
African Buffalo Berlin Zoo
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If you are staying at any of the great hotels in Berlin, you
are undoubtedly staying within walking distance of this
zoo. It is
located on the outskirts of the Tiergarten, the large park in the center of
the city. The park itself is bigger than the country of Monaco.
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[more pics]
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The African Buffalo, Affalo or Cape
Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large African
bovid. It
is up to 1.7 meters high, 3.4 meters long. Savannah type buffaloes weigh
500-900 kg, with only males, normally larger than females, reaching the
upper weight range.
Forest type buffaloes are only half that size.
The African Buffalo is not closely related to the slightly
larger
Wild Asian Water Buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear. Owing to
its unpredictable nature which makes it highly dangerous to humans, it
has not been
domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the
Domestic Asian Water Buffalo. The African
buffalo is one of the most successful grazers in Africa. It lives in
swamps, floodplains as well as
mopane
grasslands and forests of the major mountains of Africa. Buffalo can be
found from the highest mountains to sea level areas, and prefer habitat
with dense cover such as reeds and thickets. Herds have also been found
in open woodland and grassland.
Like the
Plains zebra, the Buffalo can subsist on tall, coarse grasses. Herds
of buffalo will reduce grass level to the height that is preferred by
selective grazers. When feeding, the buffalo makes use of its tongue and
wide
incisor row to eat grass more quickly than most other African
herbivores. Buffalo do not stay on trampled or depleted areas for long. |
What to expect at the Berlin zoo.
Thousands of great animals included in a well laid out zoo/aquarium setup.
I was surprised by the size of the place. Not just a cage with
one or two elephants but, apparently, a whole african savanah with a herd of
elephants. Not just elephants, but
giraffes,
lions, gorillas,
kangaroos,
polar bears,
tigers,
emus and, even, a glimpse of (not one, but two)
okapi. |
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from
wikipedia
"The Berlin
Zoological Garden (German:
Zoologischer Garten Berlin)
is the oldest and internationally most well known zoo in
Germany.
Opened in 1844 it comprises an area of 35 hectares and is located in
Berlin,
Tiergarten. With almost 1,400 different
species
and around 14,000 animals the zoo presents the most comprehensive collection
of species in the world.
The zoo and its
aquarium
numbered 3.2 million visitors in 2007. It is considered to be the most
visited zoo in Europe and one of the most popular worldwide. Regular animal
feedings are among its most famous attractions. Several globally known
animals like
Knut, the polar bear or Bao Bao, the Giant Panda are contributing to the
zoo's public image.
The zoo is closely collaborating on scientific fields with a large number
of universities, research institutes, and other zoos around the world. It
maintains and promotes numerous
European breeding programmes and safeguards several endangered species.
A number of species kept at the 'Berlin Zoo' are regularly returned to the wild after
years in intensive human care."
A couple of nice places to eat, inside or out. Lots of signs pointing
the way and a comprehensive
zoo map in our guide book.
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