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Tierpark Hagenbeck Impressions of Hagenbeck's Zoo - from 1984

Discussion in 'Germany' started by Hix, 18 Apr 2019.

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  1. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

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    In early 1984 I travelled to Europe to see some of the more well-known zoos in that part of the world. Almost a year later I intended to give a slide presentation to zookeepers at the Australasian Society of Zoo Keepers annual conference and wrote a commentary on each of the zoos. This is the review of one of those zoos.

    At many of the zoos I visited I took notes of the exhibits and the different species I saw – due to Australian laws the zoos in Australia are somewhat limited in the species available for display. The text for each zoo’s review was written several months afterwards and was based upon my notes and from what I could remember. As I said, it was to be delivered to zoo keepers in Australia so there are occasional references or comparisons to Taronga Zoo and its exhibits. In the early 1980’s many zoos around the world were ‘modernising’ their exhibits to look more natural and be more beneficial to the occupants, as opposed to keeping the public happy at the animals expense. Behavioural enrichment was a new concept, too, so there are sometimes frequent references to enclosure design/construction and furnishings.

    I have copied the text verbatim, and resisted the temptation to correct my grammar, to re-word or rephrase sentences and paragraphs. I was 21 at the time and my writing skills were underdeveloped (by my current standards). However, if for the sake of clarity I feel the need to add words or additional information, I have done so in [brackets]. The scientific names are recorded from labels on exhibits at the time, and I have not updated them to current usage for posterity’s sake. Measurements are all estimates.

    I have created a thread covering all the zoos on my trip, found here A Look at Some Well-known European Zoos - in 1984 and I’ll be posting the individual reviews in the appropriate forums.

    Finally, the opinions expressed here are mine and often reflect the views of the day. Some reviews are not complimentary, but I’m hoping that in the intervening 35 years these zoos have improved.

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    Having read so much about Carl Hagenbeck and his revolutionary ideas about zoos and exhibiting animals at the turn of the century, I decided that this would be an important zoo to visit. The zoo was built around 1900 and a lot of the exhibits look as if they were the originals. I didn’t find the zoo all that exciting, and in the Tropicarium and Ape House I was even less excited.

    Hagenbeck first started [his career] showing off ethnological groups: Eskimos, Laplanders, American Indians, Ceylonese etc. Around the zoo are artifacts from the different races: Totem Poles, various statues etc.

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    Ranging free around the zoo were a large number of Mara or Patagonian Cavy. They were relatively tame and I got quite close to them. Also scattered around the zoo were traditional wire cages housing Red Pandas, Lynx, Puma and Monkeys.

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    The Lion exhibit and Tiger exhibit were bare, devoid of anything but dirt and rocks and a log each. A pity, I thought. There are still some moated enclosures and they have one or two that are designed to make you think that two totally uncompatible species are together, like Lions and Ostrich, Polar Bears and Sea-lions.

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    Unfortunately, too much concrete has been used and it looks the way Taronga did twenty years ago [i.e. early 1960’s].

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    Tropicarium

    Reptiles

    Rhinoceros Iguana (Cyclura cornuta) x 4
    Size is alright and light is sufficient.

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    Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesuerii) x 2
    Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) x 4
    Green Iguana (Iguana iguana iguana) x 2
    Plumed Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) x 2
    Asian Box Turtle (Cuora amboinensis) x 4
    Two-toed Sloth (Chloepus didactylus) x 1
    Cage is large enough and alright for the reptiles, but not for the sloth.

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    Emperor Tamarin (Saguinas imperator) x 2
    Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) x 1
    Red-legged Tortoise (Testudo carbonaria)
    Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornate)
    Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)
    Turtle (Emydura albertisii)
    Large enough for the primates, with two trees and a pot plant. Reasonable sized pool for the turtles.

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    Mata-Mata (Chelus fimbriatus) x 3
    Sparkling Violet-ear (Colibri coruscans) x 25 approx.
    Lizard (Uranoscodon superciliosum)
    Cage quite large with a deep pool covering more than half the floor. Lots of live succulent plants. Many hanging nectar feeders for the hummingbirds. Uranoscodon was not seen.

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    Indian Python (Python molurus molurus) x 2
    Each about 8 feet long. Large enclosure with a big pool deep enough for a snake to completely submerge itself.

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    American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) x 4
    Large deep pool.

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    Seychelles Tortoise (Testudo gigantea) x 3
    Red-eared Tortoise (Pseudemys scripta elegans) x 15 approx.
    Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) x 6
    Pool is quite large. Caiman are all about 18 inches long.

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    Stump-tailed Skink (Trachydosaurus rugosus) x 2

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    Poison Arrow Frog (Dendrobates auratus) x 6
    Poison Arrow Frog (Phyllobates lugubris) x 1 seen
    Thick vegetation and moss with a pool and running stream.

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    Archaic Toads (Megophrys nasuta) x 2

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    Armadillo Lizard (Cordylus cataphractus) x 2
    Armadillo Lizard (Cordylus polyzonus) x 1

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    Green Ratsnake (Elaphe oxycephala) x 2
    Bright green snake, light brown tail. Majority of floor of exhibit is a water pond, this tank is filled with water-vines. Snake sitting in tree, very hard to see.

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    Black Axolotyl (Ambystoma mexicanum) x 3
    Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) x 1

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    Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) x 3

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    Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata) x 2

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    Green Tree Frog (Hyla caerulea) x 1

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    Green Tree Python (Chondropython viridis)
    Juveniles that were hatched 15/4/80


    Apenhaus
    Three cages, each large enough for the occupants. Front and roof of exhibit are bars, walls and floor are tiled. Public further separated from exhibit by glass.

    Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) x 2
    Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) x 2
    Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) x 3