Zoo . . . German Style

"Crocodiles, gorillas, lions and rhinos: you don`t have to travel to Africa to see these fascinating animals. A trip to Frankfurt Zoo is just as good. 

Frankfurt Zoo is a green oasis in the middle of the thriving Main metropolis and offers not only a green recreation area on your doorstep. Here you can discover more than 4,500 animals in over 450 species.

You will find proud African animals next to feisty seals and majestic tigers, right around the corner from cheeky otters. In the Grzimek House day becomes night as your immerse yourself into the secretive animal world of Madagascar. Fishes, sea horses, penguins, snakes and crocodiles all mill around in the Exotarium (aquarium and reptile house). In the Borgori Forest ape house you can encounter our hominid "relatives" in a genuine jungle atmosphere.

Our animals do well in surroundings as natural as possible, with many places to hide and live in species-specific social groups just like they do in the wild." (http://www.zoo-frankfurt.de/schnellzugriff/information-in-english.html)

 

 

 After reading this on the internet. . . how could you NOT want to go to the Frankfurt Zoo, right?!?  When my buddies Beth and Range from Cali told me they wanted to go to Frankfurt Zoo I was oober excited!  Beth has a picture from her childhood at the zoo (her dad was stationed in Germany for a while) and wanted to take another picture in the same spot all these years later for her mom.  We filled one of the 7 day slots they were here to see these "fascinating animals".  Well . . . I have to admit. . . I was disappointed . . (sorry Beth).  The Zoo was small, run down, boasted animals missing (I think it was the polar bear) and they closed WAY too early!!  We did not get to go into the cat house to see the lions, tigers and whatever other goodness lay within . . .we saw them briefly by means of peeking through the outside walls.

 

I was impressed, however, by the rhino and hippo!  I had never seen either of these creatures in real life and was thrilled!  (the cages that housed them were pitifully small and made me feel sorry for them)  They also had a pretty impressive "Ape" house and I guess the birds weren't so bad either.  Honestly, I think the Sacramento Zoo had a lot more to offer than the prized Frankfurt Zoo (minus the really rad Rhino). 

 

 

 

Overall . . glad I went . . got to spend time with friends, see a few new animals I have never seen before and had some really awesome gelato down the street.  If you only have a few days in Germany though, skip it!