I would usually agree with you, but given how many people have made similar comments like @Onychorhynchus coronatus (you really need a shorter name, mate) in my social media outlets, break-ins seem to trigger very emotional reactions in people. And to be honest, my own emotions regarding the burglar(s) are not the friendliest...
Wow ! That one didn't occur to me at all but I'm curious how so? I mean theoretically let's say if the thief broke into your premise and in a frantic look for money one of the snake enclosures and was bitten as a result but given anti-venom by medical professionals and survived. In that scenario above how would that make you legally culpable for the injury sustained under German law ? I'm not questioning what you've said but rather just trying to understand why in that scenario you would be considered responsible.
To be clear I wasn't wishing death upon them and quite the opposite in fact. I was merely stating objectively that if a thief had been bitten by snake during a raid and after arrest and treatment by medical professionals survived and the details of that night reached the media then the following : The story would probably make tabloid headlines across the world because of a mix of elements within it that are the composition of any catchy story. Things like an implicit cautionary tale / moral fable and black comedy and horror. That is to say I think that the press would eat it up and it would make worldwide zoos as it's almost something like a modern brothers Grimm story or one from "Tales from Arabian Nights".
German law doesn't apply to me since WdG is in Salzburg, Austria... My security measures have to make sure that no one gets hurt. Who knows if an unscrupulous lawyer could make a case out of that...
Once again sorry for the Germany / Austria confusion lol. Well I just don't see how you could be considered responsible if you have taken every precaution and the thief was to break into an enclosure.
We have had enough recent cases involving snakes in Austria (an escaped retic python hiding in the toilet and biting the toilet user in Graz, a convict keeping several venomous snakes illegally in Carinthia, a young guy dead due to a illegally kept V. ammodytes bite yesterday and my case). There's a popular video online of a guy breaking into a venomous snake room and fleeing when the gaboon viper threatens him...
Well I can definitely understand your caution and yes the law does seem to be a very messy minefield. Anyway needless to say I'm glad that they weren't bitten and that you are not facing that kind of situation.
You're not an unscrupulous lawyer. Some of them do know how to twist the law. They could make it a case that the door wasn't strong enough, that the warning signs were not in Romanian... Who knows? To be honest: I'm not in the mood to discuss any "What if" scenarios. I'm glad that it didn't end up worse, and that's it.
Well to be honest you should have warning signs in every Indo-European language including Basque and Finnic-Uralic too lol just kidding mate. Anyway yes I'm glad things are alright.
New in the WdG: a pair of the Indian red scorpion (Hottentotta tamulus); according to "Guinness World Records", the most dangerous scorpion species. Which is debated among scorpion fans, but nevertheless an interesting story to tell...
Good news: today we passed the annual federal zoo control again, once again without any complaints. And I'm expecting a very interesting shipment from the UK on the 22nd of September.
Sooo, it's official now: London Zoo's Inland taipans and last Western Diamondback rattlesnake have left ZSL and the UK. I just picked them up from Vienna Airport and am now driving to WdG
Great news and another reason (= the taipans) to put your institution on a schedule for a zoo trip to Austria/Bavaria.
No bushmasters? glad that these animals have found a great new home, must come visit when I eventually get to Austria!
Its wild cousins living in the chaparral outside my home say hello. At least I think that's what they are saying. My parseltongue is rusty. They might be saying "get us one of those new gopher burritos from Taco Bell, or we might have to bite you". It's a tricky language.
A local newspaper article on the ZSL transfer: https://www.sn.at/salzburg/chronik/...te-zwei-giftschlangen-nach-salzburg-110117638
Starting today, the Association of Museums of Salzburg has granted WdG the official status of a museum for three years.
Had not heard of it before (not a surprise, I'm more into mammals and birds) so looked it up. Stunning, and obviously a snake that does not feel the need to hide. How venomous is it?
