Givskud Zoo

Givskud Zoo

Givskud Zoo (Givskud Zoo) is a wildlife park situated in Givskud, about 20 kilometers northwest of Vejle Municipality in Denmark. The park was founded on August 12, 1969, and was initially called the Lion Park (Løveparken) because it only housed lions at the time. In 1970, elephants were introduced to the park, and over the following years, the collection of wild animals continued to grow. Today, the zoo is home to 80 species and over 1,000 animals. Givskud Zoo is one of Denmark’s ten five-star tourist attractions, drawing more than 350,000 visitors annually.

Over the past few years, several animals at Givskud Zoo have gained particular fame. One such animal was Brutalis, a white rhinoceros known for its highly aggressive behavior, often attacking park infrastructure, other rhinos, and humans. Although Brutalis was born and raised in the zoo by caretakers, it was eventually relocated to the Ongava Private Game Reserve in Namibia, where it lived for six years before dying in a territorial fight with another male rhino. Another notable animal was Samson, a silverback gorilla who once appeared on Danish television.

Givskud Zoo is renowned for its vast expanse, allowing visitors to drive through and observe free-roaming wildlife as they feed, play, or even engage in fights. Among the most popular animals with visitors are the Asian elephants, white rhinos, gorillas, chimpanzees, and lions. The park’s large lion population forms the biggest pride of lions in Europe.

Givskud Zoo

Must-visit reason: Home to Europe’s largest pride of lions

Continent: Europe

Country/Region: Denmark

Province/State: Region of Southern Denmark

City: Vejle Municipality