Starting 2024 Dierenpark Amersfoort looks back on their Wildlife protection programmes. In 2023 Stichting Dierenpark Amersfoort Wildlife fund donated a record amount of €180.000 to different wildlife charities, helping to protect (among others) the African Penguin, Indian Rhino, and Grévy zebra and their natural habitats. Source & more info: DierenPark Amersfoort Wildlife Fund haalt recordbedrag op | DierenPark Amersfoort Also the Eurasian griffon vultures released back into the wild in Bulgaria are doing well. One is mainly living near a Bulgarian wildlife park, the other one flies around a bit further, and has even been spotted in Greece.
It is good a medium sized zoo like Amersfoort Dierenpark celebrates their contributions to in situ conservation and relevant conservation projects (all species are part of their own collection plan and follow the One Plan Approach pretty much).
Wolf update: it appears the wolf pack has only moved on the 9th of january this year. A spokesperson from the zoo released press statements to various Dutch media, including the newspaper "AD". The wolf enclosure has been empty since january 9th, the spokesperson seems to confirm wolves will come back to Amersfoort, but when and what kind of group is still being researched. Source: Wolven verlaten DierenPark Amersfoort ditmaal gepland: nieuw onderkomen in Slowakije | Amersfoort | AD.nl
I am a little sad that in the time where unjustly Central European wolves are a discourse theme in The Netherlands as a protected species a zoo central in the country close to nearby wolf packs is going out of the species. We urgentie need ex situ advocacy within the zoo community at this time when wolf populations remain under threat from humankind for just being top of the chain wildlife and a predator within the ecological system that has been lacking from a good part of Western Europe for a century and a half..... Thank goodness for the EU Directive on Biodiversity, Protected European Fauna and Flora and the Habitat Directive.
New Siamang male in Amersfoort. Male "William" moved from England to live with female "Titus". So far the two monkeys seem to like each other. Source: Dierenpark Amersfoort
This summer, DierenPark Amersfoort will open a new themed area: the Chimpanzee Valley. The new enclosure will be 1800 m2 in size, which is three times more than they have now. Climbing structures will allow visitors to climb through trees alongside the chimps. Besides the chimpanzee enclosure, the area will also feature a small African village and a research centre. In the village, visitors can learn all about deforestation and in the research centre you can find out what the Jane Goodall Institute is doing for chimpanzees in the wild. Source: DierenPark Amersfoort
The new Chimpanzee exhibit must be Amersfoort's largest, most expensive project for many years. As of right now, the chimp cage is the worst in the zoo and so this is a really exciting new habitat and I like the idea of visitors having access to a hands-on climbing area near the apes. Amersfoort has done a great job with that in recent years, which makes the whole zoo very family friendly with immersive exhibits alongside climbing zones for kids.
Dierenpark Amersfoort adopted a new leaf cutter ant colony. The group is currently small, but will grow out to a full sized group over the course of a few years. Source: DPA Website
Little Asian Elephant Yindi had a health issue last week. Zookeepers observed her not using her trunk as much. They decided to investigate, and found out she had a stick blocking her trunk. Luckily, keepers were able to remove the stick and it seems Yindi can now use it as normal. The stick measured 75 cm! Keepers think it got lodged into her trunk while playing. Source: DPA Facebook - reel (clicking this link will take you to a video of the stick being removed)
Birth of a camel in Amersfoort this morning! The youngster's mom is Rosa, who is an experienced mother. The calf looks happy and healthy. Keepers are not sure what the sex of the youngster is. Source: Facebook DierenPark Amersfoort
Two male Eurasian wolves (Canis lupus lupus) Diego and Ragnar have moved to Dierenpark Amersfoort from Zoo Schwerin. They will be joined by other wolves to create a new pack. Source: Facebook Zoo Schwerin
Birth of twin Pygmy slow loris (Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus) in De Nacht. Giftige plompe lori-tweeling geboren in DierenPark Amersfoort | Geboortenieuws! Er is een giftige plompe lori-tweeling geboren in ons park. Het gaat goed met de kleine nachtaapjes. De tweeling kijkt nieuwsgierig om... | By DierenPark AmersfoortFacebook
Dierenpark Amersfoort confirmed this on their own instagram profile yesterday. Source: Instagram of Dierenpark Amersfoort (24/04/2024)
