5 February 2013 Copenhagen Zoo's new and unique facilities for polar bears, North Atlantic birds and seals, The Arctic Ring, opened. Besides the fact that the animals have much better living conditions and space, the new facilities also allow you to get extremely close to the fascinating animals both above and below the water surface; unparalleled in Europe.

The Arctic Ring, with its 3,200 square metres is not only much larger than the polar bears’ former facilities at Copenhagen Zoo.

It also meets the needs of the large predators to dig and search for food on land and in water. Copenhagen Zoo has housed polar bears since 1860 and currently has two polar bears.

In the longer term, the Zoo could acquire one more female polar bear, since the facilities have been built to house one male and two females.

Come face to face with a polar bear

In the open coastal landscape, which is the first thing you will see, Zoo's two polar bears now reside on 950 square metres, where they can dig in and investigate cracks filled with gravel, grass and plants, and quench their thirst in small freshwater lakes.

Come face to face with the deadly predators and get a sense of how huge the up to 600 kg heavy polar bears really are.

The specially placed rocks give the polar bears an opportunity for diving when they feel like a swim in the big pool that holds 1,900 cubic meters of salt water.

Exhibition on the life of polar bears

When you enter The Arctic Ring, you "dive" into the Arctic Ocean. The exhibition tells you about the life of polar bears, the bird life in the mountains and adaptation above and below sea level in the North Atlantic.

It is a completely overwhelming experience when you enter the tunnel that goes right through the polar bears’ pool.

Here is your chance to get quite close to the polar bears when they swim towards the tunnel with open eyes and paddling feet.

See the seals and North Atlantic birds

On the other side of the tunnel you can see seals frolic in their own pool. In this way you get to experience predators and prey unusually close to each other, separated only by thick glass.

You can also watch the North Atlantic birds on the facilities.

The Arctic Ring is designed by architect and consultant Dall & Lindhardtsen A/S and is made possible thanks to a donation of DKK 150 million from AP Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation for General Purposes.