8 noteworthy European zoos

The zoo founded by Carl Hagenbeck in 1907 is known as the first one to use open enclosures surrounded by moats instead of cages. Hagenbeck's concept of presenting animals in a closer reproduction of the animals' natural environments was revolutionary and groundbreaking at the time. Today, most zoos in the world keep their animals that way as well.

As its name indicates, in this zoo, visitors are "zoomed" into the animals' world. The Gelsenkirchen park, in Germany's Ruhr area, offers visitors a one-day journey around the world, allowing them to discover environments inspired by Alaska, Africa or Asia. They also get to watch Otis, an Asian small-clawed otter, create abstract oil paintings.

With some 1,300 different species and over 20,000 animals, the Berlin zoo boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of species in the world. Pictured above is polar bear cub Hertha, named after a local football club that's also one of the bear's sponsors. Hertha enjoys shooting a ball around her cave; she's apparently a "real athlete," according to the zoo's director Andreas Knieriem.

On rainy or freezing days, visitors may comfortably visit this zoo in Münster thanks to its covered passageways between the enclosures. During the "Galactic Days," held once a year, people costumed as Star Wars characters steal the show from the animals.

The Olderdissen zoo is open 24 hours a day and its admission is free. The zoological garden holds animals that are native to Germany, such as wolves, wild boars, brown bears (picture), martens, horses and more.

Founded in 1752, it is the oldest zoo in the world. It is located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, which was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers and Empress Maria Theresa. The arrival of the first giraffe in 1828 tremendously impressed the visitors of the zoo, which had to be enlarged to accommodate its "high guest."

Kin penguins, gentoo penguins, king penguins and rockhopper penguins: Penguin fans will get their money's worth in Edinburgh. It was the first in the world to house and breed the birds and it has remained faithful to this tradition to this day. One of the highlights is the famous penguin parade, where they are left out of their pool and walk the park around with their keepers.

The zoo on the Spanish island of Tenerife was founded by an entrepreneur from Cologne, Wolfgang Kiessling. It was initially a park for parrots — Loro Parque is Spanish for "parrot park." The breeding and protection of various species of parrots remains one of the specializations of the park.