Royal Burgers' Zoo

Royal Burgers' Zoo (Dutch: Koninklijke Burgers' Zoo) is a 45-hectare (110-acre) zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands, and is one of the biggest zoos in the country. Arnhem is a city that lies within the Veluwe, a nature park in the east of the Netherlands. The zoo is popular with both Dutch and German people, and receives about 1.5 million visitors annually. It was founded by Johan Burgers in 1913.

Royal Burgers' Zoo
Bighorn sheep in Burgers' Desert
LocationArnhem, Netherlands
Coordinates52°00′36″N 5°53′59″E
Land area45 ha (110 acres)[1]
No. of animals10,000+[2]
No. of species500+[2]
Total volume of tanks8,000,000 l (2,100,000 US gal)
Annual visitors1.5 million[2]
MembershipsNVD,[3] EAZA,[4] WAZA[5]
Websitewww.burgerszoo.com

The zoo is a member of the Dutch Zoo Federation (NVD), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), the International Species Information System (ISIS), and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

Exhibits
Giraffes, plains zebras and waterbuck in Burgers' Safari

The zoo has 8 theme sites:

Conservation

Burgers’ Zoo has been successful enough in breeding fish and coral for their own aquarium that they can now help provide animals to other public aquariums. They use an artificial moon to stimulate sexual reproduction of corals in their reef, and also clone some 60 varieties.[9]

Besides presenting many of its animals in simulated habitat in spacious indoors ecosystems, Burgers' Zoo also has facilities for conservation and captive breeding of animals nearly extinct. The Socorro dove (Zenaida graysoni) for example does not exist outside captivity at present; it was wiped out by introduced mammals on its home island. The species is being bred in Burgers' Zoo for eventual reintroduction into the wild.

Burgers' Zoo supports several nature conservation projects. The projects are small but with a big impact.

  • Future For Nature Burgers' Zoo supports the Future For Nature Foundation. This foundation supports nature projects throughout the world, by awarding three cash prizes of 50,000 euros each year to three young, talented nature conservationists, so that they can continue their important nature conservation work. Every year the Future For Nature Awards are presented in Burgers' Zoo.
  • Belize Burgers' Zoo protects a nature reserve with an area of 355 square kilometers, together with the Swiss animal park Papiliorama in Belize.
  • Lucie Burgers Foundation Lucie Burgers Foundation encourages and facilitates comparative behavioral research in animals. The aim is to improve the knowledge about the natural behaviour of animals and about ecology.

Kwimba

Kwimba, a female Asian elephant, caused a stir during her stay at the zoo (1966–1998).[10] She liked to steal the handbags of lady visitors and swallow them whole.[11]

References
  1. "Visit the Park". burgerszoo.eu. Burgers' Zoo. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  2. "Burgers' Zoo". zandavisitor.com. Zoo and Aquarium Visitor. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. "NVD Zoos". nvdzoos.nl. NVD. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  4. "EAZA Member Zoos & Aquariums". eaza.net. EAZA. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  5. "Zoos and Aquariums of the World". waza.org. WAZA. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  6. van Hoof, A.J.J.M. (2000). Burgers' Zoo. pp. 279-288 in Steinecke, A, editor (2000). Erlebnis- und Konsumwelten. ISBN 3-486-25157-0
  7. Korallenriff: Groß-Aquarien: Burger´s Ocean in Arnheim. Retrieved 14 September 2013
  8. Janse, Max, and Joep Wensing (2000). Burgers’ Ocean, a new Indo-Pacific ecodisplay at Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem, The Netherlands. Bulletin- Institut Oceanographique Monaco -Numero Special 20: 331-334
  9. "Largest animal transport ever thanks to reproduction success". burgerszoo.eu. Burgers' Zoo. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  10. Quinba (Kwimba) at Pont-Scorff Zoo
  11. Sobol, Donald J. (1992). Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Strange but True Crimes. Apple. p. 26. ISBN 0-590-44148-5.
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