Kolmården Wildlife Park, Zoological park in Norrköping Municipality, Sweden
Kolmården Wildlife Park covers 1.75 square kilometres on the northern shore of Bråviken bay, about 100 metres above sea level, making it the largest zoo in the Nordic countries. It houses around 80 species, including Sweden's only gorillas, bottlenose dolphins, Indian elephants and Grévy's zebras. At the entrance, a low sign reading "KOLMÅRDEN" in raised capitals stands beneath a sculpted group of an elephant, a feline, a giraffe, a lion and a leaping dolphin.
Ulf Svensson, then a municipal consultant, proposed the zoo in 1962; the first turf was cut on 31 August 1964 and the park opened on 27 May 1965 with 210 animals. The dolphinarium followed in 1969, and the drive-through safari opened in 1972. Norrköping Municipality owned the park until 1997, when it passed to private owners.
Bamses Värld offers a dedicated zone for families where rides and play areas celebrate Bamse, the Swedish comic bear. Children recognize the character from books and cartoons and meet him here in a setting that recreates his stories.
A three-kilometer main path runs through the grounds and is accessible for wheelchairs, while several restaurants and picnic spots are spread across the site. The best time to visit is during warmer months when animals are most active and all areas are open.
A cable car crosses the entire site and allows visitors to observe animals from the air while floating above different habitats. This system is the only one of its kind worldwide in a wildlife park and offers a perspective you cannot reach from the ground.
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