Tierpark-Zoo Gorlitz – a zoo different than any other

The Tierpark in Görlitz is one of the most interesting places we saw while visiting Saxony. The facility is proof that it is possible to create a place that is both animal and visitor friendly, while allowing visitors to care for the animals and learn about the nature around us.

If only we lived closer to the German border, and preferably in Zgorzelec, we would definitely buy a yearly entrance ticket to Tierpark in Görlitz and spend our free time there. Because it is definitely not an ordinary zoo of the kind that many in both Poland and Germany have. It’s a large, wooded area in the city where we can relax, spend time with our children in the playgrounds, all surrounded by animals both farm and more exotic.

And it is by no means a place just for families with children. See below what awaits you at the site and decide for yourself who you would take there.

Education at the Görlitz Zoo

Tierpark-Zoo in Görlitz is betting on education. Here we learn about nature, animals, and human impact on the environment. It’s not just about observing animals, but learning about them and understanding how important species coexistence and sustainability are.

There is a lot of space between the different enclosures and pens, used to smuggle in interesting facts about the animals, other regions of the world and wildlife conservation. There are not the usual pictures titled. Don’t litter, limit plastic, etc. Here one goes into action and simply restricts plastic! Even in a restaurant you will get your dinner on biodegradable plates with wooden cutlery (unlike, for example, the Wroclaw Zoo, where there are installations made of plastic bottles, pointing out the dangers of using disposable plastic, and then in the restaurant you get everything on plastic…).

What’s next? Kids can race to milk a cow, enter a cage and see how animals raised at home in cages feel, they can feed, stroke and comb animals…. They can watch for hours as the chicks hatch from the eggs (believe us, for townspeople this is an attraction ;) ). At some point, the animals even recede into the background, and the kids are engrossed in various experiments and games.

Anyway, many educational surprises await you here, even in…. toilets! During your short visit behind the need, you’ll hear about saving water or you can peep at kangaroos (or they at you) through the glass! :-)

One part of the zoo is particularly noteworthy, as it will transport you to Asia for a while. Well, in Görlitz we can get a feel for the… Tibet! Here there is a separate part prepared on the model of a Tibetan village. Here we can see the animals of the region: Tibetan pigs, yaks, porcupines (which you can feed!). We can look inside the buildings to see what life is like in Tibet or get a better understanding of Buddhism.

Animals in Tierpark

Below we will show you what animals you can interact with here. And although the sheer number of animals does not knock you out (about 500 animals of almost 80 species), remember that here the focus is not on quantity, but on quality. On the quality of enclosures and living conditions, while saving not only species, but also the lives of individual animals.

Immediately behind the entrance you can see a large clearing with storks that are either past treatment, or for health reasons must stay here forever. Because the place, as we mentioned, also serves as a clinic and shelter for wild animals.

Here we will see familiar European animals as part of the Lusatian Valley – specially prepared footbridges and terraces with benches encourage close-up viewing of nature, including otters and raccoons.

>> See also our post Saxony – Upper Lusatia not just for the weekend!

What’s more? If only pandas! But not the big ones, but the smaller ones called reds or reds. Anyway, it is this panda that is featured in the Tierpark logo.

As mentioned, we can see here animals closer to us as well as more exotic ones such as kangaroos, porcupines and camels. In many places there are the aforementioned benches and special platforms to get a pretty close-up look at the animals.

Interestingly, the little ones are equally enthralled by cows, pet pigs, guinea pigs, or chickens.

…And of course, fun!

It’s worth coming to the zoo if only for the kids to take advantage of the unique playground in the… barn! The Discovery Barn is a fantastically arranged playground, where a number of surprises and fun await on several floors, starting with rooms with a kitchen, through slides, and visits to the barn’s little inhabitants.

Natural materials, everything adapted for the little ones, safe, and the smell of hay – we assure you that no toddler will pass indifferently.

In addition to the barn, there are several other smaller outdoor playgrounds.

Also recommended in a similar topic:
– Orientarium Zoo Lodz,
– Zoo Wroclaw and the Afrykarium in Wroclaw,
– Leipzig Zoo,
– Singapore Zoo,
– Vienna Zoo,
– Loro Park, Tenerife,
– Beijing Zoo,
– Great pandas in Chengdu, China.

Our opinion

We liked it, Olivia liked it even more :) This place shows that you can make a zoo better, more interesting and natural. A place where animals are respected, cared for and helped, while providing great knowledge and care for the environment.

We definitely recommend it! And if you know of similar facilities whether in Poland or other countries, let us know in a comment on this post. We would love to visit them :)

We also recommend you our post Saxony with a child – suggestions for a family weekend.