Zoo Basel
Encyclopedia
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. 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.
Zoo Basel was ranked as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world by Forbes
Travel in 2008, and in 2009 as the seventh best in Europe by Anthony Sheridan from the Zoological Society of London
.
The zoo had the first Indian rhinoceros
birth in a zoo, as well as the first Greater flamingo
hatch. It has also had repeated breeding success with animals including cheetah
s (18 births), okapi
(22), Pygmy hippopotamus
es (53), and flamingo
s (over 400 hatches). Every Somali Wild Ass
(a donkey) in zoos worldwide is related to the population in Basel, where this species' zoological breeding program was started.
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."
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.
(called Vivarium in Basel) was opened in 1972 and has had several notable breeding successes through the years. These include lungfish offspring in 2006, repeated king penguin hatches, and over a thousand hatches of the Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle
since 1981.
As of March 2010, there are about 5,000 individual animals in the Vivarium, including reptile
s, amphibian
s, Gentoo Penguin
s, and King Penguin
s.
During the winter months, the Gentoo
and King penguin
s have access to an outdoor area and can be observed walking from the Vivarium to it every morning around eleven.
As of April 19, 2010, the Africa exhibit can only be accessed on weekends and public holidays. During the week, visitors can view part of the exhibit from a viewing platform.
Hippos
, ostrich
es, 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. 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.
In March 2010, the ostrich couple Baringo (15) and Manyara (17) have five chicks.
. In this outdoor exhibit, Western Grey Kangaroo
s and Australian Brush-turkey
s live together. Inside the Australis house are several vivaria exhibiting Australian animals, including gecko
s, Redback spiders, Cane toad
s, several different species of Phasmatodea
s (or stick insects), and green tree python
s. An educational exhibit inside the house focuses on marsupial
reproduction.
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 reptile
s and monkey
s, 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.
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 cheetah
s, wild dogs
, ring-tailed lemur
s, porcupine
s, and the lion
s, as well as the Gamgoas house. All of them together build a theme-area around the African circle of life.
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
.
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."
In the Gamgoas house are two colonies of termite
s, one chameleon
, five Nile crocodile
s, 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.
On June 20, 2006 several Nile crocodile
s hatched for the first time in the zoo's history. Two of these new crocodiles grew up in the zoo and are now among the five Nile crocodiles at Zoo Basel.
s and the Woolly monkey
s, while the outdoor exhibits remain under construction. The 30-million Swiss Franc project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012. 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), the first second-generation zoo gorilla in the world (Tamtam), 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.
In the rhinoceros
exhibit, Indian rhinoceros
es, Muntjac
s, and Oriental Small-clawed Otter
s share the outdoor area. Since then, the three different species lived together with no incidents. The 2.5-ton-rhinoceros
es share their food with the 30-kilogram Muntjac
s 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.
The snow leopard
exhibit houses a couple of snow leopard
s: 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 leopard
s were born in Basel.
(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 program
s for endangered species
that Zoo Basel participates in are the Pygmy Hippopotamus
, Indian Rhinoceros
, Okapi
, Snow Leopard
, Cheetah
, Squirrel monkey
s, and the European otter
programs.
Cheetahs
Among 82 other European zoos with cheetah
s, 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, and three in 2009 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, and since 1990 has coordinated the European Endangered Species Programme
(EEP), 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
, out of about 80 in zoos worldwide,
Okapi
Since the first okapi birth at Zoo Basel in 1957, twenty-two okapis have been born in Basel. 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.
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.
Pygmy hippopotamus
Zoo Basel started its breeding program for Pygmy Hippopotamus
es 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
1901 was the year in which the zoo received its first major donation that served as a foundation for years to come.
surrounded by the city of Basel.
s), the Macaque
s rock, the children's play ground, the old bear exhibits, and several paths.
On June 30, 2011 the enlarged monkey house was opened. While visitors have the same amount of space available, the apes' space more than doubled from 340 square metres (3,659.7 sq ft) to 700 square metres (7,534.7 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 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 (52.5 ft) high for the Orangutan
s and 11 metres (36.1 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.
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.
Because of an estimated 24-million-Swiss-Franc donation for the monkey expansion project, Zoo Basel is able to finance this project. 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.
One of the first elephants in a European zoo.
Rudra (1956 – 1987)
Was the first Indian Rhinoceros
born in a zoo in 1956. 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 .
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.
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 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?” Due to Basels Jambo, ape
s 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 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.
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.
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 and made it to TV news such as at msnbc, 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.
On November 17, 2010, Farasi left Zoo Basel to Tshukudu Private Game Reserve
in South Africa.
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Its official name is Zoologischer Garten Basel — or in English: Basel Zoological Garden. Basel residents, however, call their zoo affectionately Zolli. Its main entrance is just outside of Basel's downtown strip of Steinen and extends in the Birsig
Birsig
The Birsig is a rather small river in eastern France and northern Switzerland. Its source is in the village Biederthal, in the French Haut-Rhin department, near the Swiss border. The Birsig is about 21 kilometers long and its watershed area is about 82 square kilometers. It flows variably through...
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.
Zoo Basel was ranked as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
Travel in 2008, and in 2009 as the seventh best in Europe by Anthony Sheridan from the Zoological Society of London
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
.
The zoo had the first Indian rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
birth in a zoo, as well as the first Greater flamingo
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
hatch. It has also had repeated breeding success with animals including cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s (18 births), okapi
Okapi
The okapi , Okapia johnstoni, is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa...
(22), Pygmy hippopotamus
Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
es (53), and flamingo
Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
s (over 400 hatches). Every Somali Wild Ass
Somali Wild Ass
The Somali Wild Ass is a subspecies of the African wild ass. It was found in the Southern Red Sea region of Eritrea, the Afar Region of Ethiopia, and Somalia...
(a donkey) in zoos worldwide is related to the population in Basel, where this species' zoological breeding program was started.
Exhibits and attractions
Zoo Basel is surrounded by the city of Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
and has a similar role to the local population as does the Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
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."
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.
Aquarium
The aquariumAquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
(called Vivarium in Basel) was opened in 1972 and has had several notable breeding successes through the years. These include lungfish offspring in 2006, repeated king penguin hatches, and over a thousand hatches of the Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle
Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle
The Red-bellied short-necked turtle or Jardine River turtle is a species of turtle in the Chelidae family....
since 1981.
As of March 2010, there are about 5,000 individual animals in the Vivarium, including reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s, Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo penguin
The Gentoo Penguin , Pygoscelis papua, is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill. The gentoo penguin has pale whitish-pink webbed feet and a fairly long tail - the most prominent tail of all penguins. Chicks have...
s, and King Penguin
King Penguin
The King Penguin is the second largest species of penguin at about , second only to the Emperor Penguin. There are two subspecies—A. p. patagonicus and A. p...
s.
During the winter months, the Gentoo
Gentoo penguin
The Gentoo Penguin , Pygoscelis papua, is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill. The gentoo penguin has pale whitish-pink webbed feet and a fairly long tail - the most prominent tail of all penguins. Chicks have...
and King penguin
King Penguin
The King Penguin is the second largest species of penguin at about , second only to the Emperor Penguin. There are two subspecies—A. p. patagonicus and A. p...
s have access to an outdoor area and can be observed walking from the Vivarium to it every morning around eleven.
Africa exhibit
Hippos
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
, ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es, and zebras (Grant's Zebra
Grant's Zebra
The Grant's Zebra is the smallest of six subspecies of the Plains Zebra.-Distribution:The distribution of this subspecies is in Zambia west of the Luangwa river and west to Kariba, Shaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north to the Kibanzao Plateau. In Tanzania north from...
) live together in the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
exhibit.
The Africa exhibit was Zoo Basel's first exhibit on which three different species share the same outdoor area. According to the zoo, experiences gained in this exhibit helped shape the Etosha theme area and the rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
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.
In March 2010, the ostrich couple Baringo (15) and Manyara (17) have five chicks.
Australis
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 NovartisNovartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
. In this outdoor exhibit, Western Grey Kangaroo
Western Grey Kangaroo
The Western Grey Kangaroo is a large and very common kangaroo or macropod, found across almost the entire southern part of Australia, from just south of Shark Bay to coastal South Australia, western Victoria, and the entire Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales and Queensland...
s and Australian Brush-turkey
Australian Brush-turkey
The Australian Brushturkey or Australian Brush-turkey, , also frequently called the Scrub Turkey or Bush Turkey, is a common, widespread species of mound-building bird from the family Megapodiidae found in eastern Australia from Far North Queensland to Illawarra in New South Wales...
s live together. Inside the Australis house are several vivaria exhibiting Australian animals, including gecko
Gecko
Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....
s, Redback spiders, Cane toad
Cane Toad
The Cane Toad , also known as the Giant Neotropical Toad or Marine Toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad which is native to Central and South America, but has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania and the Caribbean...
s, several different species of Phasmatodea
Phasmatodea
The Phasmatodea are an order of insects, whose members are variously known as stick insects , walking sticks or stick-bugs , phasmids, ghost insects and leaf insects...
s (or stick insects), and green tree python
Green Tree Python
Morelia viridis, the green tree python, is a species of python found in New Guinea, islands in Indonesia, and Cape York Peninsula in Australia.-Description:Adults average in length, with a maximum length of about 7 feet...
s. An educational exhibit inside the house focuses on marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
reproduction.
Bird house
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s and monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s, 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
Knysna Turaco
The Knysna Turaco , or, in South Africa, Knysna Lourie, is a large turaco, one of a group of African near-passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in the mature evergreen forests of southern and eastern South Africa, and Swaziland. It was formerly sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the...
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
Montane White-eye
The Montane White-eye , also known as the Broad-ringed White-eye, is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family. It includes numerous subspecies, several of which are restricted to isolated mountains...
bird, that belongs to this family, came in 2008 again to Basel, after 20 years of absence.
Etosha
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s, wild dogs
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
, ring-tailed lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
s, porcupine
Cape Porcupine
The Cape Porcupine or South African Porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis, is a species of Old World porcupine. Contrary to its name, this porcupine species inhabits much of Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the southwestern deserts of the continent. This rodent is nocturnal and inhabits rocky outcrops...
s, and the lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, as well as the Gamgoas house. All of them together build a theme-area around the African circle of life.
The Etosha exhibit was named after the Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a national park in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia. The park shares boundaries with the regions of Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa....
in Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, which is the largest national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Namibia and in the South West of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and about half the size of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Gamgoas
Gamgoas is part of the EtoshaEtosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a national park in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia. The park shares boundaries with the regions of Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa....
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."
In the Gamgoas house are two colonies of termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
s, one chameleon
Veiled Chameleon
The veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, is a large species of chameleon found in the mountain regions of Yemen, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yemen Chameleon....
, five Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...
s, several dozen East African cichlids
Haplochromine
The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe of cichlids in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus plus a number of closely related genera such as Aulonocara, Astatotilapia, and Chilotilapia. They are endemic to eastern and southern Africa...
(fish), a semi-large information exhibition, and three lion observation windows. A large window at the Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...
enclosure allows visitors to see the crocodiles under water and to be within an inch to them.
On June 20, 2006 several Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...
s hatched for the first time in the zoo's history. Two of these new crocodiles grew up in the zoo and are now among the five Nile crocodiles at Zoo Basel.
Monkey house / exhibit
On June 30, 2011, the Basel Monkey House was re-opened with all monkeys back - except the OrangutanOrangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s and the Woolly monkey
Woolly monkey
The woolly monkeys are the genus Lagothrix of New World monkeys, usually placed in the family Atelidae.There are four species of woolly monkey. All originate from the rainforests of South America...
s, while the outdoor exhibits remain under construction. The 30-million Swiss Franc project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012. More information to this project can be viewed at Developments at Zoo Basel
Developments at Zoo Basel
The Zoo Basel is constantly upgrading its infrastructure, but can hardly grow in area, as it issurrounded by the city of Basel, Switzerland, and, in the south, by Binningen...
.
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), the first second-generation zoo gorilla in the world (Tamtam), and rare White-faced Saki
White-faced Saki
The white-faced saki , also known as the Guianan saki and the golden-faced saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, and Timbuktu...
babies.
Sauter Garden
The Sauter Garden's focus is on Asia. While African species (like the pygmy hippopotamus
Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
and the Humboldt penguin
Humboldt Penguin
The Humboldt Penguin is a South American penguin, that breeds in coastal Peru and Chile. Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Magellanic Penguin and the Galápagos Penguin...
) are also in it, its main exhibits are of Asian animals: the Indian rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
, snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
exhibits and, as of June 2010, the "Monkey Rock" with about 60 Macaques on/in it.
In the rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
exhibit, Indian rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
es, Muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
s, and Oriental Small-clawed Otter
Oriental Small-clawed Otter
The oriental small-clawed otter , also known as Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,...
s share the outdoor area. Since then, the three different species lived together with no incidents. The 2.5-ton-rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
es share their food with the 30-kilogram Muntjac
Muntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
s 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.
The snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
exhibit houses a couple of snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s: 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 leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s were born in Basel.
Special Opening Days
- June 24 - Beck Day: In memory of Johannes Beck, the zoo's first major donor, Zoo Basel is open until 10pm. After 4pm, entry to the zoo is free of charge. Each year the Beck Day has several special attractions and events, like the Basel Gypsy-Jazz Group BELLEVILLE in 2008, special lunch packages from the Swiss retailer CoopCoop (Switzerland)Coop is a Swiss cooperative which operates the largest in supermarket chain in Switzerland. In 2001, Coop merged with 11 cooperative federations which had been its main suppliers for over 100 years....
, and the traditional placement of a flower bouquet at Johannes Beck's memorial in the zoo. - Zolli night: At certain days, the zoo stays open until midnight. The entry price is reduced after 5pm. Among the attractions are several meeting points where every half hour zoo officials give insights of the meeting points exhibit and animals that live in it. The dates for this event are different each year and, once set, can be found in the local media and Zoo Basel's official website. In 2010, it was on June 26, with an opening until 11pm.
Breeding programs
Zoo Basel is a member of the World Association of Zoos and AquariumsWorld Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums is the "umbrella" organisation for the world zoo and aquarium community. Its mission is to provide leadership and support for zoos, aquariums, and partner organizations of the world in animal care and welfare, conservation of biodiversity, environmental...
(WAZA), the European Endangered Species Programme
European Endangered Species Programme
The European Endangered Species Programme or EEP is the most intensive type of population management for a species kept in European Association of Zoos and Aquaria zoos...
(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
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
.
Among the breeding program
Breeding program
Breeding programs help animals to breed and can be good for animals as well as the agricultural economy.A breeding program is the planned breeding of a group of animals or plants, usually involving at least several individuals and extending over several generations...
s for endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
that Zoo Basel participates in are the Pygmy Hippopotamus
Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
, Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
, Okapi
Okapi
The okapi , Okapia johnstoni, is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa...
, Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
, Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
, Squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkey
The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. Most species have parapatric or allopatric ranges in the Amazon, while S...
s, and the European otter
European Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
programs.
Cheetahs
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s, 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, and three in 2009 of which one died that fall.
Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
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
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
for the Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
since 1972, and since 1990 has coordinated the European Endangered Species Programme
European Endangered Species Programme
The European Endangered Species Programme or EEP is the most intensive type of population management for a species kept in European Association of Zoos and Aquaria zoos...
(EEP), 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
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, out of about 80 in zoos worldwide,
Okapi
Since the first okapi birth at Zoo Basel in 1957, twenty-two okapis have been born in Basel. 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.
In 2008, Basel's Ahadi fathered the first okapi
Okapi
The okapi , Okapia johnstoni, is a giraffid artiodactyl mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa...
birth in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
at Zoo Dvur Kralove. A video of this birth is posted on YouTube.
Pygmy hippopotamus
Zoo Basel started its breeding program for Pygmy Hippopotamus
Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
es 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
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
for this species.
Somali wild ass
This wild donkey (Equus africanus somalicus
Somali Wild Ass
The Somali Wild Ass is a subspecies of the African wild ass. It was found in the Southern Red Sea region of Eritrea, the Afar Region of Ethiopia, and Somalia...
) is a subspecies of the African Wild Ass
African Wild Ass
The African Wild Ass is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is believed to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey which is usually placed within the same species. They live in the deserts and other arid areas of northeastern Africa, in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia; it...
. Zoo Basel coordinates the European Endangered Species Programme
European Endangered Species Programme
The European Endangered Species Programme or EEP is the most intensive type of population management for a species kept in European Association of Zoos and Aquaria zoos...
(EEP) of the Somali wild ass, which is on the Red List of critically endangered species 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.
History
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.
Early years: up to 1950
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.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.
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.
1901 was the year in which the zoo received its first major donation that served as a foundation for years to come.
Expansion: 1951 - 2000
- 1956 a new lion house was built that stood until the development of the Gamgoas project
- 1961 the main entrance was moved toward the BirsigBirsigThe Birsig is a rather small river in eastern France and northern Switzerland. Its source is in the village Biederthal, in the French Haut-Rhin department, near the Swiss border. The Birsig is about 21 kilometers long and its watershed area is about 82 square kilometers. It flows variably through...
creek - 1966 the first African Elephant, Ota, was born in Basel
- 1969 the monkey house opened
- 1972 the aquarium, or vivarium, opened
- 1992 birth of the male African Elephant Pambo
- 1992/3 Africa exhibit with associated new houses
- 1999 snow leopard exhibit in the Sauter Garden
Recent years: since 2001
- 2001 Etosha House & exhibit
- 2003 Gamgoas House
- 2006 Australian exhibit & expansion of the rhino house
- 2008 New rhino outdoor exhibit
Future
Zoo Basel is constantly upgrading its infrastructure, but can hardly grow in area, as it issurrounded by the city of Basel.
2011 / 2012: Monkey house / exhibit
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 LemurRing-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
s), the Macaque
Crab-eating Macaque
The Crab-eating macaque is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. It is also called the "long-tailed macaque", and is referred to as the "cynomolgus monkey" in laboratories.-Etymology:...
s rock, the children's play ground, the old bear exhibits, and several paths.
On June 30, 2011 the enlarged monkey house was opened. While visitors have the same amount of space available, the apes' space more than doubled from 340 square metres (3,659.7 sq ft) to 700 square metres (7,534.7 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 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 (52.5 ft) high for the Orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s and 11 metres (36.1 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.
2014 New Elephant house
The current elephantElephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
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
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
exhibit.
Because of an estimated 24-million-Swiss-Franc donation for the monkey expansion project, Zoo Basel is able to finance this project. 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.
Ozeanium (additional aquarium)
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 is planned to be built on the Heuwaage square, and will extend into the downtown nightlife strip of Steinen.Notable residents — past & current
Miss Kumbuk (? – 1917)One of the first elephants in a European zoo.
Rudra (1956 – 1987)
Was the first Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
born in a zoo in 1956. He was the son of rhino bull Gadadharand the female Joymothi that came from Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. A World Heritage Site, the park hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses. Kaziranga boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was...
. 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
Milwaukee County Zoo
The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operated by the Milwaukee County Parks Commission. The zoo houses 1,800 animals and covers an area of . It is noted for the first birth of polar bears and siamangs in captivity...
, where he only became once a father until his death .
Goma (1959 – )
Goma was the first gorilla born in Europe (Western Lowland Gorilla
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
, 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.
Jambo ( 1961–1992)
Jambo was a Western Lowland Gorilla
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
Jambo, born in Basel. He became a celebrity sensation in the Jersey Zoo
Jersey Zoological Park
Jersey Zoological Park or Jersey Zoo is a zoological park established in 1959 on the island of Jersey in the English Channel by naturalist and author Gerald Durrell . It is now officially called Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust after its founder, or Durrell for short...
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 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
Jersey Zoological Park
Jersey Zoological Park or Jersey Zoo is a zoological park established in 1959 on the island of Jersey in the English Channel by naturalist and author Gerald Durrell . It is now officially called Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust after its founder, or Durrell for short...
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?” Due to Basels Jambo, ape
Ape
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
s across the globe are called "Jambo", similar to Lassie
Lassie
Lassie is a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. Published in 1940, the novel was filmed by MGM in 1943 as Lassie Come Home with a dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage name "Lassie" in six...
(the collie dog
Collie
The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies...
) or Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
(the clownfish
Clownfish
Clownfish or anemonefish are fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae. Twenty-eight species are recognized, one in the genus Premnas, while the remaining are in the genus Amphiprion. In the wild they all form symbiotic mutualisms with sea anemones...
).
Pambo (1992 – )
Young male African elephant, who was a visitors' favorite. He was transferred to the Vienna zoo
Tiergarten Schönbrunn
Tiergarten Schönbrunn or Vienna Zoo is a zoo located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria...
.
Ruaha (1951 - 29.07.2010 )
Ruaha was the oldest known African elephant at her time 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
Hogle Zoo
Utah's Hogle Zoo is a zoo located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the state's largest zoo, housing animals from diverse ecosystems. It is located at the mouth of Emigration Canyon....
, Salt Lake City, Utah.
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.
Farasi (2008 – )
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
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 and made it to TV news such as at msnbc, 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.
On November 17, 2010, Farasi left Zoo Basel to Tshukudu Private Game Reserve
Tshukudu Private Game Reserve
Tshukudu Private Game Reserve, is situated next to the Kruger Park, near Hoedspruit, Limpopo province, South Africa. The name “Tshukudu” means “rhino” in Sotho...
in South Africa.
In the media
- Forbes Travel listed Zoo Basel among the fifteen best zoos in the world in 2008. Even though it is listed at the number two spot, it has to be noted, that the Forbes list is in alphabetical order and therefore Zoo Basel is only one among the 15 best zoos.
- Anthony Sheridan's (from the Zoological Society of LondonZoological Society of LondonThe Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
) study of 60 leading zoos, ranked Basel Zoo as seventh best in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 2009. - Basler ZeitungBasler ZeitungBasler Zeitung is a regional newspaper, published in Basel, Switzerland. The German-language daily was created through the merger of National-Zeitung and Basler Nachrichten in 1977. It is owned by the Basler Zeitung Medien who also publishes the free daily newspaper Baslerstab.-External links:*...
(Basel's main newspaper) publishes about weekly news of the zoo and has part of its webpage dedicated to Zoo Basel as: Dossier: Der Basler Zolli. - Zoo Basel sponsors annually a Zolli Apero, which is an open house for the media.