Ever since I've had kids, zoos have become a must-have favorite part of any of our destinations. However, each person's sense of their place and importance on this planet is formed from early childhood.

One of our favorite zoos in Europe is Schonbrunn, located in the gardens of the palace of the same name in the Austrian capital. It may not be the largest in terms of area or number of its inhabitants, but it has a special coziness and atmosphere. It is obvious that the animals receive the best possible care, using the most modern technologies and recreating their natural habitats as much as possible. Within a day, you can walk from the desert, through the rainforests of Borneo, all the way to the icy world of polar bears and penguins.

Now I will introduce you to some details. Schönbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world. It was started in 1752 by Emperor Franz I and his wife Empress Maria Theresa. Having received as a gift various exotic animals from all over the world, the ruler initially ordered the construction of a sumptuous pavilion for breakfast and lunch in the gardens of the Schonbrunn summer residence, surrounded by 13 cells. Over the years, the collection became richer, and in 1770. the menagerie is open for visits. The next heir to the crown, Joseph II, even organized expeditions to Africa and North and South America in order to enrich the collection of animals. In 1828 the first giraffe was brought here, which became a major attraction for all of Vienna, and in 1906 the zoo observed the birth of the world's first elephant in such conditions, carried out under medical care. Bombings during the Second World War almost destroyed the zoo, but after the war it was rebuilt again.

Schönbrunn Zoo is not only a place for fun and a pleasant walk. Much higher goals are set, such as saving endangered species, participating in breeding programs, and educating visitors about environmental conservation. The zoo boasts unique successes in breeding critically endangered species such as the Asian batagur tortoise and Chinese giant pandas.

Schonbrunn is proud of the privilege of being one of two European zoos (the other being in Berlin) that keep and breed Giant Pandas as part of a large-scale program by the People's Republic of China aimed at breeding and saving them as a species. Today, black and white bears are found only in China, with no more than 1,000 living in the wild. A female panda can only conceive once a year within 2-3 days, which combined with her fastidious nature makes breeding them in captivity extremely difficult. The Vienna Zoo can boast of a total of five naturally conceived babies so far, as in 2007. the first giant panda in Europe was born here. According to the contract between Schönbrunn Zoo and China, the young pandas will be returned to their homeland and released into the wild when they are two years old.

In the Vienna Zoo you will meet all kinds of animal species from near and far. The best thing is that for all of them the conditions of their natural habitats have been recreated to the maximum extent, so that their inhabitants can feel at home. The variety is really great, and the walk meets you with elephants, rhinos, polar bears, tapirs, zebras, monkeys, flamingos, hippos, small and big cats, giraffes, penguins and seals, all kinds of fish, reptiles and birds. The whole park is dotted with animal sculptures, and children love to climb on them.

There is also a Pet Corner that educates its visitors on the proper care of pets according to their needs. Workshops are also offered, the aim of which is to educate humane treatment of animals.

Visitors to Schönbrunn Zoo have the opportunity to attend the feeding of some species and learn many exciting things about them. Various guided tours are also available, in English or German, including a "behind the scenes" walk, as well as family or night tours.

I also have some pictures of the aquatic world of this zoo, but I think I will post them later, as I don't want to bore my readers. Expect a separate post from the large aquariums with all kinds of sea creatures very soon.

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