Zoo Basel logo |
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| Date opened | July 3, 1874 |
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| Location | Basel, Switzerland |
| Land area | 32.12 acres (13.00 ha) |
| Number of animals | 6,894 (2008)[1] / about 5,000 in the aquarium |
| Number of species | 645 (2008)[1] |
| Annual visitors | 1,693,079 (2010)[1] |
| Memberships | 20 different organizations, including EAZA,[2] WAZA,[3] and Swiss Zoos |
| Major exhibits | Africa, Antilope House, Aquarium, Australis, Birdhouse, Etoscha, Gamgoas, Kinderzoo, Monkey House, and Rhino Exhibit in the Sautergarden |
| Website | http://www.zoobasel.ch |
Zoo Basel is a non-profit zoo located within the city of Basel, Switzerland. Its official name is Zoologischer Garten Basel — or in English: Basel Zoological Garden. Basel residents, however, call their zoo affectionately Zolli.[4] Its main entrance is just outside of Basel's downtown strip of Steinen and extends in the Birsig stream valley to Basel's city border with Binningen, Basel-Country.
Zoo Basel is Switzerland's oldest (1874) and largest zoo (by number of animals). With nearly 1.7 million visitors per year, it is the most visited tourist attraction in Switzerland with an entrance fee.[4]
Zoo Basel was ranked as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world by Forbes Travel in 2008,[5] and in 2009 as the seventh best in Europe by Anthony Sheridan from the Zoological Society of London.[6]
The zoo had the first Indian rhinoceros birth in a zoo,[7] as well as the first Greater flamingo hatch.[8] It has also had repeated breeding success with animals including cheetahs (18 births),[9] okapi (22),[10] Pygmy hippopotamuses (53),[11] and flamingos (over 400 hatches).[12] Every Somali Wild Ass (a donkey) in zoos worldwide is related to the population in Basel, where this species' zoological breeding program was started.[13]
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See also: List of animals at Zoo Basel
Zoo Basel is surrounded by the city of Basel and has a similar role to the local population as does the Central Park in New York City for the city's residents. According to Zoo Basel, its "exhibits are designed not to reveal everything at the first glance and are planned to invite visitors to stop and make personal observations."[14]
Listed below are some of Zoo Basel's exhibits. It should be noted, however, that exhibits continually change due to infrastructure upgrades, breeding successes, and the construction of new exhibits.
The aquarium (called Vivarium in Basel) was opened in 1972 and has had several notable breeding successes through the years. These include lungfish offspring in 2006,[15] repeated king penguin hatches,[16] and over a thousand hatches of the Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle since 1981.[17]
As of March 2010, there are about 5,000 individual animals in the Vivarium, including reptiles, amphibians, Gentoo Penguins, and King Penguins.
During the winter months, the Gentoo and King penguins have access to an outdoor area and can be observed walking from the Vivarium to it every morning around eleven.[18]
As of April 19, 2010, the Africa exhibit can only be accessed on weekends and public holidays.[19] During the week, visitors can view part of the exhibit from a viewing platform.
Hippos, ostriches, and zebras (Grant's Zebra) live together in the Africa exhibit.
The Africa exhibit was Zoo Basel's first exhibit on which three different species share the same outdoor area.[20] According to the zoo, experiences gained in this exhibit helped shape the Etosha theme area and the rhinoceros outdoor exhibit.
It was completed in 1993 and has been scene of several accidents. On October 13, 2004, after twelve years of living together, the 17-year-old zebra mustang bit the hippo male during its daily morning territory marking, fell into the water, and was killed by the hippos in front of several visitors.[21]
In March 2010, the ostrich couple Baringo (15) and Manyara (17) have five chicks.[22]
Zoo Basel first acquired kangaroos in 1908. Since then, over a hundred kangaroos have been born. In 2006, the theme area Australis was opened, funded by Novartis. In this outdoor exhibit, Western Grey Kangaroos and Australian Brush-turkeys live together. Inside the Australis house are several vivaria exhibiting Australian animals, including geckos, Redback spiders, Cane toads, several different species of Phasmatodeas (or stick insects), and green tree pythons. An educational exhibit inside the house focuses on marsupial reproduction.[23]
The Bird House opened in 1927 and is the second oldest building in Zoo Basel. While in the early days this house used to have reptiles and monkeys, it now has only birds in it.
The jungle in the center of the bird house has several free-flying birds, who can hide in the thick vegetation. Some birds like the Knysna Turaco can be heard, but are only visible in flight between two trees.
Since 1948 the zoo has hosted different birds belonging to the Zosteropidae bird family. The small Montane White-eye bird, that belongs to this family, came in 2008 again to Basel, after 20 years of absence.[24]
The opening of the Etosha theme area in 2001 started the implementation of the large theme area concept of modern zoos at Zoo Basel. The Etosha exhibit consists of the Etosha house, outdoor exhibits for the cheetahs, wild dogs, ring-tailed lemurs, porcupines, and the lions, as well as the Gamgoas house. All of them together build a theme-area around the African circle of life.[25]
The Etosha exhibit was named after the Etosha National Park in Namibia, Africa, which is the largest national park in Namibia and in the South West of Africa and about half the size of Switzerland.[25]
Gamgoas is part of the Etosha theme area, but it refers mainly to the lion and crocodile house. Gamgoas's literal meaning in the local language of the Etosha people is "the place where the lions are."[26]
In the Gamgoas house are two colonies of termites, one chameleon, five Nile crocodiles, several dozen East African cichlids (fish), a semi-large information exhibition, and three lion observation windows. A large window at the Nile crocodile enclosure allows visitors to see the crocodiles under water and to be within an inch to them.[26]
On June 20, 2006 several Nile crocodiles hatched for the first time in the zoo's history.[27] Two of these new crocodiles grew up in the zoo and are now among the five Nile crocodiles at Zoo Basel.
On June 30, 2011, the Basel Monkey House was re-opened with all monkeys back - except the Orangutans and the Woolly monkeys,[28] while the outdoor exhibits remain under construction. The 30-million Swiss Franc project [28] is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012.[19] More information to this project can be viewed at Developments at Zoo Basel.
The monkey house, built in 1969, is the zoo's largest building and had several breeding successes, such as the first gorilla baby in Europe (Goma),[29] the first second-generation zoo gorilla in the world (Tamtam),[30] and rare White-faced Saki babies.
The Sauter Garden is at the zoo's south end towards Binningen. The land was acquired with money from the local goldsmith Ulrich Sauter and opened to the public in 1939.
The Sauter Garden's focus is on Asia. While African species (like the pygmy hippopotamus and the Humboldt penguin) are also in it, its main exhibits are of Asian animals: the Indian rhinoceros, snow leopard exhibits and, as of June 2010, the "Monkey Rock" with about 60 Macaques on/in it.[31]
In the rhinoceros exhibit, Indian rhinoceroses, Muntjacs, and Oriental Small-clawed Otters share the outdoor area. Since then, the three different species lived together with no incidents. The 2.5-ton-rhinoceroses share their food with the 30-kilogram Muntjacs or go into one of three ponds where the Asian otters are swimming around the rhinos. The rhino exhibit originally opened in 1959, was extensively renovated, and re-opened in May 2008.[7]
The snow leopard exhibit houses a couple of snow leopards: Mayhan and Pator. Both arrived in the winter of 2008/2009 and have had three cubs during the spring of 2011. As of June 2011, 30 snow leopards were born in Basel.[32]
Zoo Basel is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), and 18 other programs and organizations. In 1935, the forerunner of the WAZA (the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens or IUDZG) was founded in Basel.
Among the breeding programs for endangered species that Zoo Basel participates in are the Pygmy Hippopotamus, Indian Rhinoceros, Okapi, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Squirrel monkeys, and the European otter programs.
Cheetahs
Among 82 other European zoos with cheetahs, Zoo Basel's breeding program is one in a dozen that has repeated breeding success. Basel had five young cheetahs born in 1993, 1995, and 2007,[9] and three in 2009[34] of which one died that fall.
Cheetah breeding in captivity is difficult, as males and females live separately in the wild and females are picky in choosing a partner. The 30% mortality rate among newborns also lowers breeding success. That is why the new pair of female cheetahs that came to Basel in 2001 did not show interest in the presented males and had no offspring - until "Survivor" came from Vienna in 2006.
Indian rhinoceros
Zoo Basel has held the international studbook for the Indian Rhinoceros since 1972,[35] and since 1990 has coordinated the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP),[36] which ensures that the captive Indian rhinoceros population stays as genetically healthy as possible. One of the main reasons for Basel to have these studbooks is due to its successful breeding program.
Most Indian rhinoceros populations in zoos are related to the one in Basel. On September 14, 1956, Rudra was the first Indian rhino born in the Western hemisphere. As of 2010, 32 Indian rhinos had been born in Basel,[35] out of about 80 in zoos worldwide,[7]
Okapi
Since the first okapi birth at Zoo Basel in 1957, twenty-two okapis have been born in Basel.[10] On December 2, 2009, the okapi bull Stomp(b.2003) came from Zoo Berlin and on August 24, 2011 the female Hazima (b.2007) arrived from the British Marwell Wildlife.[37]
In 2008, Basel's Ahadi fathered the first okapi birth in the Czech Republic and Slovakia at Zoo Dvur Kralove. A video of this birth is posted on YouTube.[38]
Pygmy hippopotamus
Zoo Basel started its breeding program for Pygmy Hippopotamuses in 1928, which has resulted in 53 hippo births. These animals and their offspring are living all over the globe. The zoo manages the international studbook for this species.[11]
Since the construction of the rhino exhibit, the pygmy hippos can only be viewed in their outdoor exhibits. During the winter they are inside and cannot be seen by the public.
Somali wild ass
This wild donkey (Equus africanus somalicus) is a subspecies of the African Wild Ass. Zoo Basel coordinates the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) of the Somali wild ass, which is on the Red List of critically endangered species[13] as there are likely less than 3000 animals in the wild.
There are about 200 individuals in zoos around the globe of which 35 were born in Basel.[39]
In 1870 the Ornithologiegesellschaft together with the city of Basel started a project of establishing a zoo where visitors could see Swiss and European animals. Zoo Basel emerged from that project, and opened its doors on July 3, 1874.
On opening day, many visitors flocked to the zoo and saw mainly Swiss animals, such as bears, lynx, otters, and mountain goats. In its opening year the zoo had 62,000 entries, though the city of Basel had only 50,000 inhabitants. In addition, Zoo Basel's nickname, Zolli, was established in its first year.[40]
Due to the Zollis popularity, it expanded South in 1884 towards Binningen, and built a festival meadow in its center. On this meadow people from Nubier, Marocco and Singhalesen built traditional villages and performed war and other ceremonial dances. These displays were very popular at the time, and lasted until 1932.[40]
In 1890 the first lions arrived in Basel, and on March 19, 1891 the first lion cub was born. The carnivore house received several new cages featuring other big cats in 1896. All of these cats were moved into a newly built carnivore house in 1904.[40]
1901 was the year in which the zoo received its first major donation that served as a foundation for years to come.[40]
Zoo Basel is constantly upgrading its infrastructure, but can hardly grow in area, as it is surrounded by the city of Basel.
The monkey house and the surrounding area are undergoing an extensive construction. This includes the tearing down of the small monkey house (home of the Ring-tailed Lemurs), the Macaques rock, the children's play ground, the old bear exhibits, and several paths.
On June 30, 2011 the enlarged monkey house was opened. [28] While visitors have the same amount of space available, the apes' space more than doubled from 340 square metres (3,700 sq ft) to 700 square metres (7,500 sq ft). The old outer walls were torn down and the living quarters were extended in depth and height. There will also be additional compartments with no public access, a service tunnel, worker quarters, and restrooms added [41] All pictures were made public by Zoo Basel and Basler Zeitung.
In summer 2012 five large outdoor "cages", the remodeled monkey house roof, a new ape playground, and several new paths will open. The outdoor cages will have a double net layer. They will be 16 metres (52 ft) high for the Orangutans and 11 metres (36 ft) for the other apes. The children's playground is planned to go along with the jungle theme - similar to the one in the Etosha exhibit. The paths on the monkey roof, around the new cages, by the main entrance, and the former bear exhibits will be adjusted and/or newly constructed.[41]
The current elephant house (constructed in 1953) is due to be renovated and expanded. Planned are boxes for the females, a larger outdoor male area, and overall expansion of the area towards the old kangaroo exhibit.[42]
Because of an estimated 24-million-Swiss-Franc donation for the monkey expansion project, Zoo Basel is able to finance this project.[43] According to Basler Zeitung from May 12, 2010, the elephant house will be expanded before the Ozeanium project and confirmed on May 30th, 2011, that construction is due to begin in 2014.[44]
On March 17, 2009, Zoo Basel announced its intent to build Switzerland's first large scale ocean aquarium. Mainly through private donors, a 70-million-Swiss-Franc building[45] is planned to be built on the Heuwaage square, and will extend into the downtown nightlife strip of Steinen.
Miss Kumbuk (? – 1917)
One of the first elephants in a European zoo.
Rudra (1956 – 1987)
Was the first Indian Rhinoceros born in a zoo in 1956.[7] He was the son of rhino bull Gadadharand the female Joymothi that came from Kaziranga National Park. Two hours after birth he weighted 60.5 kilo and was 105cm long and quickly gained 1.5 kilos per day. In 1959, Rudra was transferred to the Milwaukee County Zoo, where he only became once a father until his death [46].
Goma (1959 – )
Goma was the first gorilla born in Europe (Western Lowland Gorilla, the second world wide in a zoo) and was raised by zoo officials. On May 2, 1972 she and Jambo had the world's first second generation zoo offspring: Tamtam (who died in summer 2009). She is the oldest member of the gorilla group in Basel (May 2010) and celebrated on September 23, 2009 her 50th birthday with a large public birthday party.[29]
Jambo ( 1961–1992)
Jambo was a Western Lowland Gorilla Jambo, born in Basel. He became a celebrity sensation in the Jersey Zoo where on August 31, 1986 he cared for a 5-year-old boy who fell into the gorilla habitat. A video of the fall is on YouTube[47] and was watched nearly 700,000 times before it was deleted in September 2009 and relisted. Two new movies of this event have been watched over 280,000 times combined (May 2010). After Jambo died in 1992, a bronze statue in his memory erected at Jersey Zoo and Gerald Durrell produced a video documentary called Jambo — the Gentle Giant. Richard Johnstone-Scott wrote the book Jambo — A Gorilla's Story.
Jambo was named by Zoo Basel's director Ernst H. Lang and means in Swahili “Hello” or “How are you?”[48] Due to Basels Jambo, apes across the globe are called "Jambo", similar to Lassie (the collie dog) or Nemo (the clownfish).
Pambo (1992 – )
Young male African elephant, who was a visitors' favorite. He was transferred to the Vienna zoo.
Ruaha (1951 - 29.07.2010 )
Ruaha was the oldest known African elephant at her time[49] and the matriarch of Basel's elephant herd. She came to Basel on November 1, 1952 and was, while living, nine years older than North Americas oldest African elephant Dori at Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City, Utah.[50]
Ruaha was the matriarch of Basel's elephant group and was one of the five original African elephants that came to Basel into the new elephant house. Similar to elderly humans, signs of her 59 years alive were visible and she did not lay down to sleep for her last 20 years. Nevertheless, her death came unexpectedly as she did not have any health problems the days before her death. Ruaha was found dead in the outdoor exhibit early morning on Thursday, July 29, 2010 by her zoo keeper.[51]
Farasi (2008 – )
Farasi is a male hippopotamus that became world famous when news broke that zoo officials apparently intended to kill him and feed him to the lions (or tigers, as per msnbc).
Zoo Basel quickly denied these plans; however, the news of it spread around the globe. His story was written in newspapers like the Wall Street Journal[52] and made it to TV news such as at msnbc,[53] that claimed the zoo intends to feed Farasi to the tigers - even though there are no tigers in Basel. He also has a Facebook page in French.[54]
On November 17, 2010, Farasi left Zoo Basel to Tshukudu Private Game Reserve in South Africa.[55]
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