Dierentuin Stedelijk Bospark, City zoo at Het Bospark, Lokeren, Belgium.
Dierentuin Stedelijk Bospark is a zoo set within a forest park in Lokeren, with various animal enclosures spread across natural woodland. The grounds also feature sports facilities including tennis courts and football fields, along with open grassy areas for visitors.
The park developed as part of Lokeren's urban planning, though it started originally as a simple woodland area without animals. Over time, animal enclosures were introduced and it gradually evolved into a regional recreation and learning center.
The space was initially conceived as a forest park, but animal enclosures were gradually added to serve the community. You can see local school groups here regularly, coming to observe and learn about the animals as part of their educational activities.
The grounds are easily walkable and connected by marked bicycle routes that are straightforward to follow. Parking areas are situated near the main entrances, and the paths are wide and level enough to accommodate visitors of varying mobility.
The facility is unusual because it combines active sports facilities with the zoo, so tennis players and animal visitors share the same grounds. This mixture allows people to play sports while also observing animals, something rarely found in traditional zoos.
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