Children and School Groups at Tierwelt Herberstein

Welcome to the largest classroom in Styria! With around 20,000 schoolchildren of all ages, we inspire young animal lovers and budding researchers anew every year.

“The zoo is the largest and most-visited school in a country.” — Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Bernhard Grzimek—Germany’s most famous zoologist during his lifetime, a veterinarian and behavioral scientist, and the long-time director of the Frankfurt am Main Zoo.

Along with nature conservation and species protection, education is one of the main missions of a zoo. We take this mission very seriously, and we fulfill it through the Herberstein Zoo School. Our team of zoologists and biologists is responsible for running our programs for children and school groups.

Why do zebras have stripes? How many hours a day does a lion sleep? How high can a pumajump? Why does the mandrill have a colorful face? Why do Przewalski’s horses have an unpronounceable name? What’s the siamang’s favorite food? Why does the red panda have air conditioning in its enclosure? What does a sloth’s paw look like? Where does the rhea come from?

Together, the students discover the small and big secrets of the animal world. The Zoo School explores these questions—and many more—during the Animal World Talk.

The students are always happy to return to Tierwelt Herberstein with their families. The zoo is, in fact, a popular destination for family outings. Gift certificates for the whole family are always a popular gift.

Puzzle Rally at Tierwelt Herberstein

For interested groups of students, we offer our puzzle rally booklet free of charge to take home. There are 3 editions available for this age group:

Service Program 1: Grades 1–2
Service Program 2: Grades 3–5
Service Program 3: Grades 6–8

Tricky questions are answered using multiple-choice options; fill-in-the-blank exercises encourage students to actively engage with the exhibit panels. In addition, children can find the correct answers by observing our animal residents.

JUFA Hotel Stubenbergsee***

With Lake Stubenberg right on its doorstep, the resort is the ideal starting point for school groups looking to spend active project days in Styria’s Apple and Spa Region. Whether by bike or on foot, it’s exactly 1.5 kilometers to the entrance of Tierwelt Herberstein. 

JUFA Hotel Pöllau - Organic - Country Experience***

The "Land(er)leben" houses are really "bustling"—or at least the rooster is, since most of the houses also feature a mini-farm or a small petting zoo. And if you want to hear lions "roar," it's not far from here to Tierwelt Herberstein.