Zoo Basel is a zoological garden in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Its official name is Zoologischer Garten Basel — or in English: Basel Zoological Garden. Basel residents affectionately call it Zolli. Its main entrance is just outside Basel's city centre and extends in the Birsig stream valley to Basel's city border with Binningen, Basel-Country. The zoo has over 500 animal species from all seven continents.
Zoo Basel is Switzerland's oldest (1874) and largest zoo by number of animals. In 2024 it got over 1.2 million visitors.
Zoo Basel was ranked as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world by Forbes Traveler in 2008Minh Tu Nguyen & Rachel Slaff, "The world's best zoos", Forbes Traveler, November 2007; Forbes Travel . GetListy, retrieved 2010-3-26 and in 2009 as the seventh best in Europe by Anthony Sheridan from the Zoological Society of London.Anthony D. Sheridan, "Europe's Leading Zoological Gardens, 2008", International Zoo News, Vol.56/5 (No.374), July/August 2009, pp.260-268; Zolli gehört zu den zehn besten . Basler Zeitung, published 2009-5-14
The zoo had the first Indian rhinoceros birth in a zoo, Eröffnung des Panzernashornhauses . Zoo Basel, written 2006-09-26, retrieved 2009-12-3 as well as the first greater flamingo hatch. It has had repeated breeding success with animals including cheetahs (18 births), NACHZUCHT VON FÜNF JUNGEN GEPARDEN . Zoo Basel, published 2007-11-14 okapi (22), Das längste Okapi. webjournal.ch, retrieved 2010-05-31 pygmy hippopotamuses (53), Zwergflusspferd zurück . Zoo Basel, published 2008-06-11 and flamingos (over 400 hatches). 50 Jahre Flamingozucht . Basler Zeitung, written 2008-08-13, retrieved 2010-05-31 Every Somali wild ass (a donkey) in zoos worldwide is related to the population in Basel, where this species' zoological breeding program was started. Somali-Wildesel Verband Deutscher Zoodirektoren, retrieved 2010-06-02 The zoo is currently engaged in more than 40 conservation breeding programs for endangered species.
Zoo Basel is undergoing the most expensive expansion in its history. These include the indoor and outdoor renovation of the monkeyhouse (2011–2012 / Fr. 30 millions), the zoo restaurant renovation/expansion (2015 / Fr. 16 millions) and a new elephant house and outdoor exhibit (2016 / Fr. 28 millions). In the near future, further expansions into the current parking lot and to the south are planned. Basel Zoo is implementing a master plan starting from late 2024. This initiative is called "Zolli 2049".
Exhibits and attractions
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."Anlagen & Gehege . Zoo Basel, retrieved 2010-5-30
Listed below are some of Zoo Basel's exhibits. Note, however, that exhibits continually change due to infrastructure upgrades, breeding successes, and the construction of new exhibits.
Aquarium
The aquarium (called Vivarium in Basel) was opened in 1972 and has had several notable breeding successes through the years. These include lungfish bichir offspring in 2006,Seltener Zuchterfolg news.ch, written 2006-02-23 repeated king penguin hatches,. Basler Zeitung, written 2009-08-12, retrieved 2010-05-30 and over a thousand hatches of the red-bellied short-necked turtle since 1981. Der Tausendste Wendehals . Zoo Basel, written 2008-11-27, retrieved 2010-5-30
As of May 2012, there were about 6,000 animals in the Vivarium in 480 species, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, gentoo penguins, and king penguins.
During the winter months, the gentoo and king penguins have access to an outdoor area and can be observed walking from the Vivarium to it every morning around eleven.Von Pinguinen. Basler Zeitung, written 2008-12-10, retrieved 2010-05-30
Africa exhibit
Hippos, ostriches, and zebras (Grant's zebra) live together in the Africa exhibit.
The Africa exhibit was Zoo Basel's first in which three species share the same outdoor area. Afrikaanlage . Zoo Basel, retrieved 2010-05-30 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 stallion bit the hippo male during its daily morning territory marking, the zebra fell into the water, and was killed by the hippos in front of several visitors.
On February 13, 2013, Zoo Basel reported that the ostrich couple Baringo (b. 1993) and Manyara (b. 1992) had yet another ten chicks. According to its webpage, Zoo Basel "is especially proud that the ostrich parents are very successfully natural breeders." While Manyara was sitting on the eggs during the day, Baringo took over the night shifts. Without human breeding help, about 110 ostriches have hatched in Basel since 2000.retrieved 2013-02-21
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 Novartis. In this outdoor exhibit, western grey kangaroos and Australian brush-turkeys live together. Inside the Australis house are several vivaria exhibiting Australian animals, including geckos, redback spiders, cane toads, several species of Phasmatodeas (or stick insects), and green tree pythons. An educational exhibit inside the house focuses on marsupial reproduction. Neue Themenanlage Australis . Zoo Basel, written 2006-0629, retrieved 2010-05-30
Bird house
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 reptiles and monkeys, it now has only birds.
The 'jungle' in the center of the bird house has free-flying birds, who can hide in the thick vegetation. Some like the Knysna turaco can be heard but are only visible in flight.
Since 1948 the zoo has hosted 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. retrieved 2010-05-30
Etosha
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 exhibit consists of the Etosha house, outdoor exhibits for the cheetahs, African wild dogs, ring-tailed lemurs, Cape porcupines, and the lions, as well as the Gamgoas house. They build a theme area around the African circle of life. ETOSHA . Zoo Basel, retrieved 2010-05-31
The Etosha exhibit was named after the Etosha National Park: the largest national park in Namibia and in the southwest of Africa. It is about half the size of Switzerland.
Gamgoas
Gamgoas is part of the Etosha 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." GAMGOAS , Zoo Basel, accessed March 27, 2010
In the Gamgoas house are two colonies of termites, one chameleon, five Nile crocodiles, 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 of them.
On June 20, 2006, several Nile crocodiles hatched for the first time in the zoo's history.Erstmals junge Nilkrokodile . Zoo Basel, written 2006-06-30, retrieved 2010-05-31 Two of these new crocodiles grew up in the zoo and are now among the five Nile crocodiles at Zoo Basel.
Monkey house/exhibit
The monkey house (built in 1969) is the zoo's largest building and has had several breeding successes, such as the first gorilla baby in Europe (Goma),half a century . swissinfo.ch the first second-generation zoo gorilla in the world (Tamtam), Goma ist 50. Basler Zeitung, retrieved 2010-06-02 and rare white-faced saki babies.
On June 30, 2011, the Basel Monkey House was re-opened after extensive renovations and expansions with all monkeys back — except the orangutans and the woolly monkeys, Die Zolli-Affen sind zurück im Haus. Basler Zeitung, retrieved 2011-10-23 which "came back" in 2012. The 30-million Swiss franc project was completed in the fall of 2012 with the opening of the outdoor exhibits, which are now about thirty times larger than before. Der Zolli baut für die Menschenaffen . Zoo Basel, retrieved 2010-05-30 More information on this project can be viewed at Developments at Zoo Basel.
Sauter Garden
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) 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.Javaneraffen haben den Fels gewechselt Basler Zeitung, written 2010-06-09, retrieved 2010-12-27
In the rhinoceros exhibit, Indian rhinoceroses, muntjacs, and oriental small-clawed otters share the outdoor area. Since then, the three species lived together with no incidents. The 2.5-ton-rhinoceroses share their food with the 30-kilogram muntjacs 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 Mayhan and Pator. Both arrived in the winter of 2008/2009 and had three cubs during the spring of 2011. As of June 2011, 30 snow leopards were born in Basel. Manche mögen's kalt Zoo Basel, written 2009-01-14, accessed 2010-03-29
Special opening days
June 24 — Beck Day: In memory of Johannes Beck, the zoo's first major donor, Zoo Basel is open until 10 pm. After 4 pm, entry to the zoo is free of charge. Each year the 'Beck Day' has special attractions and events, like the Basel gypsy-jazz group BELLEVILLE in 2008, special lunch packages from the Swiss retailer Coop, and the traditional placement of a flower bouquet at Johannes Beck's memorial in the zoo. Zolli night: Some days, the zoo stays open until midnight. The entry price is reduced after 5 pm. Among the attractions are several meeting points where every half hour zoo officials give insights of the 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. Zolli-Nacht - Samstag, 26. Juni 2010 , Zoo Basel, retrieved 2010-06-18
Breeding programs
Zoo Basel is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (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 programs for endangered species that Zoo Basel participates in are the pygmy hippopotamus, Indian rhinoceros, okapi, snow leopard, South African cheetah, squirrel monkeys, and the European otter programs.
Cheetahs
Among 82 other European zoos with cheetahs, Zoo Basel's breeding program has been one of the few programs that had repeated breeding success. Basel had five young cheetahs born in 1993, 1995, and 2007, and three in 2009drei junge Geparden. Basler Zeitung, retrieved 2010-05-31 of which one died that fall.