Berlin Zoo was founded in 1844 as the first zoo in Germany. This makes it the oldest public limited company in the city. Today it is one of the largest zoos in Germany — not in terms of area, but in terms of the number of species it houses. There are around 20,000 animals, birds, reptiles, insects and fish in the zoo, with a total of around 1,500 species. Visitors are greeted at the entrance by elephants, although these are not real elephants and have yet to be seen.
It's a great place to bring a child: there are spacious aviaries along the lanes, where the animals roam almost freely, but are easy to see. Each animal has been given a corner that resembles its habitat in the wild: some have a pond and rocky bank, others have green lawns, and those that are awake at night have darkened houses.
Just 2.8 km away is the Legoland Discovery Center, a true paradise for little Lego lovers.
A zoo map will help you decide whether you want to see giraffes or rhinos, bears or monkeys, parrots or pelicans first.
You can plan your visit according to when the animals are feeding. Watching gorillas, hippos, penguins and seals eat is very interesting. You can also see the kitchen where food is prepared for the animals. Children can feed the harmless animals, such as goats, llamas and ponies, with special food.
A visit to Berlin's zoo is also a unique opportunity to see how a hippopotamus swims, how a polar bear dives for prey and whether an anteater has a longer tail, nose or tongue.
It must be said that the animals in the zoo breed successfully. Children simply stick their noses into the enclosures where baby elephants, baby bears or baby chimpanzees are playing. It is also important that the zoo helps to save rare species.
In 2006 Zoo Berlin became world famous with the birth of polar bear cub Knut. By that time, Zoo Berlin had grown into the most species-rich zoo in the world.
Adjacent to the zoo is a huge aquarium with three floors of fish from different oceans, crabs, jellyfish, turtles, crocodiles, lizards, snakes and insects. Exotic tropical and jungle creatures, underwater predators, colourful butterflies and busy bees can be seen for hours.
It's well worth spending a day here. If you get hungry, you can eat in the on-site restaurant or takeaway from one of the many benches under the trees. Please note that bicycles and scooters are not allowed on the zoo paths. However, you can hire a wooden cart to take your little one for a ride.
