[1] After graduating vocational school, Burgers became an agricultural expert working in Eastern Europe which provided him a decent salary.

To accommodate the growing collection, he bought a piece of land nearby and called it Buitenlust.

[3] In 1913, Burgers opened the site for the public, and added other animals like foxes, wolves and flamingos.

[3] In 1932, his daughter Johanna married Johan van Glabbeek, and as a wedding present he gave them Dierenpark Tilburg.

[1] Jan van Hooff, biologist and professor of comparative physiology at Utrecht University is one of his grandchildren.