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Development of the new Churchill area
The time has come... the brand new North America area has opened! The Churchill area is based on the long Churchill River that runs in northern Canada. The river is a whopping 1,609 kilometers long. This is the habitat of raccoons, Canadian beavers, several species of fish and polar bears, among others.
Churchill is known as Polar Bear Capital of the World, and for good reason. Starting in the spring, the first polar bears come ashore here, where they go into a kind of hibernation. They wander around a bit to pass the time and don't really eat, until the moment the Hudson Bay has frozen over and they can start looking for their food again: seals. The white giants roam there so often that Churchill residents deliberately leave their cars unlocked. That way, pedestrians who happen to bump into a polar bear can hide in a car.
The road to Churchill
Construction of the new Churchill area at AquaZoo began in October 2023. With our video series called "The road to Churchill," we show you the developments of the area.
Construction updates
june 6, 2024
Six months of construction on the new area. Here you will discover a direct reflection of North American flora and fauna, with unique animal species and versatile trees and plants. As a visitor you could already admire the new area for a while, but now it is completely finished. On Thursday, June 6, the area was finally opened.
march 2, 2024
Designer Rick takes you around the construction site of the new Churchill area of AquaZoo! He tells you all about the choices that were made within the design and what you can expect as a visitor.
march 2, 2024
In this episode of The Road to Churchill, Jeroen takes you to the Christmas tree collection event and designer Rick tells you about the planting in the new area. But first, you get a construction update!
january 10, 2024
In our video series called "The Road to Churchill," we take you through the latest developments of the new area. Watch the first episode here:
december 4, 2023
Drone footage of the area has been taken.
november 24, 2023
The first concrete in the Churchill area has been poured. Work is progressing very well!
november 18, 2023
The first contours of the area are taking shape. A lot of sand is being moved to create animal habitats, including a large mound for the raccoons. Walkways are also being laid out and the new water route is taking shape.
nov. 8, 2023
Start of construction
The animals in the Churchill area
New enclosures for the raccoons and Canadian beavers are being constructed in the area. The beavers currently have a nice place in AquaZoo, but will have an even more optimal living environment with these new enclosures. The raccoons will once again have a nice place in AquaZoo in the Churchill area. The polar bear enclosure will remain in its current form and will be an important part of the new area. Because the earth is getting warmer, it is becoming more difficult for polar bears to get food. Currently, only 26,000 polar bears live worldwide. Through management programs, education and supporting conservation projects, AquaZoo is committed to polar bear conservation.
Raccoons at the AAP foundation?
In the Netherlands raccoons are not allowed by law to live in the wild, because they cause damage to native species. In recent years Foundation AAP has taken in over 100 raccoons from Limburg. AquaZoo Leeuwarden is one of the sanctuaries for these animals
Meer weten over stichting aap?Always up to date with news about the new Churchill area and its animals?
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