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Copenhagen Zoo Tower Photo by Björn Söderqvist

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Copenhagen Zoo

Copenhagen Zoo is a zoological garden in Copenhagen, Denmark founded in 1859. It comprises 11 hectares (27 acres) and is located in the municipality of Frederiksberg, sandwiched between the parks of Frederiksberg Gardens and Sondermarken.

It is the most visited zoo and one of the most visited attractions in Denmark. The zoo is noted for its new Elephant House designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. The zoo maintains and promotes a number of European breeding programmes.

Let’s take a look at some of the most remarkable facts about it;

1.Copenhagen Zoo was founded by the ornithologist Niels Kjaerbolling in 1859

Copenhagen Zoo was founded by the ornithologist Niels Kjærbølling in 1859. He was given the summer garden of “Prinsess Vilhelmines Have” (The garden of Princess Vilhelmine) by the chief directorate of Copenhagen.

Starting in the early 1980s, Copenhagen Zoo has been undergoing a renovations aimed at replacing cages with enclosures which recreate animals’ natural environments, giving a better lifestyle to the animals, and a more realistic experience to visitors.

The Elephant House and 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) Savanna are results of these efforts. The Savanna includes a Hippopotamus House where the hippos can be watched underwater.

2.At the opening of the zoo there were less animals 

Animals in Copenhagen Zoo Photo by Thomas Dahlstrøm Nielsen

The animals that the visitors could contemplate at the opening were eagles, chickens, ducks, owls, rabbits, a fox, a seal in a bathtub and a turtle in a bucket. In the early years the zoo focused on showing as many different types of animals as possible, but as animal welfare later became an issue.

The number of different species has dropped in favour of more space to each animal.In 1901 the zoo had a human display with 25 Indians- men, women and children- in an exhibition where the “brown exotic” people went about their daily lives in palm tree leaf huts constructed in the middle of the zoo. 

3.Most of its historical buildings are still in use

The Old Elephant House in Copenhagen Zoo Photo by Ray Swi-hymn

The zoo has preserved many of its historical buildings. The oldest building still in use, a stable for yaks, was erected in 1872, and now houses the bactrian camels. A Herbivore House built in 1875 still houses herbivores, namely tapirs. An owl tower from 1885 is today left as a memorial commemorating how zoo animals were once kept. 

A notable and highly visible feature of the zoo is the wooden observation tower. 43.5 metres (142.7 ft) high, it offers views of the surrounding parklands and city. The tower was built in 1905 and is one of the tallest observation towers built of wood in the world.Its base is similar to that of Eiffel Tower.

4.The zoo is home to some of the world’s rare species of animals

The zoo is home to some of the world’s rare species of animals including; Tasmanian devils, Schmitz’s Caracals, Cape Weavers, Black-necked Weavers, East African Chimpanzee, Yellow-headed Amazon, Pink-tongued Skink, Tasmanian Wombat.

The Copenhagen Zoo has other rare animals including the rare Amur leopard, okapi, and muskox.Tasmanian Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Banded Razorbill and West African crocodile; all of which are rarely kept species in European zoos.In April 2019 Copenhagen Zoo received two giant panda on loan from China.

5.The zoo has been involved in various controversies 

A photo of protesters in Lisbon on the Marius case Photo by Mattia Luigi Nappi

The zoo has been involved in various controversies including;Images of a carcass of a giraffe called Marius being cut up in front of children and then fed to the zoo’s lion population were circulated by the Associated Press. The zoo spokesperson, Tobias Stenbaek Bro, has been quoted as saying that visitors, including children, were invited to watch as the giraffe was skinned and parts fed to the lions. 

Despite the backlash from the giraffe cull, the zoo euthanized four lions (two adults and two ten-month-old cubs). The zoo stated that they were introducing a male lion and did not want to disrupt the pride’s natural structure and behaviour. The lions were not culled or dissected in public. 

6.The zoo has been used as a location for several movies and tv series episodes

Copenhagen Zoo is used as location in several films and tv series including; in the films Kobenhavnere (1933), Wienerbarnet (1941), Hold fingrene fra mor (1951), Far til fire pa landet (1955), Vi er allesammen tossede (1959), Rikki og mændene (1962),

Others include; Den store badedag (1991), Jungledyret Hugo (1993), and Far til fire pa japansk (2010).The zoo is also used as location in episode 84 of the DR television show Huset pa Christianshavn and in the TV2 television Christmas calendar Brodrenes Mortensens jul. 

7.There are several animals exhibited at the zoo that are not housed in any of the main areas 

There are several animals exhibited at the zoo that are not housed in any of the main areas.The Animals exhibited at the zoo that are not housed in any of the main areas include bactrian camels, American flamingos, scarlet ibises, roseate spoonbills, Dalmatian pelicans, turkey vultures.

Other animals which are not housed in the main areas include; Humboldt penguins, California sea lions, black-capped squirrel monkeys, chimpanzees and lions.The new Elephant House, which opened in June 2008, is designed by Norman Foster in cooperation with the Danish landscape architect Stig L. Andersson. 

8.The zoo has different parts where animals of different origins are put

The zoo has different parts where animals of different origins are put including; Nordics and the Arctic Ring where visitors can see species such as harbour seals, snowy owls, reindeer, musk oxen, brown bears, arctic foxes and grey wolves. The Arctic Ring is where polar bears are put. 

Other parts include; Asia, Africa, Tasmania, South America, Tropical Zoo and children’s zoo (where visitors can see farm animals and small domestic animals, such as llamas, goats, cows, pigs, horses, chickens and rabbits). 

9.There are several hotels and restaurants near it 

There are several hotels near it including; Hotel Ottilia which is 0.50 miles away, Josty (0.29 mi), Nimb Hotel (1.67 mi), Bertrams Hotel (0.85 mi) and Andersen Boutique Hotel which is 1.48 miles away from the Zoo. 

Restaurants near Copenhagen zoo include; Restaurant Provianten which is 0.03 miles away, Konnild’s (0.04 mi), Spisehuset Folk (0.04 mi), Enomania (0.35 mi) and Bistro Panpan which is 0.17 miles away.  

10.It is one of the oldest Zoos in Europe

The Copenhagen Zoo is one of the oldest Zoos in Europe and has been in existence since 1859 and a member of EAZA. It has more than 4,000 fascinating animals. You can also have churros by the chimps, ice cream by the polar bears, and lunch with a panda.

Get familiar with the iconic giant pandas while dining in the state-of-the-art Panda House. The zoo is among the most visited sites in the world and among the most sought after zoo in the world.