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89:. The zoo was private property of the Wouters family and did not receive any subsidy or sponsorship. The zoo was known for its large number of animals, which resulted from the internal breeding programme and the acquisition of abused and dumped animals from bankrupt zoos and circuses. The large number of animals, the poor state of the animal enclosures, and actions by
198:. The plans were cancelled after the government revoked the zoo's operating licence in response to pressure from animal rights groups. The Wouters family started a lawsuit and won as they had a licence valid until 2000 and had not broken any law. As the European guidelines were still not operational, the then Flemish Environment Minister,
149:
Under legal regulations, the zoo was only allowed to obtain meat from two small slaughterhouses. As the slaughterhouses were unable to provide enough meat, the zoo installed its own freezer. In 1986, 20 tons of meat were confiscated as the zoo had no licence for the freezer and in any case the
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In 1992 monkeys crushed the arm of a young visitor. A few weeks later, other monkeys bit off three of a girl's fingers. In 1995 Marcel
Wouters was taken to court for "unintentional harm" and "lack of precaution" because of these accidents. He received a fine and one-year suspended
205:
In 1997 members of GAIA staged a protest at the entrance to the zoo, trying to prevent visitors from entering; the police intervened. On 16 April 1997 the
Wouters family decided to close the park. The majority of the animals were sold to
191:(GAIA), complained. The Belgian Animal Inspectorate investigated, but concluded that the accusations were exaggerated. According to them, the Limburg Zoo was not really a zoo, but a shelter for animals rejected by other parks.
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17 May 1970 with more than 200 animals. In 1973 there were already more than 1000 animals, so another 10 hectares (25 acres) of land were bought. Another 4 hectares (10 acres) were bought some years later.
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proposed new rules setting minimum standards for the housing of specific species. The
Wouters family did not believe they would be able to afford to make the necessary changes to the animal enclosures.
188:
202:, introduced his own regulations. As the Limburg Zoo could not afford to meet the new standards, Kelchtermans restarted a procedure to close the zoo by 15 November 1996, in which he again failed.
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In the late 1960s Marcel
Wouters, then a director of the "Leen- en Kredietkas" (a financial institution), bought 6 hectares (15 acres) of land that had formerly belonged to the Zwartberg
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that the zoo was housing some bird species illegally. After an investigation, many birds were confiscated because the zoo did not have appropriate licences.
183:, in which they called it the worst zoo in the world. Scenes from the documentary were shown on television worldwide, including by the Belgian channel
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organisations drew media attention to the zoo. In 1997 the
Wouters family decided to close it; the animals were relocated to other zoos.
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As the zoo failed to make a profit, the
Wouters family started a media campaign in 1985. That year the park had 50 000 extra visitors.
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596:[Heatwarming Veeweyde for 84 Zwartberg animals, Coutisse will host tigers, lions, pumas and bears] (in French). 9 July 1998
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on many of their vehicles since they had to use the public road to travel between the meat storage area and the rest of the zoo.
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to feed the predators, the
Belgian Ministry of Agriculture decided that the zoo could buy meat from other slaughterhouses.
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In March 1980, 15 predators were suffocated by a faulty oil stove. Many other animals were affected, but could be saved.
594:"Coup de coeur de Veeweyde pour 84 animaux de Zwartberg Un refuge accueillera tigres, lions, pumas et ours à Coutisse"
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187:. The coverage led to a sharp drop in the number of visitors. Many animal rights groups, such as the Belgian group
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equipment was only certified to store meat for human consumption. After the
Wouters family killed some of their
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161:. The meat storage area was now separated from the rest of the zoo by a public road, and the zoo had to pay
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277:"Vijftien roofdieren gestikt in zoo Zwartberg" [Fifteen predators suffocated in Zwartberg Zoo].
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The city of Genk bought the park in 1999. Demolition of what remained of the zoo began in
January 2002.
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292:"Kudde moeflons uit zoo van Zwartberg ontsnapt" [Herd of moufons escape from Zwartberg Zoo].
448:"KMO-zone is het einde van de Zwartbergse Zoo" [Business park is the end of Zwartberg Zoo].
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504:"Dierenbescherming heeft lof voor Limburgse Zoo" [Animal Protection praises Limburg Zoo].
262:"Beren verscheuren arbeider in Zoo te Zwartberg" [Bears tear worker at zoo in Zwartberg].
463:"BBC noemt de Limburgse Zoo slechtste ter wereld" [BBC calls Limburg Zoo world's worst].
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548:[20 years TV Limburg - 1998 - Zwartberg Zoo shuts down] (in Dutch). Archived from
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418:"Naar hongerwinter in zoo van Zwartberg" [Pending winter famine in Limburg Zoo].
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403:"Vogelwacht klaagt Zoo Zwartberg aan" [Bird association accuses Zwartberg Zoo].
384:[The History of the Limburg Zoo Part 2 (1976 - 1998)] (in Dutch). Zoo in Beeld
318:[The History of the Limburg Zoo Part 3 (1990 - 1998)] (in Dutch). Zoo in Beeld
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574:[Zwartberg Zoo: closed after actions by GAIA] (in French). 17 June 2008
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In 1991 a section of
Limburg Zoo was expropriated as part of the creation of a
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escaped from the park after a car slid off a road and breached the zoo's fence.
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433:"Limburgse Zoo uit vleesnood" [Limburg Zoo out of meat shortage].
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The zoo had troubles with the government and animal rights organisations:
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243:[History of the Limburg Zoo - part 1 (1970 - 1975)] (in Dutch)
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365:"Vijftien jaar Limburgse Zoo" [Fifteen years Limburg Zoo].
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In 1995 Limburg Zoo negotiated with Dutch investors on building a
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522:[Flemish parliament: bulletin of questions and answers]
546:"20 jaar TV Limburg - 1998 - Zoo van Zwartberg sluit de deuren"
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featured in the Limburg Zoo in a documentary programme called
241:"De geschiedenis van de Limburgse Zoo - deel 1 (1970 - 1975)"
382:"De geschiedenis van de Limburgse Zoo deel 2 (1976 – 1989)"
316:"De geschiedenis van de Limburgse Zoo deel 3 (1990 – 1998)"
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520:"Vlaams Parlement: Bulletin van vragen en antwoorden"
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In October 1976 an employee was torn apart by bears.
572:"Le Zoo Zwartberg: fermé après des actions de GAIA"
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479:"Fragmenten uit State of the Ark in het vtm-nieuws"
346:[Zwartberg Zoo to be demolished] (in Dutch)
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822:Tourist attractions in Limburg (Belgium)
342:Van Hoyland, Maurice (10 January 2002).
189:Global Action in the Interest of Animals
142:In 1985 a bird association informed the
797:Zoos disestablished in the 20th century
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314:Gonnissen, Louis (12 February 2012).
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239:Gonnissen, Louis (26 December 2012).
485:in VTM news bulletin] (in Dutch)
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380:Gonnissen, Louis (4 January 2012).
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113:The zoo had some major accidents:
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787:1997 disestablishments in Belgium
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782:1970 establishments in Belgium
508:(in Dutch). 26 September 1994.
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344:"Zoo Zwartberg tegen de grond"
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452:(in Dutch). 9 November 1991.
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369:(in Dutch). 15 June 1985.
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16:Zoo in Zwartberg, Belgium
792:Zoos established in 1970
467:(in Dutch). 7 July 1994.
85:in the municipality of
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367:Het Belang van Limburg
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279:Het Belang van Limburg
264:Het Belang van Limburg
702:Limburg Zoo (defunct)
214:and a nearby zoo in
105:. The zoo opened on
812:Gardens in Flanders
735:Aquatopia (defunct)
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170:European Commission
758:Animals portal
630:51.0130°N 5.4941°E
552:on 3 November 2014
817:Parks in Flanders
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481:[Scenes from
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42:16 April 1998
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175:In 1994 the
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807:Former zoos
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697:Bellewaerde
692:Antwerp Zoo
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212:Netherlands
196:safari park
107:Whit Monday
64:Limburg Zoo
39:Date closed
34:17 May 1970
31:Date opened
22:Limburg Zoo
771:Categories
618:51°00′47″N
600:15 October
578:15 October
556:15 October
530:13 October
526:(in Dutch)
489:13 October
388:15 October
350:13 October
322:14 October
247:13 October
226:References
727:Aquariums
707:Olmen Zoo
621:5°29′39″E
144:gendarmes
103:coal mine
83:Zwartberg
51:Zwartberg
674:Zoos of
216:Coutisse
208:Veeweyde
163:road tax
125:mouflons
70:, was a
47:Location
676:Belgium
210:in the
97:History
76:Belgian
74:in the
55:Belgium
79:parish
524:(PDF)
832:Genk
684:Zoos
602:2014
580:2014
558:2014
532:2014
491:2014
390:2014
352:2014
324:2014
249:2014
152:zebu
87:Genk
62:The
185:vtm
177:BBC
81:of
72:zoo
773::
332:^
302:^
53:,
667:e
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