Nordens Ark

Nordens Ark opened in 1989 on an old farm by Aby fjord as a foundation rather than a zoo, with breeding and reintroduction as the purpose: it works on Nordic species that have fallen to very low numbers - wolverine, arctic fox, white-backed woodpecker, lesser white-fronted goose, the Gotland russ pony - and on some from further afield, including Amur tigers and snow leopards. Enclosures are large and set into hillside and forest, which means animals are often not visible, and that is deliberate. The walk round covers a couple of kilometres with steep sections. Breeding animals bred for release are kept out of public view entirely.

Background

The park occupies the 383 hectares of Åby Manor, one of Bohuslän's oldest estates, where historic letters place King Håkon of Norway in 1307. Margareta Hvitfeldt bought the property, then some 90 farms and cottages, in 1661, and after her death in 1683 the scholarship fund that received her estate ran it until 1975. The manor house was built in 1729, and the 60 metres barn, the largest timbered building in Bohuslän, is thought to date partly from the 17th century. The foundation behind the park began on 8 March 1988 as the Bohus Breeding Center Foundation, and Nordens Ark opened on 14 June 1989. It keeps about 80 species and receives around 100,000 visitors a year.

Source: Wikipedia, "Nordens Ark"

What you'll find

• Large hillside enclosures - animals often out of sight by design.
• Nordic species at low numbers - wolverine, arctic fox, russ pony.
• Amur tigers and snow leopards - the non-Nordic programmes.
• A working breeding foundation - release animals kept unseen.

When to go

May to September for full opening. Three to four hours.

What to expect

Animals are frequently not visible, which frustrates people expecting a zoo. The circuit is long and steep. Winter opening is reduced. Getting there means a long drive with no alternative.

Nearby

Hunnebostrand is west and Smogen south-west; Lysekil is south.

Key facts