enclosures and animal houses

The zoo administration and the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) are housed in the right wing of the Zoogesellschaftshaus. The centre wing leads to two event rooms, a large event hall (Großer Saal) with a stage and a smaller hall (Kleiner Saal) on the first floor. At the rear is the zoo terrace with snack facilities.

The spacious, natural-looking outdoor enclosures are home to Andean bears, Giant anteaters and bush dogs. The enclosures cover more than 1,600 square metres and are thoughtfully designed using natural materials. Climbing trees, scratching posts and seesaw trees, digging pits, water holes, dens, and sunny and shaded spots stimulate the animals’ senses and encourage both periods of activity and rest. The fact that Andran bears and bush dogs are housed together also ensures that boredom never sets in. 

Hidden away behind the outdoor enclosure, almost out of sight, is a large animal house, which is, however, not accessible to visitors. In addition to the feed preparation areas, this houses the night quarters, the rusty-spotted cat breeding programme and many enclosures required for animal management. 

By the way: ‘Ukumari’ is a word from the Quechua language, spoken in South America, and means ‘bear’.

The animals in the cats jungle live both inside and outside in naturally designed enclosures. These are deliberately designed so that the animals have the opportunity to get out of each other's way and retreat.

As the centrepiece of the zoo, the large pond with its water birds is an eye-catcher for zoo visitors and a habitat for many native animal species. Seagulls, moorhens and grey herons can often be seen, and with a bit of luck you might even spot a kingfisher.

Some zoo animals also live on the large pond, e.g. Emden geese, Leine geese and Pomeranian ducks. With a bit of luck, you can spot snapping turtles and Chinese softshell turtles on the islands in the water during the warmer months of the year.

The gibbon enclosure includes a planted island in the large pond and an animal house. The house is connected to the island by ropes, which enable the northern white-cheeked crested gibbons to practise their natural locomotion, swinging.

The house itself consists of a greenhouse-style display area as well as a barrier and animal care area. The display area is planted with plants. The exterior wall of the house was designed with a painting by Frankfurt artist Wolfgang Weber. The elegant swinging movements of the gibbons are shown here and the proportions of the gibbons in relation to humans are also depicted.

The Grzimekhaus has a large dark area for nocturnal animals. The day-night rhythm has been changed for nocturnal animals so that many species can now be observed during visiting hours without any problems. The visitor area is therefore also darkened. There is also a large section for diurnal animals. 

Please note that the eyes need time to adjust to the darkness. We therefore recommend that you take a few minutes.

The exotarium has two floors. On the ground floor, you can observe fishes, turtles, starfishes and many other aquatic animals. The path to the upper floor is lined with other special aquariums.

The first floor is dedicated to reptiles, amphibians, insects and other invertebrates. Many of the animals are very well adapted to their habitat, so you should spend a few minutes in front of the terrariums looking for them. But not all animals live in terrariums, there are also a few free-roaming animals here.

A special feature are the tanks of the "nursery", where the youngest offspring are shown, which is why there is always a change of species here.

The mountain enclosure complex was one of the first facilities at the zoo. The smaller of the two enclosures is home to porcupines. The larger facility is currently unoccupied.

At the centre of the zoo, the 1,300 m playground awaits adventurous children and families. The proximity to the animals is intended to encourage a variety of movement games and encourage imitation. The climbing landscape therefore includes balancing facilities, hanging bridges, climbing ropes and nets, poles and a slide.

A new zoo restaurant is being built next to the playground. You can watch the construction progress from the playground.

The Kiwi information centre offers a wealth of interesting facts about these unusual birds. New Zealand’s sensitive national bird lives ‘behind the scenes’ at the zoo and is therefore not on display to visitors. This section explains why this is the case and what makes this nocturnal bird so special. Exhibits, models and a film bring the kiwis to life. A display window into the kiwi breeding centre also offers a glimpse into the bird nursery whenever the keepers weigh and measure their charges.

The tree kangaroos can be observed through a window in their indoor enclosure.

Unfortunately, the keas are currently not on display due to the ‘New Zoo Restaurant’ construction site.

The African savannah forms the centrepiece of the zoo's African enclosures. The savannah is home to two species that are highly endangered in the wild: Addax antelopes and Mhorr gazelles.

The Grzimek Camp commemorates the African expeditions of Prof Dr Dr Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael Grzimek. The jeep and the aeroplane "duck" on the roof of the monkey house were the means of transport used by the two on their journeys. You can find out more about Grzimek's life in the log cabin.

The bird bushes are a combination of several walk-in aviaries. Visitors are guided by low walls so that the birds still have areas to retreat to.

The hall, which is divided into three rooms, displays birds from all over the world in aviaries of various sizes that are furnished in a naturalistic style. First you enter the Jewelled Hall. Here you will find the smallest and most colourful birds at Frankfurt Zoo. Little jewels, in fact.

From the Jewelled Hall, you enter the main hall. The feeding kitchen is visible to visitors. The three aviaries adjacent to the kitchen have a changing bird population and are often used to house offspring. The final section is a large free-flight hall that depicts a typical East Asian jungle. Visitors can relax here and watch the birds as they go about their daily lives, creating an exotic atmosphere with their songs.

The aviary, which was financed by donations, is covered in wild vegetation. This allows visitors to observe the owls in a natural environment.

At the square in front of the owls, just before the Rhönstraße zoo exit, you can enjoy authentic Asian cuisine. Wok’n Taste Asia offers a variety of dishes, including udon noodles, curry and various sauces prepared directly in the wok.

The monkey enclosures are inhabited by monkeys and prosimians. In these enclosures from 1962, the climbing frames and bars are made of stainless steel and the walls are tiled. The smooth material is easy to clean and was important for hygiene in the last century.

Nowadays, there are new ways to keep the enclosures hygienic, so they have been remodelled as close to nature as possible and the animals are given natural materials to keep them occupied. In addition to acting as a barrier, the fences have the advantage that they can be used by the monkeys as a place to climb. The animals can usually decide for themselves whether they want to stay in the house or in their outdoor areas. Free-moving flaps are built into the enclosures for this purpose.

A colony of wild honey bees has found a nesting place in the zoo's orchard. The ®Natural Habeetat*Tree, developed by the BIENENBOTSCHAFT on the basis of the latest scientific findings, recreates the natural dwelling of bee colonies in hollowed-out tree trunks.

An insect hotel and a rock garden also provide a habitat for native insect species and bring the topic of "biodiversity on your own doorstep" into focus.

Blooming, buzzing and humming everywhere, especially in the warmer months. Thanks to the detailed information signage, you can also learn a lot about natural beekeeping.

Between the African savannah, playground and Borgori forest, you can watch a large group of meerkats exploring, sunbathing and playing. In addition to a greenhouse-style house, the meerkats have a spacious and naturally designed outdoor area at their disposal.

The Borgori-Wald ape house covers an area of almost 10,000 square metres. It is shaped like a philodendron leaf and blends in well with its surroundings thanks to its colour scheme.

A tropical climate is created inside for the great apes and visitors. Many plants and a waterfall convey the feeling of observing animals in a jungle. Due to the separation by glass panes, there is an extraordinary closeness that fascinates animals and visitors alike.The interactive signage provides information about our great apes and the problems faced by their conspecifics in the wild.

The rhino house is one of the oldest facilities in the zoo. The interior is designed in the tiled architecture that was once common. The outdoor facilities are spacious and natural and offer plenty of exercise and variety. Our senior hippopotamus PETRA and black rhino TACO live here. A large interactive board provides information about hippos and rhinos. The rhino sanctuary behind the house is dedicated to the protection of rhinos.

Different species of birds of prey have lived in the tall aviaries of the bird of prey enclosure for well over 100 years. The aviaries have been enlarged by merging them and modernised through renovations. King vultures, Egyptian vultures, Falkland caracaras and bateleurs live here.

Southern cassowarys are large, strikingly coloured, primitive ratites. They are the second heaviest birds after the African ostrich.

The neighbouring enclosure is home to Parma wallabies, a species of kangaroo rarely seen in zoos. Here you should bring a little patience and a love of searching, as the animals like to hide under the bushes.

The enclosure for Chilean flamingos is divided into a meadow and a water area where the birds forage for food and build their cone nests on small islands. The protective hedge in the background gives the birds a sense of security.

Seals and Afro-Australian fur seals can be observed from above, from the side or from the seal grotto under water. This makes it easy to recognise the differences between earless seals and eared seals.

The pools hold 800 m³ and 400 m³ of water respectively, and the seals can dive up to four metres deep.

In addition to the different perspectives on the animals, display boards and interactive elements provide interesting information about the species on show and their relatives.

The modern and spacious enclosure for Humboldt penguins is designed as an open landscape. It offers visitors to the zoo very different views. The enclosure comprises a 410 m² large, richly structured land area with many breeding burrows and a planting of shrubs and grasses typical of the Humboldt penguins' rocky habitat. At the edge of the enclosure - especially towards the Exotarium hill - the existing vegetation has been supplemented with large trees and shrubs. The penguins can swim and dive in a pool with different water depths, which holds 435 m³ of water.

The enclosure for Bactrian camels is located next to the meadow by the large pond. The floor of the bactrian camel enclosure is made of earth and a large sandpit has been created as a resting area. A stable is available for cold days.

The large enclosure consists of a meadow area with trees, bushes and a large water basin. Trufed deer and gooses live here. Native animals also appreciate the facility, such as grey herons and mallards.

Okapis have a long tradition at Frankfurt Zoo: the zoo has been keeping these animals, which are originally native to Central Africa, since 1954. The outdoor enclosure, which is covered in grass and trees, is separated from visitors by a dry moat, allowing the okapis to be observed without any obstacles.

A stable is available for the animals on cold days

In the giraffe house, our zoo visitors can get up close to the reticulated giraffes. An artificial giraffe and interactive signage invite visitors to explore, while seating is available for longer observations. In good weather, the giraffes have access to a large outdoor area with trees.

In addition to giraffes, you can discover other exciting animals such as the shy Kirk's dik-diks, zebra skinks and dwarf mice.

Grévy's zebras are the largest of the four zebra species. The enclosure is modelled on the zebras' mostly dry habitat. A stable is available for the animals on cold days.

There are two areas in the pet zoo: a visitor area and a retreat area for the Domestic goats. In the visitor area, the goats can be stroked or brushed. There is a goat wellness station right next to the goat pen. The brushes are removed here and the goat wellness can begin.
If the animals want a little peace and quiet away from humans, they can go into the stable or the retreat area.

The petting zoo is barrier-free so that all visitors can experience the animals with all their senses.

The spacious outdoor enclosure for South American animals with plant islands and water basins is inhabited by vicuñas, nandus, capybaras and maras. It is only separated from the visitor area by a dry moat.

The extensive facility is modelled on the natural habitat of the yellow-backed duikers and offers the forest dwellers many opportunities to retreat.

You can find out more about this little-researched species on a large information board.

The large enclosure offers many different hiding places for the shy bongos, which mainly live in woodland areas. The enclosure is modelled on the forest floor.

In addition to the bongo antelopes, you can also encounter the colourful Red river hogs here.