Indeed Tierpark Berlin used to have gorillas; on my first few visits, gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans were kept in what subsequently became the sun bear house. In those days, the building had no outside enclosures so the apes were kept permanently indoors in small sterile cages. Tierpark Berlin is one of my favourite zoos but the great ape accommodation was very poor.
On the 24th of July a female Common waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus) was born. Source: Instagram of Tierpark Berlin (14/08/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSjGsFXHetm/
ZTL list the following: Agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis): 1962-7, 1969-71 Pileated gibbon (H pileatus): 1980-1 Eastern black-crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus): 1962-86 Northern white-cheeked gibbon (N leucogenys): 1982-4 Southern white-cheeked crested gibbon (N siki): 1963-88 Siamang (Synphalangus syndactylus): 1963 (transfer) Sumatran orang-utan (Pongo abelii): 1960-91 Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): 1965-92 Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): 1956-73
Recently tierpark received 3 Madagascar sacred Ibises (Threskiornis bernieri) from Walsrode, they can be found in the Reihervoliere. This brings the total number of holders to 6 according to ZTL. Source: Instagram of Tierpark Berlin (16/08/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSox1klMJNa/
Is the red panda cub offspring from the Padmaja Naidu Zoo in Darjeeling, India? (the exchange deal for Mishmi takin being exported to same zoo)
Recently a 5-month-old North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) named Floyd arrived from Zoo Osnabrück. Here he will accompany the already present female named Tanana. Source: Instagram of Tierpark Berlin (25/08/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTAFxTOM-KN/
Berlin Tierpark finally(!) published the official annual report for 2020. Despite the delay, it offers some interesting insights. The economic effect of Covid-19 After polar bear cub Hertha made 2019 a year of records, the park had to close it gates for several months in 2020 with various restrictions in place throughout virtually the entire rest of the year. So everyone expected some really bad results. And there have indeed been some losses: Visitors dropped by 30 percent, overall sales dropped by almost 20 percent. A government bonus (664.000 Euro) as well as donations and a cut in spending compensated for most of this. The overall result even brought an excess/surplus of about 1.1 mio Euro which really surprised me. Latest schedule for new projects Luckily, planned projects won't be deliberately delayed or even given up, either. So after the long anticipated re-opening of the Brehm building in 2020 there are new highlights in the pipeline for about every year now: -Himalaya is scheduled for late 2021. -The large savannah exhibit is supposed to be finished by Summer 2022. -The new elephant building is scheduled to open by Spring 2023. -They also plan to have an elevated board walk which connects savannah/ giraffe building and elephant building. -Close to the main restaurant, they want to have a mixed species exhibit with otters and babirusas as well as an exhibit for celebes crested macaques/black apes.
Yes, and it even was the second offspring for female red panda "Shine", since she arrived in Berlin Tierpark in February 2020. The first cub apparently went to Belgium. Sorry, I somehow missed your post before.
Had a nice Sunday visit at the Tierpark and want to mention some changes since the last year. The construction works for the Hymalaya and the new Elephant facility are on the way, but there's more than enough to see and explore. - Mountain Zebras and Somali Wild Ass are still visible on their old place next to the Elephant house. - The vegitation around the Alfred Brehm House and in the Tropical Hall growing fast and the place starts to look more and more attractive and full of life. - I don't think, the Asian Golden Cat will arrive at ABH. The enclosure which was planned for them is now occupied by Binturong. The Palawan Leopard Cat is also gone and it's exhibit is occupied by Northern Tree shrew and Burmese Star tortoise. - The side exhibits between the Domestic animals and the Polar Bear now holding Tamandua and Red Panda. On the way to the Polar Bears there's a new enclosure for the Elks. - There were a lot of babies around the park, but the Gerenuks, Mountain Reedbuck, Musk Ox and Marco Polo Sheep deserve special mention. - Many of the animals from the Alpine zone are spread around the zoo: - the Marco Polo sheep and the Bharals are on the top of the park, next to the Golden Takins and Kulans. - the White-lipped Deers are between the Persian Deer and the Myanmar Thamin. - Manuls are in the former Bobcat exhibit next to the Yellow-throated Marten. - The Steller Eagles are in the Birds of prey area. I saw the Babirusa for the first time in the Kerabau paddock and also the Chinese Water Deer together with the David's Deer. The Alpine Ibex, Urials, Gorals and Markhors were off-show, but I hope the park will not lose any of them. The most exciting new inhabitants are in the Monkey house! The Coquerel' Sifaka and Roloway Monkeys are the Berlin's newest stars. Looking forward to next year, when hopefully the Berlin zoo' Empire of Cats and the TP Hymalaya zone will be finally ready !
I'm so happy the young reedbuck is still there. I didn't see it on my last visit an feared it didn't make it.. So your mention of Hartmann zebras and Somali asses makes it sound like the Grevy's zebras have left. I already suspected that as the group was shrinking in size over the last year with only two animals left as of my last visit. I have to add that the elk enclosure is the one that held Caucasian zebus until last year which have moved to the domestic section. The Scottish Highland cattle have left. As for the non-visible ungulates: The Alpine ibexes have already left, the others are still there and will be visible soon again.
Thank you for the additional notes @Someokapinextdoor ! Happy to hear, that the "Mountain" Ungulates will be visible again soon. Grevy's are still there, but I missed to mention them.
@twilighter Great report! Thanks a lot! I can actually add something more to this: As reported/documented by user W. Dreier on the German zoo webforum Schülingforum, the west front of the Pachyderm House has just been demolished and a large demolition crane has started operating inside of the building. Pictures (a bit blurry, as you cannot get good pictures of the building site easily): http://www.schueling.com/forum/fotos/gross/131969.jpg http://www.schueling.com/forum/fotos/gross/131970.jpg
Thank you for the nice words @markmeier ! It's always great to visit the Tierpark and will follow the development with great interest.
Last Thursday a Venezuelan red howler (Alouatta seniculus seniculus) was born, the mother is Moéma and the gender of the newborn is still unknown. Source: Instagram of Tierpark Berlin (21/09/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUFvL52l-I-/
Several parts of the old pachydermy building have been demolished. In the next months, they will start integrating new structures like a large new roof. Due to Covid-19-delays, they now hope to open it by 2023. Copyright: Tierpark Berlin
To be honest, I always kind of anticipated around 2025 as well. But at least there is some visible and quite impressive progress now. So it might even be earlier than that. But I wouldn't bet on 2023 either. Something else: Berlin Tierpark startet moving around zebras, buffalos and the like. It seems like they will start restructuring the old zebra and wild ass exhibits into the large savannah any time now. Also, they started opening the ground around the prospective area for otters, babirusas and crested black macaques. So it looks like they are about to start yet another project. I'm not sure, if there has ever been a more busy (or more expensive) time for the park. Three huge(!) projects like elephant building, African savannah and Himalaya as well as smaller projects all starting/developing at the same time! Crazy...
