Rainforest House
With its striking roof construction made from Plexiglas and wood, the rainforest enclosure was opened in 1998, the third tropical greenhouse at Krefeld Zoo. Here, a selection of the animal and plant life of the South American rainforest is displayed over 1,100 square metres. The basic idea behind this building is to give visitors an insight into the complex interplay between animals and plants. Animals can be observed without any restricting barriers, and most of them move freely around the greenhouse. This building was made possible by donations from Krefeld entrepreneur Walter Gehlen, Zoofreunde Krefeld e.V. and many others.
In brief
- Area: 1,100 sq m
- 400 plant species
- Temperature: 26–28°C
- Brief tropical rain showers to water the area
- Hot and humid rainforest climate with 80–95% humidity
- Panoramic views into the rainforest house
In the rainforest house, visitors can dive into the animals’ habitat with all their senses. As you enter the building, you are greeted with hot and humid tropical air. The path snakes through thick plant areas, past the leafcutter ant island and through the rock tunnel with long-nosed bats and blind cave fish. Iguanas and green basilisks watch visitors from their favourite spots up in the branches. The white-faced Sakis, a family of small monkeys, move through the building at lightning speed. The two-toed sloths hang lazily from the branches where they sleep. They only perk up in the evening, when they climb to their feeding places. Dangerous animals such as the green anacondas, the smooth-fronted caimans and tarantulas are all housed safely. Turtle lovers will be right at home, with four different types of turtles and tortoises. Butterflies and birds enrich the overhead space and create a rainforest atmosphere.
