Burgers' Zoo — Attraction in Arnhem

Burgers zoo is the best zoo we have ever been to!

We stopped by here on the way back to the airport in order to pass some time but were shocked at the quality and scale of the place.

The Bush section is a huge undercover tropical paradise with fruit bats, birds and reptiles roaming free amongst the lush vegetation. Instead of concrete walls and barriers you are free to explore along winding paths that feel truly like a slice of the real rainforest. No other place in the world has captured the scene so perfectly.

Leading off the Bush section is the desert undercover area which reminds us of the Mojave desert in California. The cave tunnel that links the two areas transitions from wet to dry and features animals/ insects of the corresponding habitat.

Also off the rainy Bush section is the excellent aquarium which begins at the shoreline and takes you on a journey below the water surface to visit the vibrant corals and fish of the ocean. You get the destinct feeling that you are not just looking at fish in a tank but walking through the ocean.

The mangrove undercover area is another tropical paradise featuring thousands of beautiful butterflies along with sea cows, nesting fish and a really unique presentation of sand crabs that is way more interesting than it sounds.

The Safari section is a huge outdoor area featuring all the big safari animals you would expect inside a huge open area. They have enough room to run and roam which is nice.

There are many more exhibits to explore but these ones described are the best in class for sure. In our opinion Burgers zoo is the best presented zoo in the world. We can't account for the conservation efforts/ breeding programs as we couldn't find much about it in English unfortunately.

Don't be put off by the weather. We made it round on a rainy day...

From an ethical standpoint I really struggled with Burger's Zoo. Animal enclosures were medium sized at best. I spotted multiple animals walking the same path over and over again, clearly obsessive behaviour to the point where grass and other foliage was worn away. Enclosures are located close to each other and the amount of visitors was very high generating a lot of noise. As for the larger animals it was quite disheartening to see. In my opinion anyone claiming to value animal welfare and support conservation efforts would call on Burgers' Zoo to immediately stop exploitation of Elephants, tigers, leopards and giraffes. There is no defending this in 2024. These animals belong in accommodation that allows them to roam for days, not minutes. Multiple countries run very sophisticated conservation programs this means there is ample experience around the world to cater for animals coming from life in captivity. All in all I would discourage supporting this zoo with your patronage. Rather visit a zoo that is less commercial, focussed on species that have been domesticated for hundreds of years like goats, pigs and other farm animals. It would still offer children an opportunity to interact with animals without supporting an exploitative operation with dubious ethical standards at best. PS. I'm sure personnel working at this zoo genuinely believe they're doing something good, it's often impossible to see the flaws of a system when you are a part of it. Do yourself a favour, visit some national parks in Southern Africa, talk to local conservationists and rangers and see for yourself how diametrically opposed a zoo like this is to what would be the appropriate environment for an animal the size of an elephant. Just don't keep an elephant or tiger on a 1...

In my opinion the best zoo to go to. There are only a small amount of classical enclosures for animals, the rest are all large ecodisplays where the animals have space to fly/walk/run/swim/etc. and be surrounded by plants and nature that they would normally have in their natural habitat. This is a zoo, but also an official botanical garden for a reason. For some animals you really have to take your time and search which makes seeing them feel extra special, but you will always see many animals so it doesnt feel like a loss when you don't. Many of the ecodisplays are 'inside' so even with rain/snow/cold there are many ways to stay warm and dry. Tips for when you are going here: -put on layers, some of the inside areas can get pretty hot (even in winter) so having clothes you can take off will help a lot! -bring a water bottle so you can drink water during the day since you might start sweating a lot. -keep an eye out for people who work there wearing bright green shirts, they are guides that know a lot about the plants/animals and more. You can ask them questions, they might have tips for finding some of the rarer animals and are always happy to help. -put on your good walking shoes since you will be walking a lot (especially if going on the 'adventure paths'). -have fun and take your time! A lot of the animals are good at hiding and by just walking past them you can easily miss them. By taking your time and sometimes standing still and listening you can find animals that you would normally maybe...