Tierpark Fauna, Animal park in Solingen, Germany
Tierpark Fauna is a zoo of about three hectares on Lützowstraße in Solingen-Gräfrath, northeast of Gräfrath's centre in the Gräfrather Heide. It keeps roughly 300 animals of 80 species, native and exotic: pheasants and eagle owls among the birds, white-tufted marmosets in a monkey house, and snakes, lizards, monitor lizards and tortoises in a terrarium house. Mammals range from llamas, nandus and porcupines to meerkats, Bennett's wallabies, raccoons, muntjacs, dwarf goats, Ouessant sheep, fallow deer, mouflons, dwarf zebus, alpacas, dwarf donkeys and mini pigs.
The zoo grew out of the Ziergeflügelzuchtverein Fauna, joined in 1932 by Wilhelm Eisenbart (1901–1970), who moved to Gräfrath that year; the association aimed to create a local animal garden in the Gräfrather Heide and was renamed Natur- und Vogelschutzverein Fauna. The park closed in 1942 during the Second World War. Eisenbart revived the association in 1949 and rebuilt the garden, which reopened at Pentecost 1951. His son Reinold Eisenbart (1926–2021) led the association until 1990 and was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz on 16 April 2008.
The park is run by the Natur- und Vogelschutzverein Tierpark Fauna, a nature and bird protection association. It began as a Ziergeflügelzuchtverein (ornamental poultry breeding club) whose members aimed to create a local animal garden in the Gräfrather Heide. The association was renamed when the zoo was built, and volunteers still manage the site.
The grounds are easily walkable with most paths flat and stroller-friendly for parents with small children. The compact size allows visitors to see all the animals in two to three hours, making it suitable for flexible visit schedules.
The park began as a home animal garden founded by Wilhelm Eisenbart, who joined the Fauna ornamental poultry breeding club in 1932, the year he moved to Gräfrath. The club was renamed Natur- und Vogelschutzverein Fauna when the zoo was built. Eisenbart's son Reinold led the association until 1990 and received the Bundesverdienstkreuz on 16 April 2008.
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