Royal Burgers’ Zoo Visitor Regulations
Thank you for choosing to visit Burgers’ Zoo! We hope you will have a wonderful day and enjoy the plants and animals throughout our zoo and its ecosystems. The welfare of our animals is paramount. It is also very important that you and your fellow visitors feel safe, welcome and comfortable and that our staff can work in a safe and pleasant atmosphere. To achieve this together, we have drawn up these visitor regulations. If everyone obeys these rules, we can all have a good time.
Plants and animals
Our animals have a balanced diet; visitors are not allowed to feed them, as this disturbs their diet and can lead to health problems. Feeding can also disrupt the animals’ natural behaviour, which can lead to conflicts in the group.
Our animals must be allowed to live their lives as naturally as possible and are not hindered in doing so. Do not excite them, do not draw their attention and do not lure them to you. Enjoy their behaviour and see what happens!
We are proud of our animals and our highly diverse plant collection. Do not break off leaves or branches from plants and shrubs.
Our paths have been laid out with great care to lead you past all the plants and animals. Although not always visible, many plants and animals also live outside the paths. As such, please stay on the footpaths throughout the zoo and do not climb over any fences or barriers.
Opening hours and admission
Burgers’ Zoo is open daily from 09:00 all year round. The zoo closes at 18:00 in the summer season (end of March to end of October) and at 17:00 in the winter season (end of October to end of March). Certain buildings and areas close earlier due to work activities, safety and rest for the animals.
You can access our zoo with a valid admission ticket or season pass, which you can purchase at our main entrance or online. Upon entering the zoo, you must present your admission ticket to one of our ticket inspectors. Please keep your admission ticket safe during your visit and present it when one of our staff members requests. Your right of entry to the zoo expires when you leave Burgers’ Zoo. You will only be allowed to re-enter the zoo in special cases discussed with one of the inspectors beforehand.
Parking
The same traffic rules apply in the Burgers’ Zoo car park as on public roads. The speed limit on the site is 15 kilometres per hour, and you must give way to cars coming from the right. Our parking attendants are tasked with ensuring smooth and safe parking, so it is important to follow their instructions and park in the designated area. If you violate the traffic regulations or ignore the instructions of our parking attendants, we are entitled to remove your car from the premises at your risk and expense.
We recommend that you lock your car properly and ensure the windows are closed. Do not leave valuables in your car. Burgers’ Zoo does not accept liability for theft or vandalism. This also applies to damage caused by storm, fire, hail, explosions or other extraordinary circumstances. Parking your car in the main car park or the other car parks is at your own risk.
Rules of Conduct
Treat fellow visitors, our staff, our animals and plants with respect and show consideration for each other. We do not tolerate any form of aggression, verbal or physical violence, or threats. We also do not tolerate discrimination in words or actions. Please respect the beliefs, privacy, personal lives and values of everyone you meet in our zoo, just as you would expect from others. We do not tolerate sexual harassment in words, gestures or physical manifestation, or other forms of behaviour perceived as undesirable by the recipient.
If one of our staff observes that you, albeit under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, cause a nuisance (including noise disturbance), disturb the peace or bother other visitors, staff members or animals, you will be removed from the zoo immediately. You will not be admitted to the zoo if such behaviour is already seen in the car park or at the entrance.
Please respect Burgers’ Zoo’s property. Damage caused deliberately or through gross negligence will be recovered from the perpetrator.
Safety
Safety is paramount wherever people come together. As such, you will receive instructions from parking attendants, other zoo staff, and sometimes from external emergency services. You must always follow these instructions for your safety and the safety of the people and animals around you.
You must also follow the fire regulations. Our zoo is located in a wooded area and, as such, it is forbidden to light fires. Please also exercise caution when smoking. Smoking is only permitted within the special smoking zones marked with white semi-circles on the ground. This also applies to e-cigarettes.
You may not bring dogs or other pets into Burgers’ Zoo. This is because some of our animals feel unsafe in the vicinity of dogs, but also to ensure the health of our animals. We make an exception for specially trained dogs used by people with a disability, such as guide dogs and other assistance dogs. Please consult with the Burgers’ Zoo reception in advance if you want to bring an assistance dog.
The use of items brought along, such as balls, skates, horns, bicycles, etc., is not allowed in Burgers’ Zoo. Please leave these items in your car. Items that may cause danger, such as weapons and fireworks, are strictly forbidden.
Never leave children or animals in your car in the car park—this can be life-threatening! If we discover a child or animal in a car, we are entitled to open the car at the owner’s risk and expense to ensure the safety of the child or animal.
Waste
Please dispose of your waste in the designated waste bins along the walking routes and at the restaurants throughout the zoo. We do our utmost to keep our zoo as clean as possible and count on your cooperation.
Damage reports
Our zoo is maintained as well as possible. Nevertheless, you may encounter unpleasant things and even suffer damage. In that case, please inform our reception before you leave the zoo. We are no longer liable for damage if the report is made after leaving the zoo or car park. If you cause damage, you must also report this before leaving the zoo.
Burgers’ Zoo accepts no liability for any damage suffered by a visitor unless it is the direct result of intent or gross negligence by Burgers’ Zoo or one of our employees. Burgers’ Zoo expressly waives liability for other damages.
First Aid/Emergency Response
Burgers’ Zoo always has certified first aiders and emergency response officers present. In the event of an accident or calamity, you must always follow the instructions issued by the relevant staff. If you observe an accident or calamity yourself, do not call 112 directly, but contact the external emergency number at Burgers’ Zoo reception (+31 26 354 78 79) immediately instead. You can find emergency signs on the walkways throughout the zoo with the emergency number and a location code (e.g. Z16). Communicating the location code allows the emergency services to reach the exact incident location as quickly as possible.
First Aid / In-house Emergency Assistance
Burgers’ Zoo always has a number of certified First Aid and In-house Emergency Assistants available. Should an accident or calamity occur, you must always follow the instructions given to you by the employee(s) concerned. Should you notice an accident or calamity, never directly call the alarm number 112, but please contact the external alarm number of the reception of Burgers’ Zoo (026 - 354 78 79) as quickly as possible Everywhere in the park you will find In-house Emergency Assistance Alert signs with the above mentioned alarm number and a site code. By providing this site code the Emergency Services will know how to find the exact location of the incident as quickly as possible. You can also warn an employee of Burgers’ Zoo if you see one. Every department has mobile telephones available and the various departments in the park also have internal telephones. The employee of Burgers’ Zoo can contact the reception desk or call a First Aid or in-house emergency assistant.
Photo, film and television
We understand that you want to capture the beauty of what you see, and photography and filming are permitted. However, this must be for personal use and not with the intention to publish the image, video or sound recording unless you have submitted a request to Burgers’ Zoo’s management and received written permission.
Photographs and video recordings are also regularly made in Burgers’ Zoo by the media. These recordings are always short. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, we recommend avoiding the locations where you see a photo or film crew at work and return later. Burgers’ Zoo reserves the right to use such photo and film material for publication.
Promotion and sales
The promotion or sale of goods or services in the car park, in front of the main entrance and in the zoo itself is not allowed without written permission from the Burgers’ Zoo management. This also applies to workshops, courses, guided tours, etc., with commercial intent.
Finally
We assume that you will have a wonderful day and enjoy our zoo. However, if you violate or object to these visitor regulations, you will be removed from the zoo without being entitled to compensation.