Alpenzoo


Alpenzoo Innsbruck is a zoo located in the town Insbruck, in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is one of the highest elevation zoos in Europe.

General

Founded 22 September 1962 by the Austrian zoologist Hans Psenner, Alpenzoo became famous because of reintroduction of endangered species like the bearded vulture, Alpine ibex, and northern bald ibis in the wild.
The zoo is a non-profit association, and the majority of their funding comes from the entrance fees, but the zoo receives additional funds from the city of Innsbruck and the government of Tyrol. There is also financial participation from the society "Freunde des Alpenzoo", sponsors and animal adopters.
A new wooden pavilion was inaugurated in August 2017 to provide information on forestry and the wood industry. The pavilion was made in collaboration with proHolz Tyrol and the design of the building was the object of a competition for the students in design and architecture of the area. The pavilion is entirely made in wood and has the form of a snail.
The Alpenzoo was one of the places chosen to represent Austria on the collectible zero Euro bank note. The picture represents three of the zoo's star animals: the bearded vulture, the lynx and the Alpine ibex.

Species

The zoo accommodates about 2000 animals from 150 animal species: 20 mammals, 60 bird species, 11 reptile species and 6 amphibian species, plus almost all the fish species present in the Alps. The Alpenzoo is the only zoo in the world that exhibits the wallcreeper.
Here are a few of the species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians exhibit at the Alpenzoo:
Birds
Bearded vulture
Black grouse
Black stork
Capercaillie
Dipper
Eagle owl
Goldcrest
Golden eagle
Goosander
Hazel grouse
Northern bald ibis
Nutcracker
Passerines
Ptarmigan
Pygmy owl
Raven
Rock partridge
Scops owl
Tengmalm's owl
Ural owl
Wallcreeper

Reptiles and amphibians
Grass snake
European pond terrapin
Ocellated lizard
European adder
European tree frog
Common newt
Natterjack toad
Crested newt
Smooth newt
Marsh frog
Yellow-bellied toad
Black salamander

Exhibits, activities and services on site

The zoo is on the slope of a mountain, with lots of footpaths to explore the park and observe the animals.
The main attraction of the zoo are the big Alpine animals: bears, wolves, moose, bison, etc. Birds of prey are also one of the big feature of the zoo, with some species rarely seen in zoos like the northern bald ibises that can be observed in a big aviary that was built specifically to accommodate the endangered birds. There is also the Innergschlöß where many species can be seen, like the bearded vulture. The zoo also has a little show farm to show the diversity of the Alpine livestock. Many species of fowls, sheep, cattle, pigs and goats can be observed and petted. A lot of these breeds are old breeds created to meet the specific requirements of small-scale farming of the many micro-climates of the Alps. There are also six big terrarium created to accommodate the reptiles species of the zoo, and an aqua-terrarium to cater for the amphibians.
With its 17 tanks containing between 80 and 14,000 liters each, the Alpenzoo owns the biggest fresh water aquarium in the world. More than 50 species of Alpine fishes can be observed there, with some of the species being quite rare or endangered. The aquariums recreate many habitats, from a cold Alpine river, a little pond, a lake, or the living conditions of the Danube. The zoo also received international recognition for its breeding program of some rare Alpine fish species.
The Alpenzoo has an educational department that offers experimental teaching with animals for groups of all ages. The professional hire to teach are both teachers and biologists.
Most of the areas are accessible to wheelchair, but some footpaths are quite steep. There are two restaurants on site: the ANIMAHL - Bistro im Zoo, offering daily dishes and a fine selection of beverage, and the Café and Restaurant "Weiherburg", for a more casual experience. Both offer indoor and outdoor seating. There is a both a big playground and a smaller one for little children. There is also a climbing wall that leads to the Eagle Nest and many other playing facilities on the site.

Conservation, protection of the environment and rehabilitation of species

Alpenzoo is the European Endangered Species Programme coordinator of the northern bald ibis, and the only zoo in the world which exhibits the wallcreeper.