An eye for detail

Appearance

A thick coat, large eyes or brightly coloured feathers: everything serves a purpose. An animal’s appearance is incredibly important. Good camouflage, for example, allows you to hide from predators. A striking colour helps you attract mates. And with the right adaptations, you can survive on the polar ice or, conversely, in the desert. In this area, you’ll find out why animals look the way they do. Take a close look at the animals and discover how they use their appearance to warn, attract, keep warm, scare off predators or hide.

Plan your visit

With an eye for detail, you’ll discover these animals:

A unique perspective on this theme area

Educational penguin talk – 3.00 pm

Come and see the Humboldt penguins and discover their striking black-and-white plumage. Why are their bellies white and their backs black? During this talk, you’ll learn how this clever appearance helps them blend into their surroundings.

View all educational talks

Close-up van een ijsbeer in Eindhoven Zoo

Have a look at the polar bears

Have a sit on the bench and take your time watching the polar bears. Did you know that a polar bear’s skin is actually black? Polar bears are well adapted to life around the North Pole. Have a good look and see which adaptations you can spot.

De rode ibis, goliathreiger en kleine zilverreiger in de volière bij Eindhoven Zoo.

Discover the large aviary

Step inside the aviary and discover just how different birds look. Take a close look at the shape of their beaks and see how they are perfectly adapted to their diet and way of life.

Did you know that...?

🔎 A polar bear’s hairs are transparent and hollow inside. They reflect light, making the fur appear white. A polar bear’s skin is black. The transparent hairs allow the sun’s rays to reach the skin, warming the polar bear.

☀️ Northern bald ibis live in very hot regions. But this bird has a clever adaptation that prevents it from overheating. The skin around its face is thin and criss-crossed with blood vessels. This allows it to lose enough heat through its bald head.

🦩Flamingos get their pink colour from the natural pigments in their food. Newborn flamingos are grey in colour. It takes about two years for them to turn completely pink! Just how bright pink a flamingo’s feathers become varies from species to species.

We care about nature too

Every day, Eindhoven Zoo and Stichting Wildlife work to protect endangered species and vulnerable nature reserves around the world. During your visit, you’ll discover more, including:

Een ijsbeer ligt op een steen bij Eindhoven Zoo.

Polar Bears International

The ice on which polar bears depend is melting. Polar Bears International’s mission is to protect polar bears and the ice through education, research and political advocacy. The organisation aims to inspire as many people as possible to take action themselves to combat climate change.

Protecting Dutch wildlife

At Eindhoven Zoo, you can learn all about animal species from around the world, but the stories of native species are just as important. These animals play a vital role in Dutch biodiversity. Moreover, many native species are just as threatened as some of the animals living in our park. That is why we are actively committed to protecting these species.