White Wolves 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.

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The Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus arctos), also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a mammal of the Canidae family, and a subspecies of the Gray Wolf. Arctic Wolves inhabit the Canadian Arctic and the northern parts of Greenland.

Though the same species as a Gray Wolf, Arctic Wolves generally are smaller than the "forest Gray Wolves" (Arctic Wolves are sometimes called "tundra wolves"), being about 3 to 6 feet (0.91 to 1.8 m) long including the tail; males are larger than females and are more aggressive. Their shoulder heights vary from 25 to 31 inches (63 to 79 cm), their ears are smaller to trap body heat and their muzzles are much shorter. Often weighing over 100 pounds (45 kg), weights of up to 175 pounds (79 kg) have been observed in full-grown males. It might live in the tundra.

Arctic wolves (White Wolves) eat all of their prey, including the bones. They also, like all wolves, hunt in some packs and they mostly prey on Caribou and musk oxen, but will also kill a number of Arctic Hares, seals, ptarmigan and lemmings, as well as other smaller animals. Due to the scarcity of grazing plants, they roam large areas to find prey up to and beyond 2,600 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi), and they will follow migrating caribou south during the winter. Recent footage filmed by a BBC Wildlife documentary crew shows Arctic wolves hunting waterfowl.

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."