I have a question about one species. Of course it's about a cat. If Palawan leopard cat breeding for now seems to be going quite well, Asian golden cat breeding looks like a challenge nowadays. I could imagine that somebody like Berlin TP could do variety things that seem to be almost impossible and I'm wondering... do you think Asian Golden cat(s) still have a chance to come up there? Could it be an import?
@Neva, there is a slight and real possibility perhaps as better networking and contacts are working out with the S.E. Asian region. Several zoos are now part and parcel member of the EAZA or participate in individual EEP breeding programs. Aside some initiatives exist to have global management in place for some endangered species and links with the region are improving. First and foremost, it remains to be seem what the Felid TAG will make of what program the Asian golden cat to be(come).
There are some fresh updates: As exhibits throughout the entire Tierpark receive new bilingual species signs, they also gave a first glance on the new didactic theme of the Brehm building which translates into "Rainforest Tracking" or "Tracing the Rainforest": Copyright Tierpark Berlin If you concentrate on the background, you notice that the indoor cages almost disappear behind the installations. For both visitors and cats this means less direct interaction (the cats also have other cages attached which lie entirely behind the scenes). From another perspective you can also spot some terraria (some of which remain empty, as the animals could not be transported due to Covid-19): Copyright DPA This is another impression from inside the tropical hall: Copyright Tierpark Berlin And in this Image of the indoor halls you can even spot the two Binturongs which still wait for the Sun Bears to join them: Copyright Tierpark Berlin Close to the Brehm building the African Penguins excitedly colonized the first half of their merged and remodelled enclosure: Apparantly the visitors area is to resemle (a relaxed Version of) the South African coastline, including a small fishing lodge and even some hammocks. After introducing beach baskets and large wooden sunbeds in other areas of the park, this seems like another interesting addition. Meanwhile, the Cheetahs (or one of them) also got into the new enclosure: Last but not least, city and district officials together with the Tierpark administration agreed upon a selective reopening of the park beginning from April 27th or a week from tomorrow. Details still need to be negotiated, but it seems like the huge area will only receive limited numbers of visitors each day (probably exclusively via online booking). Very likely buildings, shops and Restaurants as well as playgrounds and petting zoo remain closed and attractions like park train, flight show and commented feedings/ shows will be cancelled.
From where did Tierpark Berlin receive their Sudan cheetah? The new outdoor seems to be a really nice update from its former fake rock work and some logs. Landscaping is particularly nice as well as that the cheetahs have been allowed some more privacy along the fringes. Plus a hut and visitor viewing windows (???)!
Any informations or photographic material from the "new" vulture aviaries? Any change in species in the aviary (that you might know of)?
Unfortunately, this is the only recent Image of the aviary that I am aware of (but I think this has been posted before): Copyright Tierpark Berlin I'm pretty sure they will only have African species in there, but I don't have any list. But perhaps there will be an official update on the aviary soon or some visitors will report on it in a bit more than a week from now. I'm not sure, when I will make it to the park, though.
The Clouded Leopards are one of the species to receive a modernized indoor enclosure with clear view for visitors. But as the end of the small video demonstrates, the can also disappear into boxes behind the scenes:
According to Facebook, the small gerenuk calf of March 13th is a female and also the offspring of an earlier Tierpark offspring. In addition, a second offspring is expected for May or June. Right now it's 2,3 and of course they hope for 2,4 then. So after all the setbacks, very good news for this species in Berlin! Besides that the Park did reopen and in general things seem to go smooth.
Oh amazing news, these were on my must see when I visited a couple years back so off course didn't see them...haha Hopefully when things get a bit more normal I will be back to Berlin again.
After the clouded leopards, a further visible interior enclosure in the Brehm-Haus is now occupied. Tree kangaroo Nunsi is settling in and will soon receive company by (initially?) 1.0 dusky pademelon. And thanks to many donations, there will be more equipment/ enrichment for them besides the treetop path. Also they can soon occupy the outdoor area, so it will be possible to watch them (buildings still remain closed for now)... Meanwhile, the penguins finally received the newly added second half of their enclosure. In penguin dimensions this might be a bit like the fall of the Berlin Wall Oh, and there is some footage on our lil' gerenuk
0,2 Asian Elephants Louise and Frosja have left the Tierpark and moved to Augsburg. This marks the official beginning of the end of this building in its current form and thus another milestone in the modern history of this park. For this reason, I share a condensed translation of the official announcement by Tierpark Berlin: Frosja (39) and Louise (46) have already familiarised themselves with their new surroundings in Augsburg. In order to support the settling in of the two ladies, their longtime keepers Mario Hammerschmidt and Ralf Seemann came with them for the first few days. "Of course the parting is painful for us, but we know that our old ladies are in good hands with their Augsburg colleagues." explains head of Berlin Zoo and Tierpark Dr. Andreas Knieriem. At Augsburg Zoo, a new elephant facility is waiting for Frosja and Louise. Together with the two senior elephants from Augsburg, they will set up a "flat-sharing community" for female elephants there. The move of Frosja and Louise marks the start of a unique new building project in Tierpark Berlin: Europe's most modern elephant house. In the future, African elephants will move through a large savannah landscape, while zebras, antelopes and giraffes will gather at the nearby waterhole. In the centre of the African savannah will be the new elephant house (3000 sqm) with a modern concept. Construction work is scheduled to begin this year and will probably take two years. After the conversion, the space for elephants will increase almost tenfold. According to the motto "quality before quantity", the new house will then only provide space for African elephants. To ensure that the extensive reconstruction can start soon, all elephants will now successively leave the Tierpark Berlin until summer - the family group around matriarch Kewa (37), the African elephant cows Lilak (48) and Kariba (14) as well as elephant lady Pori (39). A short reminder of what is to come: Copyright Tierpark Berlin
I forgot to mention: There also is quite some activity in the future Himalya area of the park, while both the vulture aviary and the heron aviary with its twin have been remodelled and could soon reopen.
Having watched the Tierpark’s Instagram video last night, I have to say the new vulture, cheetah and penguin exhibits look fantastic.
It's finally time for another update. Today, the first section of the Africa Zone was presented to the public (it will receive Visitors beginning from tomorrow). The penguin area deals with (excessive) fishing. There is a display on this topic in the fishing hut and the hammocks are made from old fishing nets. I am also very impressed by the large walk-"through" aviary which received some more rocks and plants. In fact, all three of the remodelled enclosures look very nice! Some pictures: Copyright Tierpark Berlin Copyright Tierpark Berlin Copyright Tierpark Berlin Copyright Tierpark Berlin And this is the video mentioned by Athletic Binturong: The park also announced that the second section (huge savannah with giraffes, zebras, antilopes etc. adjacent to the new elephant complex) is in progress and promised pictures like in national parks around Africa. Sounds rather pompous to me, but who knows. So far everything seems quite attractive. Something inside now kind of feels like singing: "I bless the work down in Africa…" to the well-known Rhythm Last but not least the interior of the Brehm building continues to take shape, while the park is preparing a scheme to finally open the building for the public in the upcoming weeks despite Covid-19. It actually will be a big day for me. I hardly remember more of this building than construction works (it was redone twice and each time went on for ages with only a short time in between). Say hello to them little fellows (birds, reptilies, amphibians and some arthropods...):
Don't think so. They could ruin the plants. Probably they are in one of the big glass boxes in between the inside boxes for the large mammals.
