Dierenpark Emmen (also known as ''Noorder Dierenpark'') was a large

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoo ...

located in Emmen in the northern province of Drenthe in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Due to financial difficulties the zoo decided in 2011 to reorganise. It closed at the end of 2015, but reopened early 2016 on another location as

Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen Wildlands, also known as Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen, is a zoo in Emmen, Netherlands, Emmen, the Netherlands. It opened in March 2016, replacing the Emmen Zoo. It was built at a cost of 200 million euros. Upon its reorganisation the zoo increas ...

History

Dierenpark Emmen was first founded in 1935 by Willemm Osting as a privately run zoo in the downtown sector of Emmen. The zoo business was initially a success, but gradually slowed down as World War II approached. By the 1960s, the zoo's features were in aging condition, and attendance dropped as a result. In 1970, Alied Resting-Oosting, Willemm's daughter, took management and initiated renovation projects. Under new ownership, animal exhibits were reorganized zoogeographically, and a "living museum" concept was introduced to the zoo with interactive museum displays and a botanical garden. Dierenpark Emmen was considered to be one of the finest zoos in Europe and has won various prizes. Animals lived in carefully reconstructed natural habitats according to vegetation, climate, and elevation. Because of lack of space, a new, second site was opened in 1998 just outside Emmen. The two parts of the zoo were connected with each other and one ticket gave admission to both parts.

Zoo Features

Biochron

Located near the entrance was the zoo's museum of evolution, the Biochron, with its name being derived from the Greek words "bios" (meaning life) and "chron" (meaning time). Displays in this museum included

animatronic Animatronics refers to mechatronic puppets. They are a modern variant of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films and in theme park attractions. It is a multidisciplinary field integrating puppetry, anatomy a ...

dinosaurs, fossilized animals, a

tree shrew The treeshrews (or tree shrews or banxrings) are small mammals native to the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia. They make up the entire order Scandentia, which split into two families: the Tupaiidae (19 species, "ordinary" treeshrews ...

habitat, and a

butterfly pavilion The Butterfly Pavilion is located in Westminster, Colorado. It opened on July 15, 1995, and was the first stand-alone non-profit insect zoo in the United States. The facility is situated on of land, and contains five main exhibit areas to teach ...

African Savanna

Standing at 3 acres, the exhibit was home to the zoo's white rhinoceroses,

giraffes The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, '' Giraffa camelopardal ...

, antelope,

ostriches Ostriches are large flightless birds of the genus ''Struthio'' in the order Struthioniformes, part of the infra-class Palaeognathae, a diverse group of flightless birds also known as ratites that includes the emus, rheas, and kiwis. There a ...

, and

zebras Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. zebr ...

Conservation and breeding

The zoo has had great success breeding Asian elephants, with 26 births since 1992 and four births in 2010 and 2011 alone. In 2011 there were 13 elephants at the zoo, others having been transported to other zoos. The elephant accommodations comprise a large moated island for females and calves, and a separate smaller island for the bull, with indoor housing being underground.

Wildlands, adventure zoo Emmen

The city council of Emmen approved the construction of a completely new zoo, the Wildlands, which is expected to draw 1.3 million visitors annually. The new zoo was completed in March 2016 and is part of a plan for revitalizing the city center of Emmen. Visitors are able to walk from the new City plaza to the new zoo, which initially is about with an additional for expansion, and includes about of interior space, including a theater.

2012 Dutch time trial championships

The 2012

Dutch National Time Trial Championships The Dutch National Time Trial Championship is a time trial race that takes place inside the Dutch National Cycling Championship, and decides the best cyclist in this type of race. The first edition took place in 1991. The first race winner of the ...

for professionals and elite women's started in the zoo beside the African savanna. It was the first time in history a cycle race started in a

. Riders rode along the zebras, giraffes, rhinos and hippos.

Notes

External links

* (in Dutch) Zoos in the Netherlands Tourist attractions in Drenthe Buildings and structures in Emmen, Netherlands {{zoo-stub