Howling with the WolvesA Family Adventure in the Bad Mergentheim Wildlife Park

"Howl like a wolf," shouts animal keeper Marco, "then they'll get curious and maybe answer you." Ten-year-old Kloa doesn't need to be told twice. Together with her father Sokol and mother Klodjana, she howls loudly. And she continues until suddenly, in the distance, a first wolf answers. Then a second, a third. Finally, the whole pack joins in and a long, drawn-out howl fills the air. The family is taking part in a special guided tour of the Bad Mergentheim Wildlife Park called "Wolfsgeheul". You can watch the wolves being fed and then encourage them to howl together. Now the animals slowly emerge from between the trees. One wolf after the other sneaks into the clearing. Suddenly, the whole meadow is full of wolves, wrestling and racing each other.

Marco has just explained that wolves are actually very shy animals and are usually more afraid of people than the other way around. "When a new keeper enters the enclosure for the first time, the pack retreats to the other side of the area." Only because a moat and a wooden fence separate the family from the animals do they dare to approach. Perhaps the collective howling has aroused their interest. And the bucket of food with chunks of meat that Marco has just brought into the enclosure certainly does the rest. The wolves already know. They come running to get their share.

The herd at the Wildlife Park Bad Mergentheim is the largest in Europe. About 30 animals live here in a large outdoor enclosure. The other species in the park also have plenty of space in their enclosures. In addition to the wolves, 70 other species live on the 35 hectares of the wildlife park. If you're lucky, you might see brown bears, moose, beavers, white-tailed eagles and buzzards. What's especially nice is that you can meet the animals at eye level. There are no bars or chain-link fences. Because the animals are kept in large, open enclosures, they have enough space to live a near-natural lifestyle and can also retreat from visitors if they wish. At the same time, you can learn a lot here. The Wildlife Park is a nature education center and aims to educate visitors about the way of life of many animals and the threats to their habitat.

Even after the "Wolfsgeheul" guided tour and feeding, the excitement continues. Kloa and her family will spend the night with the wolves. Almost: A cozy tiny house — the wolf wagon — stands at the edge of the enclosure, with a large pane of glass between humans and animals. Two adults and two children can sleep here. Be prepared for the occasional howling wolves, but that's part of the adventure.

Kloa makes herself comfortable on the large bed and looks out the window at the wolves. And they look back, curious about the guests so close to their home. Before going to bed, there is dinner and a campfire atmosphere at the fireplace next to the wolf wagon. The flames blaze and crackle. The logs crackle again and again, and Kloa talks shop with her father about superpowers. "Would you rather be invisible or fly?" she asks. Sokol thinks it would be exciting to be able to talk to animals and ask the wolves what they think of the strange two-legged creatures that howled with them today.




More Information:
Bad Mergentheim Wildlife Park: www.wildtierpark.de
Tauber Valley Region: www.liebliches-taubertal.de

Black Forest Bear Park

Wildlife parks are a wonderful place to meet native wildlife and learn about their way of life. They are also used for research purposes. Many wildlife parks are involved in conservation and reintroduction programs. A good example is the Alternative Wolf and Bear Park Black Forest near Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach. It is currently home to nine bears, three wolves and two lynxes. In the 10-hectare outdoor enclosure, the animals have enough space to retreat from time to time.
www.baer.de/projekte/alternativer-wolf-und-baerenpark-schwarzwald


Pforzheim Wildlife Park and Tripsdrill Wildlife Park

At the Pforzheim Wildlife Park, you can marvel at wisents — the European relatives of the famous North American bison. Visitors can also learn more about moose, otters, wild boar and other animals. The Tripsdrill Wildlife Park near Cleebronn is home to 60 species, most of which are native to Germany: from wolves and lynxes to otters and red kites. An evening tour with a zookeeper will give you an insight into their way of life.
www.pforzheim.de/freizeit/wildpark-pforzheim.html | www.tripsdrill.de/en/wildlife-park/

But you can also observe numerous animals outside of enclosures, in the wild. As with wolves, dusk is a particularly good time for this.





One Thing Is Always True When Observing Animals:
Respect nature, keep enough distance and don't scare the animals. Then they will feel undisturbed, and you can observe them in their natural behavior. Always follow the instructions of guides or information signs. For more tips, see our Outdoor Etiquette Guide.