Jonas, who’s visited the most zoos in the world, answers all your questions!

Have you ever been to a zoo?

According to Jonas Livet, they are the most magical places – and he should know, since he’s been to over 1,515 of them!

Jonas, a zoological consultant from France, holds the record for the most zoos visited in the world, so we asked him some questions for all of you animal lovers.

What was the first zoo you visited?

“Tierpark Berlin in Germany, […] when I was a small child. Another early visit that made a big impression was to Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Austria, the world’s oldest continuously operating zoo.”

Fun fact, this zoo was set up in 1752 – can you do the maths and figure out how old it is?

In your opinion, which country has the best zoos?

“It depends on what you’re looking for. Dutch zoos, for example, found in both remote nature areas and in the centres of big cities, generally have a great reputation for promoting animal welfare and preservation.

“[…] Involvement in conservation is an important aspect of modern zoos, and several British zoos – including London Zoo – are hugely committed to this.”

That’s good to know – protecting the animals is so important!

What’s your favourite animal?

“Hyenas are definitely among my favourites! But actually it’s the way all the different species interconnect with each other that fascinates me the most.

“Each has its own unique place in the overall scheme of things, but at the same time contributes to the whole picture. This is what’s so magical about wildlife, and perhaps what drives me to keep visiting parks and sanctuaries all over the world.”

Any top tips for making the most of a visit to the zoo?

“[…] Find out a bit about a zoo before you go – such as what its goals and objectives are. Once you’re there, take your time to observe the animals.

“If you can, try to talk to some of the keepers or scientists about any animals or aspects of the zoo that particularly interest you.”

Do your research, observe the animals and ask questions – noted!

What zoos are you visiting next?

“I’ll be heading to Poland with the plan to add quite a few new zoos, as well as revisiting some others including Zoo Łódź and its new Orientarium […]. In December, I’ll be in Japan and I’m expecting to hit my [goal of] 2,000 zoos and aquariums while travelling there.”

WOW! Congratulations, Jonas, you are Officially Amazing.

You can read the full interview, as well as lots of fun facts about the world's most amazing animals, in our latest book Guinness World Records Wild Things - OUT NOW!