the stuttgart zoo wilhelma is one of a kind - its main charme lies in the moorish architecture. i really loved the green houses - the architecture was very delicate. the zoo is one of the oldest in germany. what i did not love about the zoo were the tiny animal compounds. it is positive though, that they work on that. step for step the zoo works on their plan to give every animal a place they can live an adequate live in ( let's just oversee the fact of how most of these animals should properly live in the wild. some are almost extinct - we should be glad that zoos resumed to the idea of bringing attention to animals that are slaughtered in the wild - maybe the visitors think about their surroundings and happenings in the world twice. )
stuttgart was also recently brought to attention because of the plans of the german railroad & transportation service die bahn to build a new main station & underground railways. the project is huge and destroys old town structures in a massive way - and many people protested against this. unfortunately the project will be continued - the outcry of the public was and still is accordingly massive. the tag on this bridge over river neckar greets visitors with: don't confuse norms with reality. stuttgart 21. ugly welcome.
the river neckar.
zoo walls. i loved the tile work.
zoo entry building. the zoo is called wilhelma after wilhelm the first of württemberg.
the gardens were dream-like. they were ponds and small magnolia orchards and flowers everywhere. i bet in spring the magnolia orchards will be beyond beautiful.
starry ceiling of a walk-through building.
this was the biggest greenhouse and easily the most beautiful. there were ferns & cacti and also a hidden nocturnal animal compartment.
my guess is that these water plants are some kind of lotus flower, but the pistil is so untypical for a lotus flower. i assume they are water lilies, but i am still not sure about that. the petals are too wide and sturdy to be a water lily. so... it really confuses me. haha.
very moorish.
birds hiding under bushes.
strange dove.
from all the bunch of critters and animals and birds i have photographed that day this green iguana is my most favourite.
there was an insect house as well. this spider seems to hang loose in the room.
all these little skeletons are the leftovers of a beetle that gnaws everything off the skeletons. when you look closely you can see these small beetles.
hanging chrysalises.
the aqarium was another highlight.
especially this floating jellyfish population.
saltwater crocodiles! they even had a white one.
it was really beautiful.
another round through the gardens.
small overview.
really, it felt like being in the orient in some kind of luxurious oasis.
goaty goat.
rock hyrax enjoying the sun :3
this pygmy hippopotamus was the cutest thing ever.
the anthropoid ape house was really new - there was even a kindergarten for small apes included. i love watching them and imagining what the world would look like if they dominated it and not us. surely they would watch us in the zoos as well, as we do. and they would slaughter us in the wild, as humans do.
this gorilla woman was really suspicious of the visitors.
more views of the water lily ponds.
water lilies, clearly.
these victoria amazonicas can grow so big that you can put babies in them, or small animals and the plant would not even sink. great stuff!
more water lilies. it's amazing how many kind of forms and shapes exist of them.
a very stunning bali myna.
the fern house. i really love ferns and their feathery appearances. i accidently ( purposedly ) photographed my acquaintances as well :)
the light coming throught these fern trees and the glass windows = magic.
i couldn't get my eyes off the beautiful architecture all around.
the starry ceiling again. since i'm smitten with everything universe i couldn't keep from photographing it twice.
rose trellis.
in the magnolia gardens. sitting here and reading a book while soaking up the sun would be a fantastic thing to do.
there was japanese influenced bird enclosure. another wonderful light situation.
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