My name is Ronnie Angel Snowpaw, and for me, Orøstrand is not just a place – it’s a chapter that spans my childhood, my growth, and who I became.
I first arrived at Orøstrand as a child in the 1990s, long before there was an animal park. Back then, it was simply the treatment home where I lived for eight years. Life had been rough before I came there, and it wasn’t always easy while I was there either – but Orøstrand became a constant in my life. I grew up with the island’s fresh air, the sound of the sea, and the feeling that even in hard times, there could be spaces worth holding onto.
When the idea of building an animal park came along, I was there to see it start taking shape – from empty ground to enclosures full of life. Years later, in 2012/13, I returned not as a resident, but as a zookeeper apprentice. That park became my classroom and my pride. Caring for the animals, learning their needs, and watching visitors – especially children – connect with them was something I’ll never forget.
The animal park shaped my future. It gave me the deep love for animals and nature that still drives me today. Now I spend my free time traveling across Denmark, visiting nature reserves, zoos, and wildlife parks, photographing everything from local birds to exotic species. But no matter where I go, Orøstrand Animal Park is the one place I always return to.
Even now, I walk there 2–3 times a year from Vellerup Summer Village – a 7½ km trek each way – just to spend time there. For me, it’s not just a visit. It’s coming home.
But today, that home is hurting.
The park’s condition is declining. Maintenance is lacking. It’s not being used in the same way to teach children about responsibility, compassion, and the care of animals – the very lessons that changed my life.
I know for a fact that there have been offers to buy the park, but they’ve been turned down. If the organization running it, LIVSVÆRK, doesn’t want to keep it alive, I believe they should pass it on to someone who will. Closing it would be more than losing an attraction – it would be erasing part of Orø’s identity, and that loss would ripple through tourism, the community, and the island’s spirit.
That’s why I’ve acted:
- I have contacted LIVSVÆRK directly, including their general secretary and board members, urging them to explain their plans and reconsider their decision.
- I’ve reached out to local associations, like the Orø Residents’ Association and Orø Local Forum, to rally local voices.
- I have filed an official statement with Holbæk Municipality, asking them to assess the park’s value to the island and consider alternative solutions, such as municipal or cooperative management.
This fight isn’t just about keeping animals in cages. It’s about keeping alive a place that has given children – including me – hope, purpose, and love for the living world. It’s about protecting a part of Orø’s soul.
I’m asking anyone who reads this to share the story. Talk about it. Shine light on it.
Because if we let this park disappear quietly, we lose more than fences and enclosures – we lose memories, opportunities, and a rare space where children can grow into something better than their circumstances.
For me, saving Orøstrand Animal Park is not a project. It’s personal. It’s my life.
Kiba Snowpaw 
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