Zoo Mainz, Animal facility in Mainz, Germany

Zoo Mainz consists of two separate locations: a wildlife park in Mainz-Gonsenheim and bird enclosures in the Mainz City Park with around 40 animal species. The grounds provide habitats for native wildlife and also display rare domestic animal varieties in spacious outdoor settings.

The Gonsenheim wildlife park was founded in the 1950s by the Gonsenheim hunting association and initially kept red deer, fallow deer, mouflon and wild boar in large enclosures. The city of Mainz later took it over and expanded the animal stock from the 1970s. Since 2001 the enclosures have been redesigned on ecological and animal-welfare lines. In the city park, animals were already kept from 1700 in the park of Schloss Favorite, and a palm house with parrots stood there from 1891 until its destruction in the Second World War.

The wildlife park displays rare domestic animal breeds such as Thuringian Forest goats and German Sperber chickens that visitors can observe closely. These animals offer direct insight into traditional agricultural diversity that has become uncommon today.

The wildlife park grounds are accessible year-round and free to enter, while the bird enclosures in the city park have specific opening times. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and expect uneven terrain, particularly during wet weather.

The facility houses a raptor rescue station in the wildlife park that cares for and rehabilitates injured native birds of prey. This station plays an important role in treating birds found injured or exhausted in the surrounding region.