The Wilhelma Zoo is Europe's only combined large zoo and botanical garden. Once a palace (like so many buildings in Germany--even Stuttgart's library), it now holds an impressive and beautiful variety of greenhouses and plant habitats, in addition to thousands of animals. We were lucky enough to witness nurturing time for a pair of baby gorillas; a zoo staff worker cuddled, kissed, crooned to and played with the two, who responded like toddlers of opposite personalities (one a clinging, calm cuddler and the other a playful, hyperactive imp). Vying for cuteness, however, was the rambunctious baby polar bear, Wilbär. (It was a warm day and there were so many plants and animals to see, we didn't take time for many photos.)
Oddly enough, I found out that a penguin was kidnapped from the zoo last spring, in broad daylight. Also, while we were living in Stuttgart (but unfortunately, not the day we visited the zoo), a new world record was set at the Wilhelma: the world's largest flower, Amorphophallus titanum, bloomed for the second time within a few years. It is a carrion flower, which smells like rotten meat when in bloom.
