Zoo Neuwied

For a shorter outing, link the South America hall, chimpanzees and Exotarium with the penguins, then choose the aviary or playground. Adjust the order around a keeper session and stop while everyone still has energy.

Add the red pandas, kangaroo area and upper enclosures to your day. Use the zoo plan and take a picnic break on the way; return for the houses before their earlier closing time.

Choose a chimpanzee, kangaroo or emu and spend a few quiet minutes watching. Each person names one movement, one body feature and one interaction with the surroundings. Compare answers before moving on.

At your chosen Tierischer Stundenplan session, ask how keepers encourage the animal to use its enclosure. Sessions can involve training or enrichment as well as conversation; the topic depends on the day and animal.

Look into the climbing structures and resting places before searching the ground. A red panda may be resting high up; during a keeper session, watch how it moves towards its food.

Give the chimpanzees time. Watch hands, facial movements and interactions between neighbours; a quiet exchange can be as interesting as climbing. Try one observation before reaching for the camera.

Scan different parts of the large paddock. Compare a resting kangaroo with one moving, and notice how the tail is positioned. The zoo also lists Bennett’s wallabies, so check the enclosure signs before naming your photograph.

Look for emus as well as kangaroos in this area. Watch the movement of the legs and neck, then compare your view with the ostriches on the Afrikawiese.

At the enclosure shared with Darwin’s rheas, first find a capybara, then watch what it does while the birds move nearby. A resting animal makes a good subject for a quick sketch.

Look overhead, including along the hall’s steelwork and ventilation pipes. The resident sloth has used these instead of the intended climbing branches. Give yourself time to pick out its outline.

Find the Gila monster’s labelled enclosure and study its pattern and textured-looking skin through the glass. If it is resting, practise describing three visible details without trying to make it move.

Try a patient look across the whole enclosure. If a maned wolf is resting, return later if your route allows; the zoo’s evening programme highlights this as one of the animals that becomes more active towards dusk.

At the bison enclosure, take in the animal’s shape before zooming in. Compare the head and shoulders with the Watusi cattle seen nearer the entrance, using the signs to keep the two animals distinct.

Look slowly through the enclosure rather than assuming an empty first glance means no cat is there. If you find one, watch from the public path and leave it undisturbed.

All animals listed here are kept in the zoo. They are not records of wild animals living around Neuwied, and an animal may be out of sight during your visit.

Neuwied helps rear European mink for a coordinated conservation programme. In 2026, five youngsters left for Tallinn to prepare for a reintroduction project, and a new male arrived in Neuwied. The animals you may see here are still in human care; the project’s work extends beyond the zoo.

The restaurant opened in January 2026 above the hoofstock stable. It offers indoor seating, high chairs, an outdoor terrace and a barrier-free roof terrace. For your own picnic, use the designated places and shelters; barbecues and open fires are prohibited.