Six wildlife experiences in Düsseldorf

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Six wildlife experiences in Düsseldorf

Grab your binoculars and telephoto lenses, it's time for an urban safari!

Wildlife in Düsseldorf? That's right! In fact, the fauna in and around the Rhine metropolis has a lot of unexpected things in store and therefore has the potential to fascinate every animal lover - from amateur ornithologists to fans of prehistoric creatures.

The collared parakeets from the Kö

The vernacular speaks of parrots. In reality, the bright green birds with the coral-red beaks and long tail feathers are collared parakeets - and they have discovered Düsseldorf's first address for themselves: the Kö. Over 1,000 of them are said to regularly use the Kö plane trees as roosting trees. Legend has it that the birds, which are actually native to Asia and Africa, escaped from a zoo in Cologne at the end of the 1960s. However, they have long since become true Düsseldorfers who clearly love their city - from Bilk to Kalkum. That doesn't change the exoticism that a flock of collared parakeets exudes when they shoot through the streets at speeds of up to 70 km/h. Incidentally, the males can be recognized by their black neck feather ring, hence the name.

The pond turtles in Südpark

If you're already on your way to Volksgarten with the kids, you can also cycle right through to Südpark and see the pond turtles there - the North American ones, mind you. Unfortunately, the European pond turtle, which is native to Germany, has now dwindled to a small population. The relatives from overseas, also known as ornamental turtles, bask for hours on a small island in the dyke lake in good weather. It's a funny spectacle to see them all stretch their wrinkled necks and look up to the sky. Where do they come from? The popular pets are often abandoned by overburdened owners. In winter, the turtles hibernate, burying themselves on land or in the mud of the lake. Then the turtle safari has to take a break.

The stingrays at the Aquazoo

When it comes to the underwater world, the Aquazoo in Düsseldorf outshines the competition. Two species of stingray make a significant contribution to this. These cartilaginous fish with a flat, diamond-shaped body up to 120 cm wide and two meters long circle majestically in the large sea basin. The movement of their fins is more reminiscent of a flapping wing and evokes associations with an eagle gliding elegantly through the air. You almost have to laugh when the rays behind the glass turn their bright bellies towards you: Suddenly you are looking into a friendly face - two eyes, one mouth. But in reality, the ray's eyes are on the back, the two dots on the top are nostrils. Incidentally, this curious creature is not to be trifled with in the wild: All stingrays have a poisonous tail sting.

The Heck cattle in Neandertal

Its history is archaic, its form imposing. The aurochs, the progenitor of today's domestic cattle, was once the largest land mammal in Europe, standing up to two meters tall and weighing a ton. In early modern times, the animal with the enormous horns was wiped out, and the Neanderthals also hunted the aurochs. It now lives here again as a back-bred, no less impressive Heck cattle: In the Neandertal Ice Age Game Reserve, the cozy primordial cattle are kept outdoors all year round - and sometimes lie down where they are not so easy to see. Binoculars are a good idea. Also out and about on the high and valley meadows and the wooded slopes of the site: bison, descendants of another European wild cattle species, and Heck horses, a back-breed of the extinct wild horse Tarpan. With its 23 hectares, the enclosure can be easily walked around in an hour to an hour and a half.

The kingfishers at Schwanenspiegel

The journey from the ice age to the kingfisher is shorter than expected - after all, the Neandertal and Düsseldorf city center are only around 20 km apart. Here of all places, at the Schwanenspiegel and in the Hofgarten, a feathered species has settled that makes the hearts of amateur ornithologists beat faster. The kingfisher is back! The plumage shimmers azure and cobalt blue, the breast glows orange. The long, thin beak with which it fishes its prey out of the water is also striking. NABU has estimated the number of breeding pairs in Düsseldorf at around 15 in 2021. Nevertheless, it takes a little patience to spot the bird, which is not even the size of a blackbird, as it is quite shy. But those who wait will be rewarded. Two hundred kingfisher sightings were reported in the city last year. 

The sea monsters at the Volksgarten

Three sea monsters lie in wait for anyone approaching the northern entrance to the Volksgarten - father on the left, mother on the right, offspring in the middle. The trio, predominantly in the primary colors yellow, red and blue, also affectionately known as the Nessy family, towers up to eight meters high at Auf'm Hennekamp and was freshly painted in 2021. And although the playful expressiveness does not necessarily suggest it, the Nessys are above all one thing: exhaust pipes from the Düsseldorf sewer network. In 1996, architect Inge Loerke took it upon herself to beautify them. The circular paved floor almost makes it look as if the three meandering steel structures have emerged straight out of the water. Children running or cycling towards the Volksgarten like to use the canal ventilation sculpture as a tunnel course. Wild everyday art with the necessary street credibility. 

Cover picture: Düsseldorf Tourismus

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