An African savannah 

For a northerner, it’s a scene, you don’t see so often: an African savannah, full of exotic wildlife. Zebra and elegant antelope play among the ostriches and long-necked giraffes.

In a water hole beneath a cliff, a pygmy hippopotamus frolics in his natural element. The ostriches, which can grow 3 meters tall, prance proudly about and keep a watchful eye.



And in a little hut by the water, you can experience the animals of the savannah at close range when they come down to drink, or when the little hippo takes a refreshing bath.

All in all, it’s scenery taken right “Out of Africa” (which, incidentally, was written by a Dane).

The address is Mølleparkvej 63 in Aalborg. Better known as Aalborg Zoo.

African wildlife & architecture
The big new at Aalborg Zoo in 2006 is the African Village. For the equivalent of about EUR 5.5 million, the zoo has recreated a piece of Africa that is now home to many of the animals of African origin, as realistically as possible.
Some of the savannah’s inhabitants can be seen in a circular “barn” of 700 sq. meters, with a 15 meter-high ceiling. This led to the acquisition of a new species for the zoo, namely the warthog. The village also has a tropical habitat with water holes for the pygmy hippos, and an area for the ostriches. A baobab tree almost 15 meters tall and a primitive school, with classroom at one end and donkeys at the other, help complete the impression of a piece of Africa transplanted in North Jutland. All the buildings in the village are inspired by traditional African design and architecture.

Like being on safari
The authentic surroundings make visitors feel as if they’re actually roaming the “dark continent” among the wildlife. The animals look, sound and smell differently than you’re used to in other zoos.
“We don’t want to merely show animals in cages,” says Lone Andersen, marketing manager at Aalborg Zoo. “It gives visitors a much greater experience if the animals can be perceived through the senses, and observed in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible.”
She points out that visitors to the zoo don’t just see animals, but learn about them as well. The baobab is actually synthetic – an interactive tree of knowledge that tells about itself and the animals that live in its shadow on the savannah.