In 1896, Carl Hagenbeck developed and patented the world’s first barless enclosures. The opening of Hagenbeck’s Zoo in Hamburg-Stellingen in 1907 represented the creation of the world’s first barless zoo. The concept of exhibiting exotic animals in species-appropriate habitats was a revolutionary one for its time, and one which was emulated by many other facilities. Carl Hagenbeck’s panoramas and open-air enclosures shaped the zoo architecture of the 20th century – and continue to shape it today.

With his pioneering concept of placing animals in surroundings as close as possible to their natural habitats and allowing them the maximum possible freedom, Carl Hagenbeck ushered in a new era of zoo design. Animals in modern zoos are housed in species-appropriate enclosures which closely resemble their natural habitats and which enable visitors to see them clearly.

The biotope enclosures at the Hagenbeck Tropical Aquarium are also designed along the principles drawn up by Hagenbeck for barless enclosures. They are based on the animals’ natural surroundings and are often shared by a variety of different species, just as particular territories are shared in the wild. Visitors and animals are separated mainly by ditches, water features and artificial rocks. This gives visitors the impression of actually being in the animals’ territory. The Rock Hyraxes’ biotope enclosure is a good example of this concept. The enclosure is bordered at the back and sides by artificial rocks, and visitors stand on one side of a moat and look directly into the animals’ living space. The rock hyraxes share their habitat with brown plated lizards and blue-tailed skinks – just as they would in the wild.