Our vision
Our vision is to inspire, educate and sustain.
Our mission is to inspire and foster people's love for animals and enthuse them about the conservation of species. To propagate empathy for their struggles in diminished habitats.
This vision stands at the core of our charter. It is our mandate to advocate for the animals' continued right to exist. This guiding principle motivates us every day.
Inspire. Educate. Sustain
Our values
How we treat each other, our visitors and our business partners has been codified in our statutes:
- We create special experiences, every day.
- We are experts of animal welfare. Their protection is our mandate.
- We are perfect hosts. We provide one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests.
- We represent the concept of thematic exhibitions. Attention to detail is our hallmark.
- We work together - professional, appreciative, goal-oriented.
- We work sustainably in all areas - both openly and behind the scenes.
A venture through time
In 1996, Hanover Adventure Zoo took a leap forward. As Germany's first zoo, we decided to move away from keeping animals in then-conventional cages and to adapt a more progressive model of providing our protégés with a dignified and safe place to live. Theme worlds were created - more beautiful spaces for both animals and humans to live in and visit. Designed and built with care and passion, we've since welcomed our guests to the Indian jungle palace, African Zambezi river, Canadian Yukon Bay, Australian Outback and most recently, Afi Mountain, home of the apes.
New ideas
During the zoo's reconstruction in the nineties, the animals' habitats were recreated with careful attention to detail. Guests are invited to immerse themselves and explore other worlds, visiting simulacrums of Africa, Canada, India and Australia on a trip around the world in one day.
Immerse yourself
Theme worlds blur the lines between the domain of the animals and our own. Their architecture brings us in close, while still giving the animals more space for themselves. Theme worlds play with a visitor's natural curiosity to explore and discover what seemed hidden before. Come visit and see for yourself!
Detailed work
Theme worlds are designed with a focus on thematic cohesion. Visit what feels like a lush jungle, see realistic rock faces and experience the swelling tide of the Atlantic ocean in Yukon Bay. Be transported into other parts of the world all throughout the zoo, even in our themed restaurants.
Dates and figures
History
Hanover Zoo was founded on may 4th, 1865. What followed was a history of many highs and some lows. During its most perilous days in 1922, the zoo even had to close, but was soon reopened in 1924 after a succesfull citizens' initiative.
Foundation
In 1993, the zoo was transformed into a private company. The city, former owner of the zoo, sold the company for the symbolic price of one Euro. New owner: the association of regional communes, Region Hannover, which now holds the zoo as a subsidiary.
A new road ahead
During the following years, Hanover made history among European zoos. Vast theme worlds - Gorilla Mountain (now part of Afi Mountain), Jungle Palace, Meyer's Farm, Zambezi, Mullewapp, Outback and Yukon Bay - were created. A visit to the zoo became an experience. The zoo became the Adventure Zoo.
The concept, "Zoo 2000"
In 2013, Kibongo theme world, home of the chimpanzees and now part of Afi Mountain, was unveiled. This marked a succesful continuation of the theme world concept. Going forward, the zoo put an even bigger emphasis on giving equal consideration to the needs of animals and humans. A visit to Hanover Adventure Zoo would continue to be valuable both as an educative and as an emotional experience.
A zoo for the future
| Numbers and data (ex. 2018) | |
|---|---|
| Established | 04.05.1865 |
| Size | 22 hectares |
| Number of animals | 2.170 |
| Number of species | 178 |
| Number of visitors | More than 1,1 million |