divided into a bird world, forest and nature, an aquarium landscape and a museum garden. The state natural history collections belong to a non-profit company set up at Waren on 1 January 2007.
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On-site dining
Naturschutz-Tierpark Görlitz
Zoo in Görlitz
Naturschutz-Tierpark Görlitz, opened in 1957, is a zoo in Görlitz, Germany. Animals on show include Steinböcken, Hirschen, Grauen Riesenkängurus, Trampeltiere and Rote Pandas.
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Petting zooPlaygroundGuided tour
Safariland Stukenbrock
Zoo in Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock
Operated by Senne Großwild Safariland GmbH & Co KG, the park pairs its animal enclosures with a rides area whose attractions have included Europe's first swinging boat and a 350 m coaster, Flying Tiger, since shut down.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Schwarzwaldzoo Waldkirch
Zoo in Waldkirch
Around 55 animal species are kept. The sloping site yields views over the town and the Kastelburg opposite.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Solinger Vogel- und Tierpark
Zoo in Solingen
The park lies north-west of the Ohligser Heide on Hermann-Löns-Weg and is constituted as a registered association. A nearby S-Bahn station takes its name from it.
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TerraZoo Rheinberg
Zoo in Rheinberg
The collection occupies a purpose-built home in the Winterswick district, having moved there after five years in the basement of the Schacht IV colliery building at Moers. That first site, damp and wedged between a disco and a gym, was judged unfit for keeping animals. Later additions include Nile crocodiles transferred from Duisburg Zoo and an outdoor reptile enclosure.
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Rides and attractionsParking
Tier- und Freizeitpark Thüle
Zoo in Friesoythe
Enlargement has brought the park to 17 hectares, within the recreation area of the Thülsfeld reservoir. It shows 156 species and also runs fairground rides and play equipment, and is aimed mainly at families with children.
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Animal encounter
Tier- und Kulturpark Bischofswerda
Zoo in Bischofswerda
At roughly 0.75 hectares the park ranks among the smallest zoos in Germany. It holds about 200 animals of 60 species, brown bears among them, along with domestic breeds and native wildlife such as snowy owls and lynx. A giant sequoia planted in 1981 is a botanical feature.
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Tiergarten Falkenstein
Zoo in Falkenstein/Vogtl.
Tiergarten Falkenstein is a zoo in Falkenstein/Vogtl., Germany.
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Child friendlyEducation programParking
Tiergarten Neustrelitz
Zoo in Neustrelitz
Tiergarten Neustrelitz is a zoo in Neustrelitz, Germany. Animals on show include Griechische Landschildkröte, Berberaffe, Stinktier, Stachelschwein and Frettchen.
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PlaygroundOn-site diningRides and attractions
Tiergarten Worms
Zoo in Worms
Opened in 1972, the park shows 80 species and more than 500 animals. Its work concentrates on the keeping and breeding of old domestic breeds.
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On-site diningAccessible toilets
Tierpark Arche Warder
Zoo in Warder
The park occupies a worked-out gravel pit of 40 hectares in a Holstein village, bought for the keeping of rare domestic breeds.
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Child friendly
Tierpark Bad Liebenstein
Zoo in Bad Liebenstein
Tierpark Bad Liebenstein is a zoo in Bad Liebenstein, Germany. Animals on show include Flamingo, Krallenäffchen and Kookaburra.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyGuided tour
Tierpark Bad Pyrmont
Zoo in Bad Pyrmont
Tierpark Bad Pyrmont is a zoo in Bad Pyrmont, Germany.
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PlaygroundGuided tourEducation program
Tierpark Cottbus
Zoo in Cottbus
Around 1,200 animals of about 170 species are kept, along with a petting area, a playground and catering. Waterfowl breeding is a speciality, with some 70 species held. Old trees and water bodies fed by the Spree shape the site.
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Parking
Tierpark Eilenburg
Zoo in Eilenburg
About four hectares are divided into three areas: a tropical house, a section for domestic and pet animals, and a wetland-and-woodland area.
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Tierpark Essehof
Zoo in Lehre
The park lies in woodland right beside the A2 motorway, about 15 km from Braunschweig, with the nearest exit roughly two kilometres away. Braunschweig Zoo describes it as its sister zoo. The entrance area holds a water nature trail with five ponds, a 30-metre oak bridge and an underwater station giving a view three metres below the surface.
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On-site diningAccessible toiletsWheelchair accessible routes
Tierpark Fauna
Zoo in Solingen
The park states that it keeps about 300 animals of 80 species. Opened as a park for local fauna, it has since mixed native and exotic stock. It lies northeast of the centre of Gräfrath, on Lützowstraße.
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Rides and attractionsOn-site dining
Tierpark Herford
Zoo in Herford
Tierpark Herford is a zoo in Herford, Germany.
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PlaygroundOn-site diningParking
Tierpark Nadermann
Zoo in Delbrück
Tierpark Nadermann is a zoo in Delbrück, Germany.
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Keeper talk or showRides and attractionsOn-site dining
Tierpark Sababurg
Zoo in Hofgeismar
At about 130 hectares it ranks among Europe's largest and oldest wildlife parks. Long oak avenues cross the grounds, with the Urwald Sababurg bordering to the west. Threatened native species are kept, the aim being appropriate conditions through spacious open enclosures.
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Animal encounterBehind-the-scenes tourParking
Tierpark Suhl
Zoo in Suhl
Tierpark Suhl is a zoo in Suhl, Germany. Animals on show include Wildkatzen, Luchse, Kaninchen, Eichhörnchen and Poitou Riesenesel.
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PlaygroundOn-site diningRides and attractions
Tierpark Wismar
Zoo in Wismar
The long, largely wooded site lies in the Köppernitz valley and adjoins the Bürgerpark, venue of the state garden show in 2002.
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Keeper talk or showEducation programOn-site dining
Tierpark Wolgast
Zoo in Wolgast
Roughly ten hectares of woodland lie on the northern edge of the town. About 400 animals of 52 species are on view. Proximity to the Polish border brings a growing share of Polish visitors.
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Petting zooGuided tourEducation program
Vogelpark Heiligenkirchen
Zoo in Detmold
The birds are kept in large, partly walk-in aviaries and pens ringed by flower beds, and direct contact with the animals is put first.
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PlaygroundGuided tourOn-site dining
Vogelpark Niendorf
Zoo in Niendorf
More than 1,000 birds of over 250 species are kept on seven hectares, of which 0.2 hectares is aviaries. A path network of a good two kilometres runs past the enclosures and thatched animal houses. The ground lies in the Aalbeek lowland linking the Hemmelsdorfer See with the Baltic, which suits waders and waterbirds.
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PlaygroundOn-site dining
Wild- und Freizeitpark Ostrittrum
Zoo in Dötlingen
The park belongs to the German game-enclosure association and to the German animal-park society. Animals on show include Kängurus, Wildschweine, Hirsche, Emus and Strauße.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Wildpark Daun
Zoo in Daun
Wildpark Daun is a zoo in Daun, Germany.
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Petting zoo
Wildpark Donsbach
Zoo in Dillenburg
Wildpark Donsbach, opened in 1970, is a zoo in Dillenburg, Germany.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Wildpark Gangelt
Zoo in Gangelt
The park occupies 50 hectares and holds brown bears, wild boar, wolves and other European wildlife. An on-site birds-of-prey station gives regular free-flight displays, and a bee house is run by local beekeepers.
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Guided tourOn-site diningParking
Wildpark Gersfeld
Zoo in Gersfeld (Rhön)
The park opened in July 1972 at roughly 550 metres above sea level, in conifer and mixed woodland. It stretches about a kilometre southeast along a deep valley, with a short circuit and a long one. Around 60,000 people visit each year.
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Playground
Wildpark Rolandseck
Zoo in Remagen
Native wild animals and some domestic breeds are kept in open enclosures and aviaries, at Am Kasselbach 4.
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Guided tourEducation programOn-site dining
Wildpark Tiergarten Weilburg
Zoo in Weilburg
About 111,000 visitors were recorded in 2010. The park is run by the Weilburg forestry office under the Hessen-Forst state enterprise.
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Petting zooOvernight stayGuided tour
Wildpark-MV
Zoo in Güstrow
It lies east of the town and south of the Nebel, within 200 hectares of parkland. Animals on show include Wölfe, Bären, Luchse, Eulen and Frettchen.
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Animal encounterDisability admission concession
Wolfcenter Barme
Zoo in Dörverden
Wolfcenter Barme is a wildlife park in Dörverden, Germany. Animals on show include Wölfe, Silberfüchsen and Alpaka.
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Zoo der Minis
Zoo in Aue-Bad Schlema
The zoo specialises in keeping, breeding and showing unusually small breeds of animal, on the reasoning that small breeds need less space and feed while still drawing visitors. It is run by the biologist Bärbel Schroller, born in Aue in 1967.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyBehind-the-scenes tour
Zoo Hoyerswerda
Zoo in Hoyerswerda
About 1,000 animals in 120 forms are kept on six hectares, together with 120 plants in 56 species, the tree stock including ginkgo, dawn redwood, hackberry and katsura. The grounds lie in the centre of the old town beside the castle and draw about 150,000 visitors a year.
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Education programOn-site dining
Zoo Krefeld
Zoo in Krefeld
The zoo covers 14 hectares and holds roughly 820 animals of about 120 species. About 350,000 people visited in 2017.
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Child friendlyDisability admission concession
Zoologischer Garten Berlin
Zoo in Berlin
Around 20,000 animals of about 1,000 species are kept on 33 hectares. The grounds lie at Hardenbergplatz in the Tiergarten locality of the Mitte borough, on the boundary with Charlottenburg. With 3.6 million visitors recorded in 2024, it was the most-visited zoo in Europe.
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Behind-the-scenes tourOn-site diningDisability admission concession
Zoologischer Garten Halle
Zoo in Halle (Saale)
Nine hectares in all place it among the smaller German zoos, though a terraced layout around the hill makes the grounds seem bigger than they are.
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Animal encounterChild friendlyBehind-the-scenes tour
Zoologischer Garten Hof
Zoo in Hof
It sits in the north-east of the town next to the Bürgerpark Theresienstein, near the botanical garden, the Luitpoldhain and the cemetery, and receives about 80,000 visitors a year.
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Zoologischer Garten Leipzig
Zoo in Leipzig
Zoologischer Garten Leipzig is a zoo in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundOn-site dining
Adler- und Wolfspark Kasselburg
Zoo in Pelm
Twenty hectares of ground wrap around the historic Kasselburg castle complex, taking in large areas of woodland and grassland. The park is one of four adventure parks on the Deutsche Wildstraße route.
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On-site diningNight and evening openingMobility equipment loan
Alternativer Wolf- und Bärenpark Schwarzwald
Zoo in Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach
Run with the Stiftung für Bären in the Freudenstadt district, the park exists to rehouse large animals in trouble, bears above all, and to teach about animal keeping. It opened in 2010 with a single bear, the second such site after the bear park at Worbis. Wolves and further bears arrived afterwards.
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Child friendlyGuided tourEducation program
Arche Noah Zoo Braunschweig
Zoo in Braunschweig
About 300 animals of some 50 species are kept in near-natural enclosures. The zoo is family-owned and the family also runs a sibling site, Tierpark Essehof at Lehre, roughly 15 km away. It opened in 1964, was enlarged in 1995 and gained a new entrance building in 2001.
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Wheelchair accessible routes
Deutsches Meeresmuseum
Zoo in Stralsund
Deutsches Meeresmuseum is a zoo in Stralsund, Germany.
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On-site dining
Greifvogelpark Saarburg
Zoo in Saarburg
Greifvogelpark Saarburg, opened in 2003, is a petting zoo in Saarburg, Germany.
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PlaygroundOn-site diningParking
Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen
Zoo in Bielefeld
The site covers about 16 hectares and holds some 80 species and over 450 individual animals. It is run by the municipal environmental agency, opens all year and charges no admission. The collection concentrates on showing and conserving native species.
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Petting zooOn-site diningParking
Jaderpark
Zoo in Jade
Themed zones under development include a farm, an Okavango Delta area, Grizzly Adventure and Lütjes Moor. A listed riding hall on the site was converted into a play barn in 2005.
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On-site diningDisability admission concession
Tatzmania Löffingen
Zoo in Löffingen
Twenty species are shown across 46 hectares. It is run by Rüdiger and Isabel Braun of Teningen, who also operate Steinwasen-Park in Oberried.
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Petting zooPlaygroundParking
Tiergarten Eisenberg
Zoo in Eisenberg
Two and a half hectares hold about 720 animals of 44 species, among them small domestic breeds, Australian and African mountain wildlife and native woodland animals. The park belongs to the German animal park association.
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Keeper talk or showAssistance animal policy
Tiergarten Mönchengladbach
Zoo in Mönchengladbach
Tiergarten Mönchengladbach is a zoo in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Animals on show include Gürteltier, Zwergotter and Zebramangusten.
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Keeper talk or showGuided tourPetting zoo
Tierpark Bad Kösen
Zoo in Naumburg (Saale)
Tierpark Bad Kösen is a zoo in Naumburg (Saale), Germany. Animals on show include Bären, Papageien, Lamas, Alpakas and Hängebauch-Schweine.
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Keeper talk or show
Tierpark Berlin
Zoo in Berlin
Opened in 1955 in the Friedrichsfelde district, the park covers 160 hectares, making it the largest landscape-style animal park in Europe. Part of the grounds had been laid out as a landscape garden by Peter Joseph Lenné in 1821. Stock has been counted at 8,491 animals of 626 species.
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Parking
Tierpark Klosterwald
Zoo in Lich
Opened in 1968, it stands about 500 metres west of Kloster Arnsburg on the old B 488 route and borders the Hardwald Hain forest. It covers over 4 hectares and holds about 200 animals, mainly native species with some foreign ones. It is open all year, weather permitting in winter.
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On-site diningParkingWheelchair accessible routes
Tierpark Recklinghausen
Zoo in Recklinghausen
Founded around 1930, like many Ruhr-area zoos, it once had a sizeable animal collection; the city assumed control in 1960 and the collection has been reduced since. The same municipal garden holds the Ruhrfestspielhaus and the Westphalian public observatory. Space constraints on the inner-city plot rule out proper keeping of large wild animals such as lions.
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Child friendlyOn-site dining
Tierpark Senftenberg
Zoo in Senftenberg
Tierpark Senftenberg is a zoo in Senftenberg, Germany. Things to do include Feeding & guided tour, Children's birthday party and Bistro.
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Petting zooPlaygroundOn-site dining
Tierpark Walldorf
Zoo in Walldorf
Tierpark Walldorf is a zoo in Walldorf, Germany. Animals on show include Kängurus, Hirschziegenantilopen, Schildkröten, Lamas and Alpakas.
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Tierpark Zittau
Zoo in Zittau
The park traces its origins to an early-century roe deer paddock and a woodland bird aviary, was founded in 1965 and has been fully enclosed since 1968. It stands in the Weinaupark, laid out in the English style from 1876 and largely intact. It also styles itself the zoo of the three-country corner.
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Keeper talk or showChild friendlyParking
Tigerpark Dassow
Zoo in Dassow
Owned by the Farell family, the park covers five hectares and holds 19 big cats, 14 tigers and five lions. Besides the cats it keeps dromedaries, alpacas, llamas, ponies, donkeys and goats.
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PlaygroundGuided tourParking
Tropenzoo Bansin
Zoo in Heringsdorf
Around 150 mainly exotic animals of 50 species are kept, among them iguanas, snakes, birds and monkeys, housed mostly in two halls with a few outdoor pens. It describes itself as the country's smallest genuine zoo and takes part in the European breeding programme for Geoffroy's marmoset. It also acts as a rescue centre for tortoises and exotic animals confiscated by customs at the Polish border.
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Child friendlyGuided tourOn-site dining
Vogelpark Abensberg
Zoo in Abensberg
Vogelpark Abensberg is a zoo in Abensberg, Germany.
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Keeper talk or showParking
Vogelpark Marlow
Zoo in Marlow
Enclosures are grouped by theme, often mixing species that share a continent and a habitat. The stated aim is to let visitors approach the animals closely without disturbing them, delivered through a large number of walk-in enclosures. The park sits in the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, not far from Rostock and Stralsund.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundOn-site dining
Wild- und Freizeitpark Allensbach
Zoo in Allensbach
Grounds of about 75 hectares provide near-natural habitat for more than 300 wild animals, mostly native European species. The enclosures for red deer, wisent and fallow deer can be entered freely. It was started in 1972 by a building contractor from Waldshut, Karl Schleith, who died in 2008; his daughter Martina Schleith runs it, and visitors number a good 120,000 a year.
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Keeper talk or showPlaygroundEducation program
Wildparadies Tripsdrill
Zoo in Cleebronn
In its present form the park dates from 1972 and is run as a separate operation from the adjoining theme park. Animals on show include Bär, Wolf, Luchs, Auerochse and Zwergziege.
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Wildpark Frankfurt
Zoo in Frankfurt (Oder)
Features of the grounds include a pond landscape, a petting enclosure and a small apiary. City support amounts to an annual grant of 9,000 euros plus a share of the director's wage costs.
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Keeper talk or showBehind-the-scenes tourOn-site dining
Wisentgehege Springe
Zoo in Springe
The site covers 90 hectares between Eldagsen and Springe within the Saupark. It shows regional species in the habitat of the northern uplands, oak and beech woods with alder swamps and ponds.
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Darwineum
Zoo in Rostock
Opened in September 2012, it pairs a museum display with living animals, housing over 80 animal species across 20,000 square metres. Two interactive galleries cover biodiversity and evolution, and the species kept include western lowland gorilla, Bornean orangutan, ring-tailed lemur, pygmy marmoset, echidna, mudskipper and axolotl. Construction cost 28.94 million euros, the largest such project in the Rostock zoo's history.
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Keeper talk or showGuided tour
Exotarium Oberhof
Zoo in Oberhof
Exotarium Oberhof is a zoo in Oberhof, Germany. Its exhibits include Amazonas-Großaquarium and Präsentationsraum.
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Tiergarten Delitzsch
Zoo in Delitzsch
Set in the Lober floodplain northwest of the town park, the site has existed since 1968. About four hectares hold roughly 600 animals of 120 species. Low barriers of stumps, roots and boulders are all that separate visitors from the naturalistic enclosures.
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Tierpark Arche Noah Klötze
Zoo in Klötze
The municipally run park covers 1.75 hectares and holds around 150 animals in 20 species, with an emphasis on local wildlife such as red and fallow deer and wild boar. Farm and domestic stock includes goats, donkeys, pigeons, chickens, ducks, geese, guinea pigs and Cameroon sheep. There is a petting enclosure and a playground, and no admission is charged.
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Playground
Tierpark Gera
Zoo in Gera
The park sits in the municipal forest at Martinsgrund, just outside the town, on terrain marked by deep gullies cut by erosion. Over 20 hectares hold some 600 animals of about 60 species. The stock is mostly from the northern hemisphere: fallow and red deer, roe, alpine ibex, wisent and Przewalski's horses.
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On-site dining
Tierpark Göppingen
Zoo in Göppingen
Tierpark Göppingen is a zoo in Göppingen, Germany.
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Tierpark Herborn
Zoo in Herborn
The park belongs to the German wildlife enclosure association and to the DTG, and draws roughly 40,000 to 50,000 visitors a year. Trained keepers staff the collection, and the zoo now runs its own apprenticeships.
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PlaygroundEducation programOn-site dining
Tierpark Petermoor
Zoo in Bassum
Tierpark Petermoor is a zoo in Bassum, Germany. Animals on show include Kattas, Diepholzer Moorschnucken and Stockenten.
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Tierpark Weißwasser
Zoo in Weißwasser/O.L.
Set up in 1966 on the initiative of residents, local firms and institutions, the park covers 6.5 hectares and holds over 75 species and breeds from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. It takes part in the European breeding programme and keeps a pair of Bali starlings, which have not yet produced young.
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Petting zoo
Tierpark Wittenberg
Zoo in Wittenberg
Tierpark Wittenberg is a zoo in Wittenberg, Germany.
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Playground
Vogel- und Tierpark Irgenöd
Zoo in Ortenburg
Vogel- und Tierpark Irgenöd is a zoo in Ortenburg, Germany.
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Wildfreigehege Bend
Zoo in Grevenbroich
The enclosure is operated by the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald, with the town covering feed costs, and entry is free all year round. Visitors may feed the animals and stroke them at the fence, and there is a petting area and play equipment. The woodland paths are passable by wheelchair, and picnic tables and a bookable barbecue hut are available.
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Wildpark An den Eichen
Zoo in Schweinfurt
The park spans 18 hectares and draws 600,000 visitors a year, placing it among the most-visited leisure sites in Bavaria. It has been enlarged almost continuously over roughly 60 years of existence, and opens all year with free admission.
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Wildpark Hardegsen
Zoo in Hardegsen
Over 100 domestic and wild animals of 20 species are kept on 12 largely unmanaged hectares.
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Wildpark Leipzig
Zoo in Leipzig
The park lies in the Leipzig floodplain forest and measures 42 hectares. Admission is free, and about 25 species and 250 animals of central European origin are shown. Red, fallow and mouflon deer share one large enclosure, and there are spacious pens for roe deer, wild boar, elk and wisent.
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Parking
Wildpark Mainz-Gonsenheim
Zoo in Mainz
The site covers only about three hectares but matters to the city as local recreation ground, and city figures put annual visitors in the several hundred thousands. It also includes a rescue station that treats sick or injured wild birds.
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Wildpark Tannenbusch
Zoo in Dormagen
The 20-hectare site opened in 1958 and houses about 200 animals of 25 species. It is operated by the municipal baths and transport company.
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Zoo am Rammelsberg
Zoo in Kassel
Zoo am Rammelsberg is a zoo in Kassel, Germany. Roughly two hectares hold more than 150 animals. Species formerly kept included Eurasian lynx, Siberian chipmunk, grey heron and green iguana.
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Zoofalknerei Neunkirchen
Zoo in Neunkirchen
Zoofalknerei Neunkirchen, opened in 2003, is a zoo in Neunkirchen, Germany.
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Falknerei Bergisch Land
Zoo in Wuppertal
Falknerei Bergisch Land is a petting zoo in Wuppertal, Germany.
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Leintalzoo Schwaigern
Zoo in Schwaigern
The main purpose is taking in and caring for neglected animals. About 250 animals of some 40 species are kept, and around 50,000 people visit each year.
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Mobility equipment loan
Tier-Freigelände des Nationalparks Bayerischer Wald
Zoo in Altschönau
Tier-Freigelände des Nationalparks Bayerischer Wald is a zoo in Altschönau, Germany.
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Tiergarten Halberstadt
Zoo in Halberstadt
Around ten hectares in the Spiegelsberge southwest of the town hold roughly 280 animals of 60 species.
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Animal feeding experienceChild friendlyParking
Tierpark Alsdorfer Weiher
Zoo in Alsdorf
Thirty hectares hold 300 animals of 30 species. The grounds were laid out during the 1960s between the Ofden district and the B57 road, opened in 1967 and enlarged since. The park was built at the urging of Helmut Eckert, town director from 1951 to 1975, who founded its support association in 1969 and was later made an honorary member.
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Playground
Wildpark Bad Marienberg
Zoo in Bad Marienberg (Westerwald)
Twenty hectares of woodland and meadow house around 100 animals, among them alpacas, wisent, rheas, red deer and wild boar. A four-kilometre circuit crosses the terrain and forms part of the Westerwaldsteig long-distance trail; entry is free all year round. There is a petting zoo and an adventure playground for children, and a separately run falconry next door puts on daily flying displays.
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Zoo Mainz
Zoo in Mainz
The name does not denote a single zoo but is a joint term for the public animal enclosures in the Gonsenheim game park and the municipal park. Together these hold around 300 animals of roughly 40 species.
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 152 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.