Welt der Gifte Greifswald (Closed) How to found a zoo - WdG Greifswald and WdG Salzburg

Just take a look at my entry from the 10th of July on this thread...
I don't know how his supervisor, the director of HdN, is like, though; from what I've heard, venomous reptiles ain't his thing. He never replied to my email that the federal representative of the local tourism department had forwarded to him, so *shrugs*

 

@Batto: Okay, sorry, I obviously read over this. And for a supervisor who isn't in venomous reptiles (or even venomous animals in general?), the collection at Haus der Natur isn't bad

 

I somehow got the feeling that this can be rather contributed to the curator and the keepers.^^ They're actually planning to rebuild the whole reptile section. And we all know that such "updates" in European collections usually mean less venomous species in the end...

 

... and sometimes even down to zero as an example in a "Tierpark" in an European capital shows...

 

No worries, @zoomaniac
Google Image Result for https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/75897698.jpg

 

What an exhausting, but in the end satisfying week that included a lot of carrying, building and cleaning in the new venue at Salzburg. You can see pictures of the progress and the current state of the exhibition on the FB and Instagram account of WdG. The first Austrian film team was already there to film at the venue. Furthermore, my part in the German quiz show "Kaum zu glauben" that was filmed earlier this year aired yesterday evening. If you want to take a look at it (my section starts at 1:35:12):
Kaum zu glauben! XXL

Unfortunately, the provider of my new terraria is running late, so that some animals are not in their final enclosures yet.

 

I also spent a lovely morning with HdN's reptile curator to try out some new handling equipment. Later on, he stopped by the venue and helped out a bit. What a great chap!

 

Still waiting for the federal reply regarding my zoo license. My terraria manufacturer is lagging behind the intended DL due to the tanks being destroyed in an accident on the way to the venue.
In the meantime, I took in a few venomous (and one poisonous) animals from the reptile shelter in Munich. Among others:
- a North African scorpion (Hottentotta gentili) found in a Bavarian health food store (almost sounds like the sequel to Pixar's "Bugs").
- a black widow found in a box with components meant for a BMW factory.
- an Asian huntsman spider (Heteropoda venatoria) brought in with a commercial fruit delivery.
- an African toad (Sclerophyrs capensis or regularis) that travelled to Germany as a stowaway in the luggage of a German tourist from South Africa.
This weekend, I'm off to Hamm to pick up some lovely Bitis for the HdN and a juvenile Echis coloratus for WdG. #toxicroadtrip

 

@TLD: depending on the locality and the individual animal, it's probably the most beautiful member of the genus.
Image - Echis coloratus (Palestine Saw-scaled Viper) | BioLib.cz
However, my future little lady will still have a bit to grow to reach such a level of beauty.

 

So how are the saw scaled viper and new Bitis doing?

 

All three are doing well. Little Echis ate her first mouse in her new home, and the two baby Gaboon vipers are doing well at HdN. For photos of them, take a look at WdG's FB or Instagram account.

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Inland taipan by Batto posted 16 Dec 2019 at 6:14 PM

 

Today's federal veterinary audit went along splendidly; another great step towards obtaining the zoo license. Maybe I'm going to be able to open officially this Easter.
For impressions of the current state of the exhibition, take a look at WdG's FB and Instagram account.

 

No worries; you can sneak in for a VIP preview.

 

Yesterday I finally received the long anticipated phone call from the federal veterinary office that WdG has been officially categorized as a category A zoo, which is the highest category of zoos in Austria. The written confirmation is on its way.

 

Congratulations @Batto !!!

 

Thank you.