
Toque Macaque 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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The Toque Macaque (Macaca
sinica) is a reddish-brown coloured
Old World monkey endemic to
Sri
Lanka, where it is locally known as the 'Rilewa' (hence 'Rillow' in
the
Oxford English Dictionary). It is named for the
Toque shaped whorl of hair on its head, rather like the bonnet of
the related
Bonnet Macaque. It lives in troops,
sometimes numbering up to 20, and has developed into three subspecies.
It has a head and body length of 35–55 cm (14–22 in), a tail length of
40–60 cm (16–24 in) and can weigh up to 8.4 kg (19 lb).
Troops of the Toque Macaque are a common sight in
The Cultural Triangle, where many ancient temples are situated,
hence earning them the nickname of "Temple Monkey".
There are two subspecies of Toque Macaque that have
been described:
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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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