Top 10 Things to See & Do at Vienna’s Schönbrunn Zoo
jellyfish at the zoo
1) Seal Feeding: Feeding time makes the seals instantly hyperactive. They perform all kinds of stunts, including barking, clapping and flipping to entice the zookeeper to throw them some fish. Much splashing takes place, especially when the largest male seal takes flight. Be prepared to get wet unless you keep your distance.
2) The Timberwolves: To get to the timberwolves, visitors follow a dirt path along the outskirts of the zoo. Visitors can peer through the wire fence or enter the lower level or deck of the adjacent hunting-lodge-style building to sneak a peek at the wolves. The white and gray wolves are usually prowling their wooded enclosure or napping behind a log or rock.
3) The Pandas: Two black-and-white pandas currently live at the Schönbrunn Zoo. When they are outside, visitors can see them rolling around and munching on bamboo. The zoo also has a red panda, which is too cute to miss. It can be found over by the other bear species and is often napping in a tree.
4) Cheetah Feeding: Visitors can watch the cheetahs run down a dead rabbit being propelled along a raised, motorized track. Check the zoo website or brochure for scheduled feeding times.
5) The Aquatic Exhibit: Highlights from this large indoor exhibit include a transparent fish-filled arched hallway, luminescent jellyfish, and a piranha feeding (check the zoo website or guide for times). There are also numerous reptiles and amphibians.
6) The Rainforest House: The lower level of this building houses a dark room where bats fly freely among visitors. Visitors enter through a set of two slatted (like vertical blinds) doorways and can feel and catch glimpses of bats whizzing by their heads.
7) Monkey & Lemur Marsh Area: A species of whitish monkeys and another of lemurs share a building and outdoor wetland space near the aquatic building, where they race and swing seemingly nonstop. Visitors have a hard time moving on to other exhibits because they are so entertaining.
The Orangutans: When the orangutans are in a playful mood, they interact humorously with visitors. I once watched a Schönbrunn orangutan dangle one of his climbing ropes outside his cage in the hope of reeling in some visitor-brought food.
9) The Penguins: There are about three different varieties of penguins at the zoo, all of which are usually noisy and active. It’s mesmerizing to watch them dart around underwater. The arctic penguin exhibit, which is indoors, is particularly interesting when a baby penguin has been born recently. The babies’ physical appearance is a striking contrast to that of the adults.
10) The Bears: The zoo is home to a wide variety of bear species from throughout the world. Included in the Schönbrunn family are brown bears from Siberia, masked black bears, small awkward bears that have features similar to anteaters, and polar bears. The masked black bears are usually outside, where they can be seen climbing, swinging, and eating. If you’re lucky, you may also catch a glimpse of one of the polar bears taking a swim and bobbing a toy ball around.
The Schönbrunn Zoo’s operating times vary at different times of the year, but it always opens at 9am and closes anytime from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. The ticket counter closes a half hour before the zoo. Tickets are €12 for adults, €4-€5 for children. The year pass (€29 for adults, €15 for children) is a good value for anyone planning to visit the zoo more than twice during the year. Taking the U4 metro to Hietzing station puts visitors within walking distance of the zoo entrance. For more information, visit http://www.zoovienna.at/.
Schönbrunner Tiergarten
Maxingstrasse 13b
13 district
tel: +43-1-877 92 94-0
