The 2021 annual report is here!

The rush of visitors was followed by capricious weather

According to the recently published annual report of the Zurich Wilderness Park Foundation, 2021 brought a great deal of normality back: the extraordinary rush of visitors to the Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park in 2020, the year of the pandemic, was not repeated. Nevertheless, visitor numbers were still higher than before the pandemic. Langenberg Zoo had to remain closed for two months at the beginning of the year due to federal pandemic regulations. All in all, the number of visitors to the zoo was around 360,000, in line with the average for previous years.

Snowfall and storms

The weather was a defining element of 2021: January brought huge amounts of snow to the Zurich region and the summer went down in history as one of the wettest on record. Broken branches, fallen trees, landslides and water damage to paths kept employees on their toes for weeks. "Thanks to a successful appeal for donations, we were able to cover some of the unexpected costs with financial contributions from private individuals," explains Karin Hindenlang Clerc, Managing Director of the Zurich Wilderness Park Foundation. "A look at the visitor statistics and the willingness to donate shows that Zurich Wilderness Park is an important place for people in the region to experience nature."

However, the weather also had positive consequences: The heavy rainfall gave visitors a magical golden fall, as the trees wore their leaves longer thanks to the moisture in the ground. The wild weather also accelerated the development of the Sihlwald into a wilderness - a thoroughly desirable effect in this natural forest.

You can browse through and download the annual report, or we will be happy to send you a printed copy on request.

PS A particularly nice highlight of 2021 was the birth of two young lynx. Langenberg Zoo participates in the European conservation breeding program for this rare species. Photos: Zurich Wilderness Park Foundation, Stefan Eichholzer