Knies Kinderzoo, located at Oberseestrasse 36 , in Rapperswil, Switzerland, was founded in 1962, opened for public in 1962 and the first elephant arrived in 1962.
At Knies Kinderzoo lives 8 elephants with records in this database: (detail list)
1955: A famous elephant trainer who worked for Knie was Ruppert Bemmerl, born 1931 in Steinach, Germany, who left Billy Smart’s Circus and joined Circus Knie in 1955. In the seventies Bemmerl presented three bulls in the ring, the african Tembo and the two asians Mohti and Siam. Rupert Bemmerl was later responsible for the Rappersville Kinderzoo. 2014-2016: the zoo renewed and expanded its facilities. The Himmapan elephant park was the largest project in the zoo's history, and comprises 6,500 square metres (69,965 sq ft), including dining facilities on a rock construction for 300 guests operating all over the year. Launched during the 2103 season, it was completed in March 2015. The old elephant facilities have been rebuilt as habitats specially designed for the particular needs of the zoo's cheetah and penguin species. Himmapan even have its own website at https://www.himmapan.ch/ 2020-05-20: The elephant bull Mekong arrived from Zoo Emmen.
