
White Lipped Peccary 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 White-lipped Peccary, Tayassu pecari,
is a
peccary
species
found in
Central and
South America, living in rainforest, dry forest and chaco scrub. It
is
monotypic within the
genus
Tayassu. The White-lipped Peccary is
diurnal and lives in large herds of 50 to 300+ individuals, though
there have been reported sightings of up to 2,000 individuals. It is an
omnivorous animal, feeding on fruits, roots, tubers, palm nuts,
grasses and invertebrates.
Like the
Collared Peccary, it is a main prey species of the
Jaguar
and, less frequently, of the
Cougar.
The "White Lipped Peccary" is widely considered the
most dangerous peccary; unlike the rather shy Collared Peccary, the
White Lipped species will charge at any enemy if cornered, and when one
of them is injured, the entire herd returns to defend it. There are many
reports of jaguars being killed and ripped into pieces by angered
peccary herds, and even some humans have been killed. However,
these fatalities are nothing compared with the number of peccaries
killed by humans every year. |
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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