Ouwehands Dierenpark

 

Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen
Grebbeweg 111
3911 AV Rhenen
Netherlands

 

www.zootierliste.de/zoosmap.php?showzoo=10000880



Phone number 0317-650200

Opened minimum 10am-5pm
 

Entrance fee

 

Annual cards

• Adult 66,- Euro
• Child 60,- Euro

For kids there is a petting area and several playgrounds


History:

On 18 June 1932, Ouwehands Zoo Rhenen opened its gates to the public for the first time. Well before that moment, the founder of the park, Mr C.W. Ouwehand, had moved from Rotterdam to Rhenen to establish a cigar factory, together with his brother.

After a while however, he decided to discontinue that activity and instead established a chicken farm on a 10 ha piece of land on Grebbeberg in 1919. The chicken farm thrived and boasted some of the most beautiful chicken species as its inhabitants. Coachloads of farmers visited the farm, but it turned out that they were more interested in the few exotic animals that Ouwehand kept, such as raccoons, peacocks and pheasants, than in even the prettiest of chicken species.

During the economic crisis of the 1930s, the chicken farm's fortunes turned. Still, the animals on the fringes of the chicken farm remained popular, which caused Ouwehand to think that it might not be a bad idea to turn the chicken farm into a zoo.

Ouwehands Zoo was a success right from the start, drawing large numbers of visitors. However, the war years devastated not just buildings, but also livestock and reconstruction was only slow to start. Nevertheless, through the hard work of the Ouwehand family and their staff, the zoo was restored to its former glory and a new golden age dawned.

In the past decades, the grounds have been extended to 22 ha and many modernisations were introduced. Since 2000, when the current owner took over the zoo, substantial investments were made in new projects, such as ‘Umkhosi’, with the rare white lions, ‘Apes on Stilts’, ‘Face-to-face’ with the polar bears, ‘Gorilla Adventure’,  Bear Forest Expedition and Pandasia, the latest project. Partly because of these initiatives, Ouwehands Zoo has experienced meteoric growth.

In front of the till station we have koi carps, snowy owls and ring-tailde lemurs. After the till we meet different species of horn-bills. Then following the cafe we on the left have the mighty Amur tiger and to the right a Savannag with giraffes and ostriches. In the Umkosi area we then meet the wart hog and the meerkat. Another savannah inhabitant are the Zebras as well as the lions. At the madrills we turn right to look at the bongo and then enter a small aquarium. Outside again we then are in a vulture aviary. Going of it we turn left passing the bongos once more, to see the clouded leopards. Begind them we have the Lar gibbon. Now its time to enter Pandasia withe the giant pandabears. On the other side of the house we find the lesser panda and the Yak. The zoos largest enclosure is the following bear wood with brown bears. It leads to the house for African elephants. Tutning left  we have same aviaries for bird, follow these and turn sharp to the right to meet the polar bear.  Seeing the elphants again we then to the left seeHumboldts penguins. Still following the elephant enclosure we meet cranes, storks andharbor seals. Lets then enter the indoor playground house, with several small enclosures arround it. Behind it is a small farm with donkeys, sheeps and chicken. On the other side we find the reindeer. On the left hand we then meet the Orang Utan. Lets follow this path to meet camels and barbary maquacs. Passing some breeding dens for polar bears we then meet sun bears and the  yellow-throated marten. Opposite we find the California sea lion. Behind it are pelicans and other water fowl. Turning right we finf greater flamingos. The turning left we see the Gorilla followed by som aviaries for birds. Heading for the exit we stop by at the Urcu house, home to the Orang Utans, tamarins and some latin american birds.This house also has a small terrarium.

DE: Dieser Zoo zeigt Bambusbären, bongos und Gorillas. Daneben hat er ein kleines Aquarium und grossen überdachten Spielplatz

DK: Denne zoo viser store pandaer, bongoer og gorillaer. Desuden har den et lille akvarium og en indendørs legeplads