Apparently, they started refreshing/restructuring the exhibit of the Spectacled Bears/ Andean Bears and plan to turn it into a mixed-species-exhibit. As far as I am aware, there is no official information about the planned species or if they are going to keep presenting spectacled bears there. If they keep them, perhaps they may add Bush Dogs (someone posted about prior plans for this combination) or other existing animals like (male) howler monkeys (there a is an increasing surplus of males). Or they could easily get some type of coati... So even though there likely won't be any other large projects beside the elephant complex for some time, it doesn't get boring...
As I was curious and wanted to learn more about the plans for the spectacled bears enclosure, I searched through some sources. Well, I didn't learn any new facts on this topic. However, I found some other stuff about the grass roots Tierpark supporters ("Freunde der Haupstadtzoos"). - The zoo has received the CAT M316 mobile excavator for 180,000 euros. It can be used to transport feed and manure as well as animals or construction materials. So even if it does not relate to a specific (main) construction project, it could support smaller construction projects. Of course, it also helps a lot with routine tasks. - Donations have been granted and are still being sought for garden maintenance (including new plants and equipment), which is another measure/activity outside of the traditional ones, but which can have a positive impact in various places in the park. Having said so, a lot has already been done in this respect anyways (ever since they got some additional public funds for gardening). - As a major fundraising project, the support association now wants to raise money (again?) for the new Banteng enclosure close to the recently opened Asian enclosure. However, the bantengs are now even to be kept together with the existing Burmese brow-antlered deer. I think that's an exciting idea and should also go down better with visitors. - The zoo has been home to a pair of black and rufous elephant shrews from Leipzig since the end of 2022, which are to be presented in the newly opened elephant house in the future and apparently are starting to show some breeding activities behind the scenes.
A great new project I think and absolutely sounds worth having at Tierpark Berlin. I wish they can attach some other animal species here like Asian suids or smaller deer and perhaps a few primates (langur, gibbon, tarsier, slow loris) for this new Asian area. I would hope the design / project team will have looked at for example the Asian Rimba area at Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands for inspiration.
Does any zoo keep slow loris outdoors? I can't imagine such a small, fragile and nocturnal species would do well in an outdoor exhibit, never mind one that is mixed with a selection of larger ungulates and primates, but would be interested if there are indeed any examples of this...
I would favour a nocturnal house attached to a primate indoor / outdoor or something for loris and tarsiers. Mere speculation ..., of course. Probably will never happen!
I think he was probably meaning in the Northern Hemisphere (probably Europe specifically), but yes it is common for lorises to be housed in "aviary-type" cages outdoors in Asia.
The EAZA best practice guidelines for slow loris does mention that the enclosure at Monkey World is an outdoor mesh aviary that is covered over with a permeable membrane to allow air movement and rain ingress while still keeping the light levels low - something which allows live plants to be grown in there. Far from the cold being an issue, the main problem seems to have been that the enclosure is prone to overheating.
