
Hamadryas Baboon Berlin Zoo
|
|

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.
|
|

[more pics]
 |
The Hamadryas Baboon
(Papio hamadryas) is a
baboon
from the
Old World monkey family. It is the northernmost of all the baboons;
its range extends from the
Red Sea
in Egypt
to
Eritrea,
Ethiopia and
Somalia.
It also lives on the
Arabian peninsula (Saudi
Arabia and
Yemen).
The Hamadryas Baboon was a sacred animal to the ancient Egyptians as
the
attendant of
Thoth,
and so, is also called the Sacred Baboon.
Apart from the striking size difference between the sexes
(males are often twice as large as females) which is common to all
baboons, this species also shows
sexual dimorphism in coloration. Males are silver-white colored and
have a pronounced cape which they develop around the age of ten, while
the females are capeless and brown. Their faces range in color from red
to tan to a dark brown that older males often exhibit. Males are an
average of 30" tall, with tails about 20" long, and weigh an average of
about 45 lbs. Tails end in small tufts. Infants are dark in coloration
and lighten after about one year. Hamadryas baboons reach sexual
maturity at about 51 mo. for females and between 57 and 81 mo. for males. |
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. |
|
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.
|