Latest news
News from Sihlwald and Langenberg
Path along Gontenbach accessible again
The hiking trail along the Gontenbach stream in Langenberg Zoo was closed for several weeks due to a broken wooden bridge. The Zurich Wilderness Park Foundation has replaced the bridge and the popular path through the wild ravine is open again.
Spend the night in Sihlwald
The Sihlwald campsite opens on April 1.
The camping team is looking forward to welcoming nature-loving guests again from April 1. The campsite, located directly on the Sihl, is the only place to stay in the Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park. It is run by the Sihlwald Camping Association.
The new Wildnis magazine is here!
Wilderness 2022 was published just in time for the start of the season.
The magazine contains exciting background reports on the dipper on the Sihl, the expansion of the Müsli-Hüsli at Langenberg Zoo and an overview of our annual program.
Off into a wild season with new attractions
On Sunday, March 27, the doors of the nature museum, the visitor center and the restaurant in Sihlwald will open. A new "search for clues" with a walk-in squirrel cage and special guided tours ensure a varied day for the whole family.
A traditional, small and fine festival with various highlights accompanies the start of the season. The Nature Museum attracts visitors with the two exhibitions "WaldWildnisWir" and "Vom Nutzwald zum Naturwald": In these, today's forest wilderness, its origins and various natural forest inhabitants are highlighted in all their facets on two floors. Two free guided tours provide an insight into the history of the Sihlwald hamlet. The visitor center with store offers carefully selected,
themed literature discoveries are available to browse through.
New opening hours from March 21
With the start of the 2022 season, some of our opening times will change.
The Visitor Center and Nature Museum in Sihlwald will be open from Wednesday to Sunday and on public holidays from March 21:
Hasenrainweg accessible again
The Hasenrainweg was closed for a long time due to a landslide. The canton's renovation work has now been completed and the path is passable again.
Underwater worlds in the middle of a natural forest?
Our spring tip: Examine tree stumps, deadwood fungi, lichens and mosses up close for once.
In addition to a simple magnifying glass, all you need is time and leisure. Discover unexpected worlds: Viewed through the magnifying glass, the structures of a decaying tree stump are reminiscent of underwater worlds. Lichens and mosses that look like corals through magnifying glass will impress the explorers. What does a mushroom remind you of when viewed from below? There are no limits to your imagination.
4 winter tips for unforgettable animal encounters
1. to the ibex spectacle
Watch the kings of the Alps during the mating season. The male ibex "plead" for the favor of the females with a special posture: they tilt their heads back and raise their tails. The animals stick out their tongues in order to smell the female's scent hormones as well as possible.
2. clear view of lynx and wolf
Due to the season, many trees are bare - the shy lynx and wolves are therefore easier to spot than in spring or summer. With a little patience, the predators can be seen changing their hiding places or searching for food. However, as with all our animals, the same applies here: Patience and a bit of luck are the top priorities for successful animal spotting in the Langenberg.
3. watch out: hibernators!
Our marmots have crawled into their burrows and are hibernating - as are the dormice. The two bears save their strength during hibernation and sleep a lot. You will encounter all the other animals in the Langenberg even in the cold season - they have other strategies for surviving the winter well.
4. warm body and soul
Every Saturday and Sunday, you can warm your body and soul in our store by the bear enclosure: You will find cuddly toys for the little ones, games and toys as well as all kinds of souvenirs for your loved ones. With a little souvenir, you are sure to remember your visit for a long time to come!
"O Christmas tree" for the moose in Langenberg
Soon the moose will be doing particularly well again: every year after Christmas, hundreds of unsold Christmas trees become a feast for the animals - a sustainable and successful win-win idea with a long-standing tradition.
"The need for conifers in the zoo is great in winter. Our moose switch their diet from deciduous trees to conifers at the end of October. Conifers are also a popular change in the menu for other wild animals during the cold season. Przewalski's horses, deer, bison and ibex also like the prickly surprises," explains Martin Kilchenmann, Head of Animals at Zurich Wilderness Park. So what could be more appropriate than feeding unsold Christmas trees to moose? The success story of the animal Christmas tree recycling has a long tradition and has been practiced since the beginning of elk husbandry at Langenberg Zoo in 1969.
