Ruhr Zoo, Gelsenkirchen in Germany


Ruhr Zoo, Gelsenkirchen
Local name Gelsenkirchen Zoo, Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen
Typezoo
Founded1948
First elephant arrived1949
Opened for public1949
Last elephant left2004
Address Blechstrasse 64
Zip-code 45889
Place Gelsenkirchen
Country Germany
Website Website
Related persons
Owner 1948-1978: Hermann Ruhe Jr.
Stadtwerke Gelsenkirchen GmbH
Directors: Alfred Glenewinkel (director)
Key People
Veterinarians
Elephant department
Head keepers
of elephants
Elephant keepers
Record history
History of updates2025-03-07: text
Latest document update2025-03-07 04:32:45
Description

Ruhr Zoo, Gelsenkirchen, located at Blechstrasse 64, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany , was founded in 1948, opened for public in 1949 and the first elephant arrived in 1949. The last elephant left in 2004.

Casualties

4 casualties
  1. 1971: elephant keeper Dieter Köhler attacked by Mapalay. Dieter Köhler Survived.
  2. 1971: elephant keeper Bernd Millat attacked by Mapalay. Bernd Millat Survived.
  3. 1971: elephant keeper Gustav Röckener attacked by Mapalay. Gustav Röckener Survived.
  4. 1971: elephant keeper Ralf Ulbrich attacked by Mapalay. Ralf Ulbrich Survived.

Comments / picturesRuhr Zoo in Gelsenkirchen was founded by Hermann Ruhe 1948, opened 1949, and was run by the animal trading company Ruhe until the 1990s. Elephants were shown from the very beginning; the Asian elephant Birma, who first came to the zoo in 1949, died in 1981 at the age of 63 - to this day the longest lifespan of a zoo elephant in Europe!

The fact that it was run by an animal trading company meant that the Ruhr Zoo was also a hub for the animal trade, so that the elephant population also changed from time to time. The Asian elephant cows Mapalay (dead 1998 at the age of 45) and Artaida most recently lived in Gelsenkirchen. The keeping of elephants ended at November 16, 2004, when Artaida was relocated to the Sofia Zoo in Bulgaria.

2005: renamed to Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, new website at https://www.zoom-erlebniswelt.de/

References for records about Ruhr Zoo, Gelsenkirchen

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2025). Ruhr Zoo, Gelsenkirchen, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=70. (archived at the Wayback machine)

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