Animals

At Knuthenborg Safaripark, the animals roam freely in large areas. They are divided based on the continent where their species originated from, as it is most natural for the animals to interact with others they would naturally encounter in the wild. In Knuthenborg, things are done on the animals’ terms, so if the donkeys choose to stand in the middle of the road, everyone else does too – just like in nature.

That’s why you may experience seeing fewer or more individuals of the animal species you dream of encountering. The animals set the pace here. For example, tigers are naturally solitary animals that do not live in herds. Therefore, our tigers are always seen alone or in pairs, as they would have lived in the wild.

Read about our breeding collaborations here.

Below, you can get an overview of the species living in Knuthenborg and where you can meet them. Click on the different animals to learn more.

Maglemermarken

Domestic donkey

The donkey is not stubborn at all; it's actually just a bit cautious by nature. It originates from Africa and is widespread as a domestic animal, used for carrying loads and riding.

Valais Blackneck

The goat species with the distinctive appearance - black in the front and white in the back.

The Savannah

Rothschild giraffe

With a height of over 5 meters, the giraffe is the world's tallest animal. The giraffe is a ruminant, so it regurgitates the food up through its two-meter-long neck.

White rhinoceros

The white rhinoceros, despite weighing up to three tons, is surprisingly agile. One moment they peacefully graze, and the next moment they engage in horn-to-horn battles.

Blue wildebeest

The wildebeest resembles a mixture of a horse, a cow, and an antelope. The blue wildebeest is actually silvery-gray, and the two genders are almost indistinguishable.

Common eland

It is one of the largest antelopes, yet it moves with ease and agility. On the savannah, the herd is led by a single, dominant bull with a dark mane and powerful horns.

Sable antelope

The sable antelope is very rare, and therefore, the reproduction of the species is important. The breeding program at Knuthenborg has been highly successful for many years.

Ostrich

The African ostrich is the sentinel of the savannah, and its vigilance greatly benefits other savannah animals. While most birds have four toes, the ostrich has only two.

African dwarf goat

The mountain goat is a skilled climber, and the kids practice climbing and play-fighting on tree trunks - you can observe this in the enclosure near the castle ruins.

Dyrehaven

Arctic wolf

The Arctic wolf has a shorter snout and smaller ears to minimize heat loss. The wolf consumes its entire prey, including hair and bones.

European moose

The moose is the largest of all deer species. Fully grown bull moose can weigh up to 700 kg and often reach heights of over 2.20 m and lengths of 3 m.

American bison

The bison appears magnificent and awe-inspiring with its muscular and thick-furred forequarters and large head, particularly pronounced in the bull.

Nutiden at the Dinosaur Forest

Emu

In Australia, the emu constantly roams in search of fresh grass, worms, and larvae, depending on where the most recent rain has fallen.

Red-necked wallaby

The kangaroo has, in a way, five limbs when you consider the strong tail it relies on for support. When frightened, it uses its powerful hind legs to make large hops and get away.

Elefantsletten

African elephants

African elephants are the world's largest land animals. The four large animals are the country's last and retired circus elephants.

Champman's zebra

All zebras have individual stripes, just like fingerprints. It is also through the stripes that the animal keeper can distinguish between all the zebras in the herd.

The monkey forest

Hamadryas baboon

Hamadryas baboons are highly social and spend a lot of time grooming each other's fur. Often, the weakest individual is responsible for grooming, in exchange for protection.

Ring-tailed lemur

In ring-tailed lemurs, females also hold a dominant position within the group, and even female offspring rank higher than adult males.

Black-and-white ruffed lemur

The black-and-white ruffed lemur is one of the largest lemur species, and is generally more aloof and reserved compared to the ring-tailed lemur.

Black lemur

Only the males are actually black in their fur. The females are brown with white tufts of hair on their ears. On the other hand, it is the females that are in charge.

Goeldi's monkey

The Goeldi's monkey spends its entire life in the trees, and its powerful hind legs enable it to leap from tree to tree. It can jump nearly 4 meters without losing height.

Reeves's muntjac

The Chinese muntjac, also known as Reeve's muntjac, is a small species of deer measuring around 40-45 cm in height. Like other deer, they are very alert and quite shy.

The tiger forest

Siberian tiger

The Siberian tiger, inhabits the wild in the Asian forest known as the taiga. It is one of the world's most endangered mammals, with only around 400 wild Siberian tigers remaining.

African lion

The African lion is one of the five big cats in the Panthera genus and a member of the Felidae family. It is the second-largest living cat species, following the tiger.

Skovridersletten

Baktrisk kamel flok på græs i Knuthenborg

Bactrian camel

The Bactrian camel lives in the wild in Central Asia but is endangered. The humps of the camel do not store water; they are actually fat reserves.

Water buffalo

Take note of the large mud hole in Skovridersletten, where the Asian water buffalo often stays. The mud covers their thin coat of hair, providing protection against the sun.

Fallow deer

The fallow deer is easily recognizable for most of the year due to its enormous antlers with massive plates - the palmate antlers. The fallow deer have a varied coat color.

Axishjort flok i Knuthenborg Safaripark på Lolland

Axis deer

The beautiful axis deer with its distinct white spots lives in India alongside the Bengal tiger. Constant vigilance is therefore absolutely necessary.

Sika deer

Japanese sika deer use their antlers when males compete for the right to mate during the autumn rutting season. The losers gather in bachelor groups and wait for another chance.

Bandholmmarken

Shetland pony

The most characteristic features of the Shetland pony are its miniature size, hardiness, and insulating coat.

Llama

In the Inca Empire in Peru 4,500 years ago, llamas were used as a source of food, as pack animals, and as sacrificial animals.

Miniature zebu

The small Indian cow thrives in heat. That's why you will often see the herd grazing, resting, and ruminating in the middle of the sun.