约翰内斯堡动物园(Johannesburg Zoo)坐落在帕克维尤(Parkview)区域,占地面积约 54 公顷,是南非最受家庭游客欢迎的景点之一。这里始建于 1904 年,最早是由赫尔曼·埃克施泰因公司捐赠给市民的休闲场所,如今已发展成为拥有超过 320 种、总计约 2000 只动物的现代化动物保护中心。如果你在约堡有半天的空闲时间,这里是观察非洲本土物种和了解野生动物保护现状的绝佳窗口,而且票价相比私人营地要亲民得多,成人票通常维持在 120 兰特左右。
说到约堡动物园的招牌,白狮(White Lion)绝对是排在第一位的。这种雄狮并非患有白化病,而是由于极其罕见的基因突变导致的皮肤和毛发变色。在这里,你可以看到这种看起来有些神圣感的猛兽。为了保护这一物种的基因多样性,园区在育种方面投入了大量心血。建议大家在早上 10 点前到达狮笼区,那个时候狮子通常比较活跃,运气好的话还能看到幼狮在草地上打闹,到了中午烈日当头,它们往往会躲进茂密的灌木丛里午睡。
除了白狮,这里还汇聚了非洲大陆上极具代表性的猎食者。你可以看到身材匀称的猎豹(Cheetah)在围栏边缘踱步,或者观察黑足猫这种体型极小但捕猎成功率惊人的小型猫科动物。园区内还专门设有西伯利亚虎的栖息地,这在非洲的动物园里并不多见。如果你对这些大猫的习性感兴趣,可以留意每个展区门口的指示牌,上面详细标注了每只明星动物的名字和它们的性格特点,这种细腻的运营方式让冷冰冰的科普变得有人情味。
园内的灵长类展区设计得非常考究,尤其是大猩猩和黑猩猩的活动区域。这里的西非低地大猩猩(Western Lowland Gorilla)是绝对的明星,它们那庞大的身躯和极其拟人化的神态常让围观的人群发出一阵阵惊叹。通过厚实的玻璃幕墙,你可以观察到它们社交和进食的细节。这里的环境模拟得十分到位,大量垂直攀爬设施和隐蔽的巢穴让这些聪明的生灵能够表达出更多的自然行为,而不是无趣地枯坐。
约堡的海拔在 1700 米以上,空气相对稀薄。如果你打算全程步行逛完这 54 公顷的土地,确实是一个不小的考验。说白了,带着小孩的家长最好在进门后就去租一辆儿童推车,或者干脆购买游览拖车(Tractor Trailer)的随上随下票。这种游览车每隔一段时间就会在主要的站点停靠,对于那些不想在斜坡上大汗淋漓的游客来说简直是救星。当然,如果你体力充沛且想深度游览,步行能让你发现更多隐藏在路边花丛中的本土鸟类。
约堡的阳光非常毒辣,尤其是中午 12 点到下午 3 点这段时间。建议你上午 8 点半开门就准时入园,先去室外的大型动物区,比如大象和犀牛的展位。等到了正午,可以躲进室内展馆或者前往树荫浓密的野餐区休憩。园内散布着几个快餐亭,主要提供汉堡、薯条和冰淇淋。虽然价格不算离谱,但如果你对饮食有更高要求,可以像当地家庭那样自带便当,园区内有专门规划的草坪供大家野餐,这种悠闲的南非式周末生活非常值得体验。
五月到九月的旱季是最佳观察期,因为草丛枯黄低矮,动物更容易暴露在视野中。清晨入园时体感温度可能只有几摄氏度,冷到需要穿上一件厚实的卫衣,但到了中午太阳一晒,温度又会迅速升至二十度以上。这时候洋葱式的穿衣法就显得尤为重要。如果是夏季的雨季前往,记得带把伞,约堡典型的午后雷阵雨通常来得猛去得快,雨后的动物园空气清新,也是别有一番风味。
约翰内斯堡动物园不仅是一个看热闹的地方,它在南非的历史进程中也扮演着重要角色。从早期的殖民地娱乐设施,到现在的全球动物园与水族馆协会(WAZA)成员,其职能已经发生了质变。它不仅仅是展示动物,更多的是承担科研和濒危物种的异地保护任务。在这里走上一圈,你会发现很多关于动物走私贸易和野外生存威胁的科普看板,那些真实的数据让人不得不重新审视人类与自然的关系。
很多人不知道约堡动物园其实提供夜间导览(Night Tour)。这需要提前在官网上进行预约,通常是在特定的周五或周六晚上。当白天的喧嚣褪去,换上手电筒跟随导游潜入园区,你会听到猫头鹰的啼叫和远处狮群沉闷的吼声。那种身处非洲闹市却又能感受到荒野气息的反差感非常震撼。这对于想要更深层次了解夜行性动物行为的旅行者来说,绝对是此行的一大亮点。
目前的成人票价大约为 120 兰特,儿童和退休老人享受半价优惠,约 70 兰特。园区现在倾向于无现金化支付,建议你准备好国际信用卡或借记卡,在门口的售票柜台直接刷卡取票非常快捷。
园区全年 365 天无休开放,营业时间从早上的 8 点 30 分一直持续到下午 5 点 30 分。最晚的入场时间通常是下午 4 点,但因为园区很大,建议最迟也要在下午 1 点前进入,否则你很难走完核心展区。
动物园内部是非常安全的封闭区域,有全天候的保安巡逻,适合带孩子放心游玩。但在往返动物园的交通路途中,尤其是自驾在周边的帕克维尤社区,务必锁好车门并把贵重物品放在视线之外。园内的停车场是收费的,通常需要支付 15 到 20 兰特给穿着黄色背心的管理员。
绝对不可以。园区有严格的规定,禁止游客私自投喂任何动物,以防影响它们的健康或改变其自然行为。你可以参加特定时间的饲养员讲座(Keep Talk),在那里你能看到专业人员是如何根据食谱科学喂养这些生灵的。
Monica Olivier What a fun outing with the family. The zoo was clean, and the animals were healthy and well fed. My 1 year old really enjoyed it so much 🤗
Keith Roberts Still a great family place to visit. Weve been visiting a couple of times a year, since Covid, with our Grandson, now 5, but I can't find my previous review to update, so am redoing it here. For a start there is ample, paid for, covered parking. Even on a public holiday when the zoo was exceptionally busy we had no problems finding a space. There is sometimes a short wait to pay at the entrance, but not a big deal even on a public holiday, around 10 minutes. (we last went on women's day 24) We were happy that the zoo is still maintained to a very high standard. The walkways are free of rubbish and the animal runs and enclosures are clean. All the animals appeared content, well nourished and healthy, if that's possible when not in their natural environment. This zoo is every bit as good as any major city zoo, with decent sized areas for all the large animals. Zoo keepers are constantly in evidence and at work with their charges. There are now several food and drink stalls dotted around the zoo as well as an open-air restaurant, so hungry children are well catered for. (The peacocks also beg for scraps) Small and large golf carts are available for hire at a fair, hourly rate. These are great to visit the extremities of the zoo where there are many birds and animals you may otherwise overlook. Our Grandson loves the golf cart ride, but was happy to walk around 4km this trip which is a typical distance to see much of the zoo. Golf carts get sold out quickly on a busy day but are usually available midweek. Rather than talking about the individual animals, I've included a few photos below (the Tigers posed nicely for me :)) you can see how dry and dusty everywhere is, at the end of a long dry Gauteng winter. It will all turn green soon, after the first rains! We love the Jo'burg zoo and will definitely be back!
Noelle Marozeau I enjoyed a morning at the zoo because Truth be told Johannesburg, in the city proper, is not a city for tourism. I liked the fact that it is possible to see some animals that are extremely hard to catch a look in the wild! The zoo itself is very big & nicely maintained.
Shaqueal “Shaq” Chikowore Calm relaxing atmosphere Lots and lots to learn about when it comes to fauna. No tour guides, it's self escorting and self tutoring. Several species of birds, reptiles. Unfortunately, there are no more Gorillas and some animals. I couldn't see other animals maybe because they were napping in hidden coves 🤷🏾♂️, like the hyenas and camels. The tiger cages are the most unaccessible. No vantage points to see them. The enclosure is just impossible to view them which is a sad, upsetting feeling. The space around is great though. It's clean and well maintained. Parking is paid. Entrance is paid. Food trucks across the perimeter. Toilet available across the perimeter. Golf carts to tour around are available if you can afford them.
Marilyn Fehrenkamp Nice zoo. It's a bit spread out, with few exhibits, but the ones they have are nice. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, tiger, black rhino, crocodiles, cougars, owls, elephants, hippo, antelopes, wild dogs, giraffes. They need to have a better map or signage, as we got a little lost. It needs some maintenance. I hope they get thousands of visitors and can make it all it can be. I recommend you visit if you have about 2.5 hours to spare some day. It was quiet on the weekday afternoon we went.