City Zoological Garden in Warsaw — Attraction in Warsaw

Warsaw Zoo has serious animal welfare issues. If you're in Warsaw and you care about animals, don't go...it will depress you.

On a positive note, this place has a really interesting history which was featured in the great movie 'The Zookeeper's Wife'.

There are over 4,800 animals in Warsaw Zoo representing over 500 species. Although adequately housing this many animals in the one location is a challenge. And in terms of space, many animals have to do with less.

I saw 4 keas in a tiny 7 metre x 7 metre x 10 metre cage. Given how incredibly intelligent these birds are (one of the smartest parrots in the world) and how free and wild they roam in the South Island of New Zealand, I was left feeling rather depressed about that.

All the enclosures with large animals are cut off by a mote-like water barrier (see images attached). Animals such as gorillas and polar bears had this barrier of water between the patrons and the animals. Although, without exception this water was absolutely filthy. Featuring algae of some kind and rubbish in the water.

The Polar bear enclosure featured absolutely nothing for the bears to play with and also absolutely filthy water with slime mould and algae in it. The two polar bears were sitting on a rock next to each other swaying and looking anxiously into the distance. It was absolutely horrible to see. It was like something out of a Soviet dystopian novel, some sort of relic from the Communist past.

For a Zoo in a capital city I expected more from Warsaw Zoo than this!

I should mention that have been to other zoos in Poland, one in Zamość and this was a thousand times more tidy and humane to the animals in their care. The enclosures were tidy and the right size for these animals. If you do go to Warsaw, then by-pass the zoo completely because they do not look after their animals. The reasons for this could possibly be funding, or laziness, or corruption. But for whatever the reason, it's still unacceptable, especially in a developed country like Poland! If you can't keep animals safe, healthy and happy then you don't deserve...

We were here today at around 14 o’clock. The worst experience started from the beginning. We wanted to buy tickets close to the parking and asked politely like always (in english). The blond lady behind the glass said something in polish (even though we spoke english to her) and my husband said “I’m sorry I can’t speak polish.. English?” She said, annoyed “Ne, polski” and said something else in polish. My husband just looked dumbfounded at her and said “I don’t understand…”. Then she rolled her eyes and pointed three times at my daugter who is 14 months old. That’s when we figured she wants to know how old she is (under 3 years is cheaper, but she obviously is under 3…). She was very very rude. Honestly my husband was ready to turn around after that attitude but let it go for our daughters sake. The park was pretty nice looking but It was difficult to see many of the animalt because of trees, bushes and walls that are in the way. Maaaany of the animals were not present (maybe inside where it was not possible to see them), and there were no activities what so ever (like feeding etc.). The worst part is, I think the conditions for the animals could be a lot better. For example leopards did not have a lot of space to run and the polar bears place was just so sad to see… hope they improve customer service, conditions and hire people who speak english at a place like this where you Can expect a lot of tourists or offer english classes to...

An experienced resident of the post-communist countries will easily recognize the state-owned enterprise: neglected, with pretension for past glory, with staff who do not speak any foreign language and grumble in their native, with the most important task - the abidance of working hours and with the biggest reform - the change of the access regime. This is what the Zoo looks like. Created with great love for animals, it offers them wide living spaces that, due to overall carelessness, look more like wetlands than a controlled park environment. Bushes provide amazing hiding opportunities, so the presence of most of the inhabitants can only be guessed by the signs. The area is huge – personal records are set for walking, especially given the insufficiency and incomprehensibility of the signboards – where there are inscriptions in a foreign language, they are in small print, as if not to reveal state secrets. Google Maps can mislead about the entrance and exit, as it refers to existing ones in the past – for me the mistake was with two tram stops, which, once you go in the wrong direction, become four. I tell this without malevolence, but with the intention of warning of possible surprises. To put it succinctly: there are more pleasant ways to spend an afternoon, although the park is a park and whether you walk here or there hardly matters so much. But you can always support the trade union activity by paying the...