As you already know, I am a wildlife enthusiast. This has been the case since I was little and I don’t remember ever not being fascinated by nature documentaries and animals in general. At one point, I even wanted to become a vet doctor. It of course stands to reason that I hop at any opportunity I get to see animals whenever I can. Being in a different country doesn’t change this and it is this motivation that led to me boarding a train with my family in Germany to ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen.

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (1)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (2)

One of my favourite things about visiting zoos is that it feels a lot like travelling. How? Well you get to see all these animals from all around the world so close up and learn so much about them. It’s like when you travel and you see amazing landmarks and can’t stop taking photos and telling people about them when you get back home – that’s what it’s like when I visit a zoo. Especially when I see an animal I’d never seen before. (Unless it’s a made up animal like “a dopt” which was just a goat up for adoption hence the “Adopt” but for the best part of 2 minutes, I had to convince Lloyd there there was no animal called a dopt. He will never live this shame down as I promise to remind him at every given oportunity)

As a kid, it was a very great enlightening and learning experience (visiting the zoo) when you realise that there’s so much out there that you haven’t seen and so much beyond what you know or even understand. It’s one of the first inclinings you get of how by the world around you is. It instils and nurtures your natural curiousity and makes you want to go out travelling in the hope that perhaps you will get to see some of these animals in their natural environment (albeit still in a controlled experience e.g. a safari).

Follow me as we take a walk through the zoo! 🙂 The first animal I saw were these sleepy but cute monkeys…

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (3)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (4)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (5)

Oooh, cheeky turtles! (Either that or one of them is just really lazy and getting a piggy back ride)…Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (6)

The bats above kinda took me by surprise as I hadn’t realised they were hanging above!

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (7)

These birds also surprised me as they just popped out of nowhere while we were walking around the conservatory…

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (8)

There was this shy Orangutan!

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (9)

Random aside: I wasn’t planning on wearing this hat all day but it was so comfy that it stayed on all day. It was only later when I was looking through the photos I realised that it seemed like quite an apt hat for the “expedition”…

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (10)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (11)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (12)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (13)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (14)

This photo below was taken moment before the ostrich had a huge dump! (It was truly the most gigantic bird poop I’ve ever seen! It’s a good thing they can’t fly!)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (15)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (16)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (17)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (18)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (19)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (20)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (21)

This owl below just reminds me of Hedwig from Harry Potter! 🙂 (Striking resemblance right?)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (22)

So this is what Santa’s reindeer get up to in their free time! #MysterySolved

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (23)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (24)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (25)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (26)

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (27)

Finally, it was time to head off home and after a brilliant afternoon at the zoo, I can truly say my curiousity was peaked!But first things first, it was time to go look for something to eat! 🙂 We hoped on a bus going to the train station and headed into the sunset (and by sunset, I mean the nearest restaurant)…

Animals at ZOOM Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, Germany (28)


Check Out The Very Best Of Great Britain!

Hand Luggage Only Great Britain Travel Book Advert Banner

Check out our YouTube channel for travel videos!

You May Also Like