Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen

Rhenen, the Netherlands

About Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen

Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen was founded by Cor W. Ouwehand who started a cigar factory in Rhenen. After a while he decided to pull out of this business to open a chicken farm on a 10 acres site on the Grebbeberg in 1919. This chicken farm was converted into a zoo during the economic crisis of the 1930’s. On June 18, 1932 Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen opened it’s doors to the public.

Marcel Boekhoorn bought the zoo in 2000 and made many investments to become the modern, environmental friendly, conservation education zoo-playground it is today.

Official website: www.ouwehand.nl

Giant pandas at Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen

During the state visit to China of Dutch King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima, Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a zoological partnership between the Netherlands and China with the purpose of protecting the giant panda. In the presence of the Chinese President and King Willem Alexander, a partnership agreement was signed by Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen and the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association on October 26, 2015.

The male Wu Wen and the female Xing Ya will move to the Netherlands after Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen will finish the construction of their new home ‘Pandasia’.