Milestones - History - Development
2023
Reopening Saturday, February 4, 2023
Here you can find all the information about the new season.
2022
Reopening on Saturday, 5 February 2022
For the first time, the Children's Zoo will remain open for 10 months - until Sunday, 27 November 2022.
New:
- 'Feeding and more' - giraffe special: personal guided tour, tour of the enclosure and exclusive feeding.
- 'Unique and exclusive' - elephants up close: outside the daytime programme, be virtually eye-to-eye with our elephants
- Bubble Tea in the Flamingo Bar & Lounge from Easter 2022
- Knies Zauberhut: the new, multi-functional event location is developing nicely and is delighting our customers/partners. Knies Zauberhut is recognized by the industry as one of the best event locations with an award
- Elephant birth: on May 7, 2022, little KAMON - the heart - sees the light of day. Mother Sandry gives birth to a healthy, particularly playful bull. Father Mekong provides thereby for the 1st time for new generation in Knies Kinderzoo. A 3-part series on the CHMEDIA channels announces the good news. The elephant diary on www.knieskinderzoo.ch enjoys great popularity: more than 100,000 clicks testify to this. The regular posts via social media reach a large fan base. The christening will take place during the 2022 fall vacations.
- Rothschild Giraffes: On September 3, 2022, Knies Kinderzoo records the 26th birth overall in the Rothschild giraffe territory. Joy and Bobo become parents for the 3rd time. The little giraffe bull is named UMTALI and stands on his still wobbly legs after about 45 minutes. The first drinking attempts take place already 90 minutes after birth (gestation period 14 months).
- Bactrian camels: Also here we may already report 3 births during the season 2022.
- Saimiris: a new breeding group from the EEP is moving in with the squirrel monkeys. The Saimiri boliviensis will populate the spacious facility from mid-September 2022.
- The COOP Children's Days will take place again on the weekend of 24/25/9/2022. Ja-Ma-Du and his friends guarantee fun & games with a free entrance for all children.
- GLOBI: in cooperation with the Chocolarium in Flaw
2021
After hard times, Knies Kinderzoo is delighted to reopen its doors
on Monday, 1 March 2021.
To ensure that our guests feel safe and can enjoy their visit to the zoo, appropriate Covid protection concepts have been drawn up. The basic rules such as mandatory masks, distance and hygiene rules remain in place until further notice.
Children's zoo catering is switching to take-away, and consumption in the restaurants and on the terraces will remain prohibited until the end of March 2021.
Knies Kinderzoo offers elephant, pony and camel rides as well as horse-drawn tram rides again.
The new adventure playground has been completed, as has the Bank Linth swing park.
Knies Zauberhut may not yet be put into operation, nor will the parrot flight show take place. The opening of the 'Flamingo Bar&Lounge' will also have to wait a little longer.
Feedings, guided tours, workshops or other group activities are only possible during the season.
2020
The Corona virus is making life difficult for us, the zoo's opening has to be postponed several times. The reopening on 8 June 2020 is subject to very specific conditions and legal requirements.
Knies Kinderzoo celebrates '100 years of KNIE elephants' with the Elephant Parade in Rapperswil (Fischmarktplatz) and Zurich (airport, main station). The grand auction gala at Himmapan Lodge in aid of a unique elephant conservation project in Asia will round off the parade. Franco Knie and Kurt Müller (curator) publish the new book '100 Years of KNIE Elephants'. Immerse yourself in 'augmented reality' and bring the pictures to life. Signed books are available exclusively in the webshop.
Souvenir assortment, sticker, button and special stamp for the anniversary '100 years of KNIE elephants' are produced.
From the EEP for Asian elephants, breeding bull MEKONG arrives in Rapperswil at the end of May.
The new swing playground, suitable for the disabled, is opened (max. 5 people). Pony riding - structured and with alternating riding tracks - now takes place on the shores of the Obersee, as does camel riding.
Knies Zauberhut is under construction and will open in autumn 2020 (www.knieszauberhut.ch).
'Knee's Christmas Zoo' is postponed by one year.
Season start 2021: Saturday, 6 March 2021
2019
The celebrations of '100 years of Swiss National-Circus Knie' take centre stage.
A completely new recycling concept is being developed: 'Keep nature clean, for the sake of my habitat!'
The signage has also been completely renewed with a corporate design based on the education system. Our children's birthday party has been upgraded, and the activities are now adapted to the age groups and individual needs of our guests.
Since 1997, the Patagonian sea lions of the Duss Sealions Family have been an important part of the attractions. In 2019, the group will perform for the last time together with their trainers Luis and Gonzalo in Knies Kinderzoo .
The Otarium will give way to a futuristic new building by 2020. Information about the project will be provided in due course.
2018
Research, observe, discover - equipped with binoculars, a zoo map and game instructions, the young and old researchers set off on the new zoo safari (18 animal posts) made possible by the commitment of Energie360°.
Enrichment or technology for the animals; a groundbreaking project for the zoo industry! In collaboration with students and engineers from the HSR Rapperswil, new, creative activity modules will be introduced for the giraffes (feeding ropeway), elephants (rattle) and cheetahs (solar ball) over the course of the season.
Birthday party for pirates, ship ahoy! Noah's Ark became the Children's Zoo Pirate Ship, probably one of the most extraordinary locations to celebrate an unforgettable birthday.
A day as an animal keeper, this is how you get to know the everyday life and work of our animal keepers in close contact with our animals, exclusively for 1 person incl. elephant riding, team polo and souvenir photo.
Launch of the new, modern, up-to-date and customer-friendly ticketing system; tickets can now also be purchased at the PP ticket machines in the South Quarter.
Two new PP fields for electric vehicles with charging stations will be available from early summer 2018 in cooperation with Energie360°.
The 1962 logo with the whale now appears as a visual advertising presence to the outside world in the striking fluorescent colours yellow, blue and pink; the 2018 campaign focuses on nationwide poster, radio and TV advertising plus print and online presence.
Under the headline "as a family, recognise the tried and tested and discover the new", Franco Knie and his twins Nina&Timothy take centre stage as the protagonists of the new radio and TV spot.