It’s a scenario we have seen many times before, from the Javan tiger to the Mauritius dodo. Due to hunting and loss of natural habitat, animal species cannot survive on a planet ruled by humans. The most intelligent animal on Earth is causing the most irrational history of extinction.   

Photographer Matjaž Krivic captured the emotional essence of the bond between the second-to-last northern white rhino and her devoted caretaker

There are only two northern white rhinos left in the world. And both of them are females, Najin and her daughter Fatu. Sadly, the last male, Sudan, died in 2018. Today, the northern white rhino is a functionally extinct species.

Matjaž Krivic traveled to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Nanyuki, Kenya, where constantly monitored by her guard Zachary Mutai, the 33-year-old Najin resists the faith of her ancestors.

In “The Last Two” photo series, this talented photographer captured the emotional essence of the bond between the devoted caretaker and the second-to-last representative of the oldest land mammal species in the world. The photographs of this companionship serve as a powerful reminder of the urgency to stop humanity’s reckless destruction of the planet’s wildlife.

Pushed to the brink of extinction by poaching, the population of two northern white rhinos could only be saved by a miracle. That includes the BioRescue breeding program that uses the sperm of dead males to artificially inseminate female eggs, and transfer the embryos to surrogate mothers of another rhino sub-species. If successful, the conservation program could bring the northern white rhino back from extinction. And if that happens, you can bet Matjaž Krivic will be there with his camera to capture the magic of a new northern white rhino baby.

Matjaž Krivic on passion and pleasure of photography

For more than two decades, you’ve been receiving numerous awards and recognition for photographing extraordinary places, people, and events. The most recent award comes with the title of the travel photographer of the year, but that work doesn‘t expose any typical content tourists associate with traveling. From the Canary Islands, instead of casual beach life you portray the untamable power of the eruption, and from Kenya, instead of the beauty of the world we’re living in, you’re depicting a beauty of the world that’s dying. There is a silent mindfulness behind your motives. Is that a vision of your photography work?   

I search for moments that portray some beauty and emotion, often filled with silence and grandeur. Whether it is a face, a motion, a mountain, a bridge, or a temple.

I have never looked at photography as an industry, but purely as my passion and pleasure. As a professional, it is vital to me to keep the enthusiasm of an amateur. I photograph genuine, pristine moments, never posed or fixed.

Total respect for any individual or group is of the essence. My work is about capturing true and natural beauty.

As a self-taught photographer, how did you end up falling in love with this art form in the first place?

It was not until the first travel that I discovered my love for photography. I was 16 and wanted to see the world. I have discovered that I am surrounded by so much beauty on my travels that I wanted to capture those moments to show them to my friends and family. Soon I realized that my photos are good and I loved taking them, so photography became my passion.

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The last remaining northern white rhino

Explain a little about how your “The Last Two” project came about!

The story was actually brought to light by my journalist friend Maja Prijatelj Videmšek. As a journalist for the Slovenian newspaper Delo, she started doing research about close-to-extinct species and wrote an article about the northern white rhinos. Soon we decided along with journalist Boštjan Videmšek that this is the story that needs more attention.

Wars, geography, shrinking of the natural habitat, climate change, the unsustainability of the economic model, (post)colonialism, and wild hunting are woven into the fate of this already functionally extinct species. At the same time, Najin’s story offers a hand of salvation.

What do you mean by that?

The northern white rhinos’ destiny is in the hands of their Kenyan caretakers and a team of scientists at the BioRescue international consortium, which is developing and using several different techniques to resurrect the species, including assisted reproduction and stem cell research.

The plan is to insert northern white rhino embryos into southern white rhino surrogate mothers as soon as possible. There is a real chance the first “new” northern white rhino baby will be born in 2024.

The world's last northern white rhinos were raised by the Czech Dvur Kralove Zoo. Institutions often regarded as controversial animal prisons are becoming crucial actors in conserving the threatened species. Basel Zoo in Switzerland, for instance, is involved in more than 40 breeding programs, including the one for the Indian rhinoceros.

Perceiving danger and respect

A typical impression of a rhinoceros is the one of a gigantic animal with thick skin and dangerous horns, yet none of that seemed to protect it. Despite having the largest horns in the rhino world, or actually, because of that very fact, the species of the northern white rhinoceros is functionally extinct, with only two females left. How do you perceive danger when standing so close to this vulnerable giant?

You don’t feel danger. You feel respect. Enormous respect. And you feel humble.

Even with their horns sawn off for their own good, Najin and Fatu still have 24-hour armed protection. Is there a risk that they could still die from human hands?

Currently, there is no fear of that. They’re being protected at all times.

Did you yourself, in all your years of traveling as a photographer, ever end up in a seriously dangerous situation?

Never really. I was arrested once in Rwanda in 1996, as a police officer said I was not allowed to take photos of the market. He requested money so I gave him what he was asking for. But shortly after, other police officers came by, apologized, and gave my money back.

In Africa, I met face-to-face with a rather dangerous predator. Learn how I maged to pet a hyena!

Rhino whisperer

What is your approach to the authenticity of documentary photography? According to you, can there be a certain degree of staging behind it?

In my opinion, staging has no place in documentary photography.

Can you tell more about this in the context of photographing Najin? How much time did you spend there? How hard was it to achieve these fantastic photograph motives?

I was in Ol Pejeta Conservancy twice, for a week. Each day, I was waking up early in the morning, along with Najin & Fatu and their caretaker Zachary Mutai, to follow them on their daily routine.

Their movement is slow, and so is the day watching them. You can only hear the light breeze, birds, and the sound of them grazing. And Zachary’s whispers, when he’s talking to them.

When you’re spending time in this serene atmosphere, surrounded by these magnificent creatures, it’s not hard to capture their beauty on camera.

What can you tell us about Najin’s relationship with her keeper? Obviously, you portray this connection with a very touching, almost intimate exposure of their togetherness. Do they operate like pets and pet owners?

Their relationship is really beautiful. There’s a certain intimacy between them that is hard to explain. He talks to her and it seems she understands him, she listens to him. I wouldn’t say that it’s like a pet relationship, they’re friends.

A man in Croatia cares for one of the largest animals on European continent - boškarin. Check out the photographs of this gentle giant!

Environmental photographer on the road

Are you an optimist? Do you think that we can indeed have a greener future?

No. We have the technology and know-how, but we’re too greedy.

What was the crucial moment in your career that ignited your interest in themes of environmental protection?

There was no crucial moment, I think. It was more gradual. The more I traveled, the more I witnessed the effects of climate change. I thought the issue needed to be spoken of more.

How does the life of such a travel photographer function in real life? Are there sources that can fund trips that document the ways we damage our home planet?

There are some grants that can help you but have limited capacities. It’s not so easy to get in. Mostly I fund the stories myself and get reimbursed later on by publishing them.

With continuous road trips and world travels, do you reflect on the impact and sustainability of your own traveling? Do you actively work on neutralizing your carbon footprint?

I’m sorry to say that I don’t.

What is the essential equipment you can’t see yourself traveling without?

I use a Canon R5 camera, with lenses RF15-35mm, RF50mm, RF100mm/macro, and RF100-500mm. The essential part of my traveling equipment is also DJI MavicPro 2 drone.

This Swiss photographer travels the world to take pictures of toy cars. Meet Kim Leuenberger, and her miniature vintage models!

Climate crisis – balancing pessimism and hope

From the poverty of the gold diggers, the wilderness of urban environments, and similar contradiction-fueled and sometimes saddening concepts, you did arrive at the project that paints more hope in our common future. What do you want to convey with “Plan B”?

That’s a collection of the most promising projects in the fight against the climate crisis.

So, we missed our first shot. Decades of warning signs didn’t cause us to avoid man-made global warming. But all around the globe, there are communities, countries, and companies refusing to resign to the dismal future of an overheated planet.

We have the means to revert climate change, but I’m a pessimistMatjaž Krivic

This is a story of what the transformation to a zero-emission world looks like; the people, the machines, and the landscapes that play a part in the shaping of our common future.

From a Swiss-based company capturing carbon dioxide from thin air, to sea-power developments in the Orkney Islands. From the electric-mobility revolution in Norway to the ITER project in France, where 35 nations are building a miniature Sun on Earth.

This is a monument to those delivering hope and damage control, the ones collecting and creating the knowledge, experience, and technology paving our way out – our plan B.

You did say you lack optimism for a greener future because humans are greedy. On the other hand, you explain “Plan B” through hope. Does that mean that you are not a complete pessimist after all, or do you just want to give your own contribution to the “better side of history”?

There is know-how. We have at our disposal the means to revert the change. But I’m a pessimist, estimating that there will be a lack of political will or that the corporations’ influence will be too powerful to actually implement the changes. Hopefully, I’m wrong though.

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Matjaž Krivic’s home and away

Originating from Slovenia, a tiny European country whose wildlife predators get no more dangerous than human fish, is that the reason you feel the urge to explore what you sometimes call “the distant Earth”?

I can’t really say if me being Slovenian has contributed to my travels (laughter). But since I was young, I was drawn to the outside world and wanted to explore it.

What place do you consider your home, and are there special corners of the world where you love to come back in particular?

Well, my home is my home. But the place I always come back to is Tibet. Being at a high altitude means bad headaches, you’re super cold, and the food is awful, but somehow I feel the best.

What is the secret of Tibet then?

Hard to explain. There is something sacred, and magical there. The harsh environment is accompanied by the warmth, kindness, and humility of its people. Being there, you just become at ease with everything, yourself and the surroundings, it’s like you find yourself in a different state of mind.

What’s next on your roadmap?

I’m continuing with the conservation and environmental stories in South Africa, Namibia, Georgia, and Romania.

The Last Two - the book

Besides being the name of the photo project, "The Last Two" is also the title of the book you can order here.

The authors, Slovenian journalists Boštjan Videmšek and Maja Prijatelj Videmšek, take you on a journey through the history of the northern white rhinos, whose numbers were brought to the brink of extinction due to wars, climate change, poaching, and the black market.

They also introduce the people fighting for the future of the species: the rangers, conservationists, and scientists.

Will science prevail, or is it too late?

From the reviews 

The story of the ravages of humankind's toll on innocent creatures who have fallen prey to poachers, conflict, and climate change, The Last Two is also an inspiring tale of the best of which our species is capable. From the conservationists in Kenya who care for the mother and daughter rhinos, Najin and Fatu, to the scientists in Italy, Germany, and Japan who are racing against time and daunting odds to snatch the rhinos from extinction's terrible grasp. Written with urgency and empathy and illustrated with stirring photos by Matjaž Krivic, The Last Two is at once a chronicle of disaster and hope. -- Kelly Horan, The Boston Globe

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There could have been another explanation for the pygmy hippo’s incognito mode. Zoo Basel, locally known as Zolli, made international headlines in 2009. Famous for the threatened species’ breeding program, the zoo welcomed the baby hippo Farasi to the world. But then the news broke that, due to limited space at the zoo, Farasi needed a new home, or else he would be killed and fed to the lions.

Even if respectable media reported on this story, Basel Zoological Garden quickly discarded the likelihood of Farasi becoming food for big cats.

Nevertheless, this episode made me think of a dichotomy of the zoos. On one hand, they are safe havens and a second chance for animals that humanity endangered or pushed towards the edge of extinction. On the other hand, they are still – prisons.

Would we describe jailed humans as happy because they get regular meals, entertainment time, and occasional spousal visits?

Basel Zoo proved quite successful in breeding animals in captivity. Zoo animals also typically live longer than those in the wild. These facts are often used to describe the quality of zoo animals’ life. But is that all there is to quality of life? Would we describe jailed humans as happy because they get regular meals, entertainment time, and occasional spousal visits?

Zoos are not my typical go-to attraction. Seeing animals behind bars reminds me I’m becoming an accomplice in this controversial concept. But my Basel friend had a voucher for the zoo, and I decided to check why it became the most visited paid attraction in Switzerland. Here’s my Basel Zoo review!

If you are building your travel itinerary for Switzerland, find more ideas in this list of things to do in Basel! 

Basel Zoo history

Basel Zoo is the largest and the oldest zoo in Switzerland, displaying the world fauna since 1874. In its first year, the zoo attracted more visitors than there were citizens in Basel. It was love at first sight, and the beloved garden was given a nickname – Zolli.

At its beginnings, Basel Zoo had mainly native species from Switzerland and Europe, until the public demanded something more exotic. Camels, llamas, tapirs, and an Asian elephant, the famous Miss Kumbuk, were the first ones to feed that hunger.

The wealthy Basel residents were the ones who donated some of these animals. As explained in our guide to Basel’s best museums, they were prone to collecting world exotica since Early Modern Europe. Amazement by animals was no exception.

In 1890, the people of Basel could have seen lions up close for the first time, and a year later even a lion cub.

But truly successful breeding programs developed in Basel Zoo in the second half of the 20^th century. They witnessed the world’s first birth of an Indian rhinoceros in a zoo and the first greater flamingo hatch. The African elephant, sea anemone, gorilla, okapi, snow leopard, South African cheetah, European otter, were just some of the breeding successes in Basel zoo’s history.

Today, Zolli is involved in more than 40 international ex-situ breeding programs. Apart from the ones for Indian rhino and pygmy hippo, they run the programs for the lesser kudu, squirrel monkey, and Somali wild ass.

Besides baby-bringing storks, Death also visited the zoo. They’ve seen the saddest days in 1937 when an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease took many animals’ lives.

Check out Basel Zoo’s newest and tallest baby girl – the giraffe Rohaya!

The darker side of Basel Zoo history – a black man show!

The growth of Basel Zoo would have never been possible without regular expansions. From the Antelope House which opened in 1910 as the zoo’s oldest building, to the unsuccessful construction project of the Ozeanium, a giant aquarium complex that Basel voted against in the 2019 referendum, Basel Zoo’s history brought more than one controversy.

Some of the expansions definitely provided more space for wild animals living enclosed within the city. The first expansion was towards Binningen in the south in 1884. The established area, today a flamingo enclosure, was called the Festival meadow in those days. It was a place for “celebratory activities”, as the zoo still calls them today. But surely it was not fun for everyone.

Next to the traveling menageries, from 1879 till 1935, Basel Zoo hosted more than 20 Völkerschauen – human shows. The explorers of the new worlds were bringing a variety of exotic creatures that fed Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Exhibiting black people as primitive species next to monkeys was considered self-evident. The savages were first kept in cages, and later in “native villages”, where they would be performing dances and war rituals. It was generating a large income for the zoo, but also strengthening the idea of the white man’s racial superiority. Black families were not allowed to leave the zoo grounds, and many died in harsh European winters in thatched graves that mimicked their homes.

With the League of Nations’ promotion of equality for all people, most human zoos became unwelcome in Europe in the late twenties. Still exhibiting Moroccans in 1935, Basel Zoo was among the last world zoos to stop participating in this appalling system of enslaving BIPOC as exotic animals. I couldn’t find the information if the zoo ever apologized for the lucrative exploitation of a black man.

Zoos as instruments of Nazi propaganda

“The people presented in the Völkerschauen were not only intended to entertain, but they were also the subject of scientific research with a partly racial background”, states Basel Zoo on its blog.

Does that remind you of the concentration camps for sub-humans and Josef Mengele’s experiments on dwarfs and twins? How did European zoos contribute to the idea of an Aryan race? Did “partly scientific research with a definite racial background” (to misquote the Basel zoo) support the Nazi evil?

Adolf Hitler, often portrayed while petting fawns, loved German shepherds. This obedient dog breed was guarding Jews, Roma, disabled and other unworthy others in WW2 human zoos. It reminded Hitler of a wolf, his favorite animal. He often cited himself as a Wolf, and used its image in propaganda.

What can we learn from Hermann Göring’s obsession with lions? The Führer’s Reichsmarschall kept seven young lions as pets! Just like Heinrich Himmler, the chicken farmer turned architect of the Holocaust, Göring thought of himself as an engaged activist for animal rights.

Both Göring and Hitler sponsored zoological gardens and provided animals for them. They also supported the projects of the Heck zoologist family, obsessed with the de-extinction of species, with special attention to “German” animals. Lutz Heck worked on resurrecting the “Aryan cows” through cross-breeding the modern breeds and freeing them from racial impurities. He envisioned the kinderzoo where children could appreciate the Nazi world view through petting animals.

Zoos had a crucial role in protecting the mental health of concentration camp staff too. For instance, the guards who spent days torturing prisoners behind the barbed wire of Buchenwald concentration camp could take a lunch break at a dedicated little zoo. The menagerie of cute monkeys, funny bears and chirping birds was financed through the “donations” of imprisoned Jews.

Basel Zoo animals telling the history of evolution

The list of animals that call Basel Zoo their home is long. There are more than 6.000 tenants sharing lodging at Zolli. On 13 hectares, this animal kingdom lives in a variety of enclosures.

The Vivarium is right at the main entrance. Constructed as a 350-meter-long walkway in 1972, it still manages to draw you deep into the world of fish, reptiles, and penguins. Spiraling through the building, aquariums and terrariums tell the history of evolution.

Those successfully-bred anemones are home to lovely clownfish, a dream-come-true for Nemo-obsessed kids. The rich variety of colors and shapes in this world of shiny tropical fish, gentle sea horses and glowing jellyfish can cause quite a stir among children. Sensitive visitors could consider wearing earplugs.

Another popular spot of Basel Zoo is the Gamgoas house. Behind the thick glass wall, one can come face-to-face with a Nile crocodile. This impressive beast definitely shows interest in children, but luckily it’s on full board at the zoo.

Older visitors seem to show greater interest in the large windows looking out to the lions’ territory. It’s a safe place to lay around and share some lazy moments with the king of the African savannah and his female pack.

The Gamgoas house (meaning the place ‘where lions are found’) is just a part of the Etosha enclosure. Opened in 2001, this was Basel Zoo’s first themed area, putting together animals of the African savannah’s food cycle.

Besides predators such as wild dogs and cheetahs, this enclosure named after a national park in Namibia, is also home to insect-eating birds and locust swarm presented through their entire life cycle. Especially happy about their procreation are the meerkats, but even if carnivores, these always curious animals will show great interest during the porcupine’s feeding time too. Funny to observe!

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Ostrich, zebra and hippo walk into a bar

When it was introduced in 1992, the Africa enclosure was Basel Zoo’s first exhibit with a new concept: three species in the same habitat. Ostriches, zebras and hippopotamuses had their ups and downs, including a rare accident in 2004. The zebra fell into the hippos’ pond and got killed in front of a live audience. The Africa exhibit provided a valuable experience for shaping later enclosures where animals shared space.

Fowls and rats probably shouldn’t worry about having African elephants for roommates. The visitors’ favorites rightfully deserved Basel Zoo’s newest construction. Tembea enclosure opened in 2017 and provided more than 5.000 square meters for elephants, including a large outdoor area. While it’s certainly a sizable space equipped with wallows, pools, showers and “entertainment facilities”, a lonely elephant standing motionless in the middle of this concrete heaven provided a rather sad image.

I could’ve only compared it to a bored snow leopard in the zone called Sauter Garden. The cat that typically covers 100 square kilometers in the Himalayan mountains, can see its entire home from one spot here. Resting its head between its paws, it didn’t portray a much more exciting life purpose than one of its friends ending in fur coats.

On the other side of the fake rock, macaque monkeys seemed equally disinterested. I’ve seen quite many of them in Southeast Asia. These ones, blended into a gray and a rather dead environment, did not exude any natural cheekiness or even action.

The gloomy atmosphere of the Sauter Garden, shared in the habitats of pygmy hippopotamus and black-footed penguins, slightly bettered in the Rhino enclosure. These resistant animals in pre-historic-looking armor seemed to do quite well in Basel Zoo which has been successfully breeding them since 1956. Indian rhinoceroses share their space with Visayan warty pigs and small-clawed otters.

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Basel Zoo’s gorilla fame

Zoo Basel is famous for its gorilla breeding program. In 1959, Goma arrived, the first gorilla born in a European zoo. She was raised by humans, at the zoo director’s house, under the media spotlight. Later, she successfully joined her kind, and lived until 2018, almost reaching the age of 59.

In 1971, Goma gave birth to Tamtam, the first second-generation baby gorilla born in a zoo. The father was Jambo, another Basel-born ape who rose to fame, in 1986. A 5-year-old boy fell into a gorilla compound at Jersey Zoo, and the gentle giant cared for him.

The gorilla breeding program had more successes in Zolli, supporting the survival of this critically endangered species, threatened by poaching and habitat destruction. With the newest baby born in 2019, there should be seven apes in Zoo Basel’s gorilla family today.

Just like chimpanzees and orangutans, gorillas have a dedicated net-covered outdoor space at Geigy enclosure. They didn’t show up during my visit.

Chimps were hanging at the playground quarters of the Monkey house. This renovated experience park seemed to stimulate the physical activity of spider monkeys, lion tamarins and squirrel monkeys looking for food. But it was a chimpanzee that was carved into my memory.

Sitting on the edge of the balcony, with a firm grip on a rope, and a head nested on its arm, this old chimp was staring through the glass wall. Maybe somewhere far, maybe deep into our eyes. It was hard to ignore this frozen gaze.

Surrounded by sad trees made of concrete and adrenaline park that had no resemblance to tropical rainforest, this empty look of our closest relative was unsettling.

There are natural enemies that are common to all critically endangered great apes in Basel Zoo. And the chimp was just looking at one of them.

There are breeding programs for the protection of endangered species outside of the zoos too. Check out how boskarin, the native Istrian cattle, was saved from extinction!

Hello Kitty, meet the giraffes!

There was no monkey enclosure at the beginning of Basel Zoo. Their first ape, the female orangutan Kitty, lived in the Antelope house since its opening in 1910.

Her first neighbors were ostriches and antelopes. The main attraction of the house had to be giraffes, but they died even before they started their trip to Switzerland.

But in 2012 giraffes did move in! Two males arrived from Tanzania, and quickly draw public attention. Even today, the Basel Zoo logo shows two of these long-necked animals.

Giraffes share their enclosure with lesser kudus and okapis. But there is another renovation of the zoo’s oldest building going on, so we can observe only the zoo’s tallest animals outdoors, from an elevated pathway.

The Aviary is another enclosure under construction. Encounters with jungle birds should be possible again from 2022. Until then, the colony of around 150 European flamingos should satisfy your need for some exotic feathers.

Furry-looking silkie chicken might attract the young visitors at the Kinderzoo unless they will be too occupied with petting the squeaky miniature pig family. Close encounters with domestic animals at one of the most kid-friendly zoos in Europe have been possible since 1977!

The last enclosure worth mentioning is Australis, home to animals from the smallest continent. The western gray kangaroos, descendants of animals that have been living at Basel Zoo since 1908, are the main stars. But Australian brush-turkeys, geckos, black widow spiders, cane toads, stick insects and tree pythons complement your trip to the Land Down Under.

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Zoo Basel as a big restaurant

Every year, animals at Zoo Basel eat more than 300 tons of various hay, 200 tons of vegetables, 100 tons of fruit, and 60 tons of meat (some animals are not vegetarians after all!).

Visiting the zoo during feeding time is an interesting experience if you’re lucky. I was fortunate to visit the porcupine enclosure just when it was following the animal keeper with a bucket full of veggies, like a shadow. Every time a meerkat would show too much interest in its zucchinis and potatoes, the porcupine would spread the spines.

However, during the time of the COVID pandemic, Zoo Basel had to cancel the fixed feeding times of popular animals such as sea lions or pelicans, in order to avoid crowding.

If you yourself get hungry while visiting this large garden (and you might end up spending hours and hours exploring it), Basel Zoo restaurant will cover you!

Elefantenblick, as its name clearly suggests, offers a view into the elephant enclosure. Additionally, there is a self-service restaurant and a cafeteria with simple snacks. But all of these are closed at the moment of writing. Always check whether the situation with coronavirus has affected these businesses if you plan to have a brunch at Basel Zoo!

You can always consult the Basel Zoo website and find answers to frequently asked questions about masks at the zoo, restricted areas and activities, etc.

Zolli’s road to sustainability

Zoo Basel occupies a special place in the hearts of Basel citizens. They were always there to help when the hardships pressed their Zolli. But to be able to keep its mission alive, the zoo needs to constantly grow. It is a hungry beast itself!

What started in 1874 with the purpose of exhibiting local wildlife, mainly birds and mammals, quickly got into financial troubles. Basel Zoo had to increase the public interest, and purchasing exotic animals was a solution. The public responded well.

Keeping animals alive without them being able to find their own food in nature is an expensive business. When new hardships pressed the zoo and wildlife merchants such as Carl Hagenbeck, the light at the end of this tunnel was found in exhibiting people. This shameful episode of the New Imperialism was cultivating racism behind ethnology.

While we still remember the names of animals such as Miss Kumbuk, Jambo, or Farasi, most of the sad victims of human trafficking remained nameless. Unless they ended up tragically like Ota Benga, a Congo slave who committed suicide at the end of his zoo career.

Imprisoning people of other races and cultures in a human zoo brought a lot of money to Zolli. The public responded well.

With no room to expand, Basel Zoo had to find a new source of income in the new millennium too. They imagined – the Ozeanium. The plan was to invest 100 million dollars into a large marine aquarium for “nature conservation and environmental education”.

Even if the Basel City parliament approved the project, animal activists challenged the idea in a referendum. For the first time in Basel Zoo history, the public did not respond well to capturing and exhibiting wildlife. The respectable 55 % of Baslers said No to Ozeanium.

Basel Zoo Review – Conclusion

The zoos of the 21^st century cannot rely on the methods of the 19^th century. The public requires more justification for the idea of zoo animals as mascots of the beauty of the world we “need to save”.

The public needs greater assurances that visiting a zoo is indeed saving animals in their natural habitat. Otherwise, zoos are jeopardized to end up like animal circuses, a relic of the past

Modern architecture and voluntary conservation contribution of 1 Franc in every 21-Francs-worth admission ticket are simply not enough. We as the public need greater assurances that visiting a zoo is indeed saving animals in their natural habitat. Otherwise, zoos are jeopardized to end up like animal circuses, a relic of the past.

While Basel Zoo has a great reputation for breeding endangered species in captivity, it will need to continue looking for ethical solutions that will not see individual animals as instruments of propaganda. Zoo-born animals, caged and exhibited for their whole life, cannot be a “small” sacrifice for a greater goal.

Instead of caging people who destroy their habitats or kill entire species for lucrative gain, we imprison animals we wish to protect. We finance this protection by visiting the zoos, as an ethical justification for the entertainment. All of that, in the era when National Geographic already filmed it, and Google is the best friend of our education on exotic beasts.

Zoos nowadays are still a controversial concept to me. I prefer seeing animals in the wilderness. Having them on display that jumps us over from Antarctica to Africa in just a few steps is a monument to our laziness and superiority.

As for Farasi, the surplus hypo from the beginning of this article, he survived the destiny of becoming a lions’ snack in Basel Zoo. Eventually, he was transferred to a rhino reserve in South Africa. In 2011, he broke out of the protected area and was attacked – by a lion.

The Czech Dvur Kralove Zoo transferred their rhinos to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, where they live as the last representatives of the northern white rhino species on the planet. See them through the lens of Matjaž Krivic!

Zoo Basel Info

Basel Zoo address: Zoologischer Garten Basel AG, Binningerstrasse 40, 4054 Basel

Basel Zoo map: find it on this link

How to get to Basel Zoo?

The closest tram stop to the main entrance of Basel Zoo is Zoo Bachletten, served by trams number 1 and 8.

Tram number 2 will bring you from Basel city center to Zoo Dorenbach station, the southern entrance to Basel Zoo.

Zoo Basel parking

If you’re coming to Basel Zoo by car, follow the directions to the southern part of the city on GPS. The number of parking spaces at the Basel Zoo entrance is limited, so you can also check the Elisabethen car park and Steinen car park in the vicinity.

Basel Zoo ticket price

Basel Zoo tickets for adults (aged 25 to 61) cost 21 Swiss Francs (19 Euros). There is a discount available for children and young people (aged 6 to 24), and for them, the Basel Zoo entry price is 15 CHF (14 Euros). Senior citizens (aged 62 and over) pay 19 CHF (18 Euros), while families get in for 43 CHF (40 Euros).

If you purchase online tickets for Basel Zoo, you can get a 30 percent discount!

Those who arrive by SBB Railway, schools, and groups of 100 people are also eligible for a rebate.

Basel Zoo’s annual pass costs 90 CHF (83 Euros) for an adult and 160 CHF (148 Euros) for families.

If you want to support Basel Zoo and get exclusive treatment in return, there are season tickets for patrons, and cost 1000 CHF (924 Euros).

On June 24^th, the zoo’s first major donor Johannes Beck is celebrated, and Basel Zoo stays open until 10 pm, with free entry after 4 pm.

There is an even older animal park in Basel – Tierpark Lange Erlen. Entrance to this smaller zoo is free of charge! Find it in Pipeaway’s guide to the top 20 free things to do in Basel!

Basel Zoo opening times

Basel Zoo’s opening hours depend on the time of the year. In summer (May to August), the zoo is open from 8 am until 6:30 pm. The Zoo closes an hour earlier in the winter months (November to February). In spring (March, April) and autumn (September, October), the zoo opens at 9 am and closes at 6 pm.

Besides the mentioned Beck Day, Basel Zoo stays open until midnight on Zolli Nights. These dates vary every year.

Zoo Basel links

For further details, consult the informative Basel Zoo website. You can also follow Zoo Basel on Instagram and Youtube channel. If you want to immerse yourself entirely in this zoological garden, their Facebook page occasionally publishes live videos.

Where to stay when visiting Basel Zoo?

For the selection of the best places to stay near Basel Zoo, check the hotel offer on this link.

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