Do we need to book a guided activity?

Yes. Arrange birthdays, tailored tours and holiday workshops with the Zooschule in advance. School and kindergarten groups must register before visiting, even when planning their own outing.

The ticket office accepts both cash and cards.

Why might the seal pool be empty?

The zoo periodically drains it for cleaning and then refills it. Ask staff about the day’s work if the pool is empty during your visit.

Illustration

ZooNordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Tiergarten Mönchengladbach

Come to Tiergarten Mönchengladbach for an unhurried animal afternoon built around keeper feedings and small discoveries.

Official website

About

Come to Tiergarten Mönchengladbach for an unhurried animal afternoon built around keeper feedings and small discoveries. In the Odenkirchen neighbourhood, the mix of animal enclosures, a monkey house and a playground makes it easy to alternate patient watching with a play break. Start by checking the feeding board and picking up the current Tiergarten-Rallye booklet in the zoo shop. There are versions for preschool and primary-school children; an adult can help read the clues.

Give the smaller residents some attention. The rock hyraxes belong to a group closely related to elephants, despite looking very different. The zoo celebrated its first hyrax births in July 2026. The European mink enclosure has a conservation story too: the zoo breeds this threatened species and works with EuroNerz on reintroduction. Ask about that work during the keeper talk, while allowing for animals to stay out of sight.

The larger contrasts are fun to explore together: European bison, a spotted ocelot, seals and eagle-owls all invite different questions. What changes when an animal moves from land into water? Which colours or patterns make it harder to pick out against its surroundings? Choose a few enclosures to watch properly, then let the children decide which one deserves a second visit. Wondering what that bird or insect is? Find out on your visit using the Snappit nature app.

An early photograph preserved by the zoo shows two injured buzzards being cared for before the zoo itself was founded. Its education work has another tangible link to the past: the Zooschule opened in 2005 in the former keepers’ house.

What to do here

Build a morning around the 11: 00 seal feeding and the 11:30 stop for raccoons, coatis and otters. The published programme runs Tuesday to Sunday; check the day’s board before setting off. Afternoon options are the monkeys at 14:30, mink at 15:30 and seals at 16:00, with no second seal feeding on Fridays. Between talks, try the children’s rally, visit the bird enclosures and leave time for the playground.

Seasonal info

The summer timetable allows entry until 18:00 and closes the grounds at 18:45; winter entry ends at 16:00, with closure at 16:45. Confirm the seasonal change and holiday exceptions before travelling. Dress for outdoor animal watching. On a wet day, choose a shorter visit and check the restaurant’s opening hours separately.

Accessibility

For a wheelchair visit, call 02166 601474 to discuss path surfaces, gradients, any steps and accessible toilets before travelling. The zoo offers tailored group tours, including for visitors with disabilities. Assistance-dog users must contact the zoo in advance; ordinary pet dogs are not admitted.

Don't miss

Seal feedings with keeper commentary

Rock hyraxes and their surprising elephant relatives

European mink conservation and breeding

Animal-rally clues followed by a playground break

Things to try

A one-minute observation challenge

At the hyraxes or mongooses, watch one animal for a minute. Each person names something it did. Compare what you noticed before taking a photograph.

Make a keeper question

Before a feeding, let each child choose one question: what does this animal eat, how is its food prepared, or where does it sleep? Leave space for other visitors to listen.

Wildlife and habitats

Watch how the seals move in the water and on the pool edge. The keeper feeding is a useful time to ask about their care.

Pause at the water and banks to see whether the otters emerge. The 11:30 feeding round includes them; visibility still depends on the animals.

Choose a place to watch quietly and follow one mongoose for a short while. Can you keep track of it when the group moves?

Look for the family climbing or resting together. Their relationship to elephants makes a good question to explore after watching how they move.

Take a quiet pause by the bison. Compare their body shape with the small mammals you have just watched, without trying to attract their attention.

Look carefully for the spotted outline before assuming the enclosure is empty. If the cat is resting out of view, try again later.

Look for the prominent feather tufts and orange-yellow eyes. Watching a resting owl quietly can reveal more detail than waiting for it to fly.

Look at the stork’s legs and bill, then compare its posture with the eagle-owl. Keep the visitor path clear while you watch.

Getting there and practical advice

The animals listed here are kept in zoo enclosures. A feeding programme or species list cannot guarantee that every animal will be visible.

Choose your own order of stops using the entrance information and enclosure signs, with time to return to an animal that was resting earlier.

Sources and useful links

Wildlife you might spot

Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.

Harbor Seal

European Bison

Ocelot

Eurasian Eagle Owl

Snap map for this place

Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.

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Good to know before you go

Arrival

Use Am Pixbusch 22, 41199 Mönchengladbach. Buses 001 and 002 serve the Tiergarten stop, about 350 metres or five minutes’ walk away; check current departures.

Parking

There is no zoo-owned car park. Look for the public parking at Manderscheider Straße/Am Pixbusch and follow local signs.

Admission

The 2026 rates are €8 for adults and €5.50 for children aged 4–14; under-fours enter free. Check the current tariff for concessions.

Rally booklet

Collect the updated version in the zoo shop. The online download is an older edition.

Wagon hire

A limited number of pull-along wagons are available at the ticket office for a fee, with ID as a deposit. They cannot be reserved.

Leave ride-ons behind

Balance bikes, scooters and bicycles are not allowed inside.

Food and feeding

Ask staff where the zoo’s feed bags may be used. Keep your own snacks for people and follow enclosure instructions.

Lunch

The restaurant has its own opening arrangements. Call 02166 1464646 if a meal there is central to your plan.

Frequently asked questions

: Yes. Arrange birthdays, tailored tours and holiday workshops with the Zooschule in advance. School and kindergarten groups must register before visiting, even when planning their own outing.
: The ticket office accepts both cash and cards.
: The zoo periodically drains it for cleaning and then refills it. Ask staff about the day’s work if the pool is empty during your visit.