Berlin Tierpark Tierpark Berlin News 2024

Apparently, they started refreshing/restructuring the exhibit of the Spectacled Bears/ Andean Bears and plan to turn it into a mixed-species-exhibit.

As far as I am aware, there is no official information about the planned species or if they are going to keep presenting spectacled bears there. If they keep them, perhaps they may add Bush Dogs (someone posted about prior plans for this combination) or other existing animals like (male) howler monkeys (there a is an increasing surplus of males). Or they could easily get some type of coati...

So even though there likely won't be any other large projects beside the elephant complex for some time, it doesn't get boring...
 
As I was curious and wanted to learn more about the plans for the spectacled bears enclosure, I searched through some sources. Well, I didn't learn any new facts on this topic. However, I found some other stuff about the grass roots Tierpark supporters ("Freunde der Haupstadtzoos").

- The zoo has received the CAT M316 mobile excavator for 180,000 euros. It can be used to transport feed and manure as well as animals or construction materials. So even if it does not relate to a specific (main) construction project, it could support smaller construction projects. Of course, it also helps a lot with routine tasks.
- Donations have been granted and are still being sought for garden maintenance (including new plants and equipment), which is another measure/activity outside of the traditional ones, but which can have a positive impact in various places in the park. Having said so, a lot has already been done in this respect anyways (ever since they got some additional public funds for gardening).
- As a major fundraising project, the support association now wants to raise money (again?) for the new Banteng enclosure close to the recently opened Asian enclosure.
However, the bantengs are now even to be kept together with the existing Burmese brow-antlered deer. I think that's an exciting idea and should also go down better with visitors.
- The zoo has been home to a pair of black and rufous elephant shrews from Leipzig since the end of 2022, which are to be presented in the newly opened elephant house in the future and apparently are starting to show some breeding activities behind the scenes.
 
markmeier said:
As I was curious and wanted to learn more about the plans for the spectacled bears enclosure, I searched through some sources. Well, I didn't learn any new facts on this topic. However, I found some other stuff about the grass roots Tierpark supporters ("Freunde der Haupstadtzoos").
- As a major fundraising project, the support association now wants to raise money (again?) for the new Banteng enclosure close to the recently opened Asian enclosure.
However, the bantengs are now even to be kept together with the existing Burmese brow-antlered deer. I think that's an exciting idea and should also go down better with visitors.
- The zoo has been home to a pair of black and rufous elephant shrews from Leipzig since the end of 2022, which are to be presented in the newly opened elephant house in the future and apparently are starting to show some breeding activities behind the scenes.
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A great new project I think and absolutely sounds worth having at Tierpark Berlin. I wish they can attach some other animal species here like Asian suids or smaller deer and perhaps a few primates (langur, gibbon, tarsier, slow loris) for this new Asian area.

I would hope the design / project team will have looked at for example the Asian Rimba area at Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem, Netherlands for inspiration.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
A great new project I think and absolutely sounds worth having at Tierpark Berlin. I wish they can attach some other animal species here like Asian suids or smaller deer and perhaps a few primates (langur, gibbon, tarsier, slow loris) for this new Asian area.
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Does any zoo keep slow loris outdoors? I can't imagine such a small, fragile and nocturnal species would do well in an outdoor exhibit, never mind one that is mixed with a selection of larger ungulates and primates, but would be interested if there are indeed any examples of this...
 
Kalaw said:
Does any zoo keep slow loris outdoors? I can't imagine such a small, fragile and nocturnal species would do well in an outdoor exhibit, never mind one that is mixed with a selection of larger ungulates and primates, but would be interested if there are indeed any examples of this...
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I could be wrong but Night Safari Singapore does so.
 
Kalaw said:
Does any zoo keep slow loris outdoors? I can't imagine such a small, fragile and nocturnal species would do well in an outdoor exhibit, never mind one that is mixed with a selection of larger ungulates and primates, but would be interested if there are indeed any examples of this...
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I would favour a nocturnal house attached to a primate indoor / outdoor or something for loris and tarsiers.

Mere speculation ..., of course. Probably will never happen!
 
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Kalaw said:
Does any zoo keep slow loris outdoors? I can't imagine such a small, fragile and nocturnal species would do well in an outdoor exhibit, never mind one that is mixed with a selection of larger ungulates and primates, but would be interested if there are indeed any examples of this...
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The EAZA best practice guidelines for slow loris does mention that the enclosure at Monkey World is an outdoor mesh aviary that is covered over with a permeable membrane to allow air movement and rain ingress while still keeping the light levels low - something which allows live plants to be grown in there.
Far from the cold being an issue, the main problem seems to have been that the enclosure is prone to overheating.
 
markmeier said:
So even though there likely won't be any other large projects beside the elephant complex for some time, it doesn't get boring...
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On the topic of the elephant redevelopments, is it known exactly which individuals will live in the complex when it opens? Will it just be the three African cows that left in preparation for the work on the area in 2020, or will Pori stay with her daughter and granddaughters at Halle? Even the three females wouldn't exactly take up the whole exhibit (though maybe that's a good thing while/if it is growing in), though I guess a bull will be joining the herd to help it expand when the work finishes.
 
Rajang-GOAT said:
On the topic of the elephant redevelopments, is it known exactly which individuals will live in the complex when it opens? Will it just be the three African cows that left in preparation for the work on the area in 2020, or will Pori stay with her daughter and granddaughters at Halle? Even the three females wouldn't exactly take up the whole exhibit (though maybe that's a good thing while/if it is growing in), though I guess a bull will be joining the herd to help it expand when the work finishes.
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Berlin Tierpark hardly publishes any information on things like that. So no, we could only speculate on this.
 
markmeier said:
Berlin Tierpark hardly publishes any information on things like that. So no, we could only speculate on this.
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Let us leave it till the final product - the new Elephant House with outdoor exhibits - will be finished. Do you know what is currently planned or foresighted to be the inauguration / opening dates for the new Elephant Complex?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Let us leave it till the final product - the new Elephant House with outdoor exhibits - will be finished. Do you know what is currently planned or foresighted to be the inauguration / opening dates for the new Elephant Complex?
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They also don't give any official dates (any more). But luckily they have to communicate with Berlin's senate and the latter publishes a lot of its internal communication on their website... But to make it short: The last update suggested it likely will still take until 2026.

By the way: The "nagging" about the elephants and their new building led me to do some research again and there are actually updated aerial views from April 30th which I missed. :D
I will just put in the links for each of the 9 pictures, even though there is quite some redundancy:
Luftbild Berlin - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Berlin aus der Vogelperspektive: Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Berlin von oben - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Luftaufnahme Berlin - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Luftbild Berlin - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Berlin aus der Vogelperspektive: Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Berlin von oben - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Luftaufnahme Berlin - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)
Luftbild Berlin - Sanierung Gebäudekomplex Dickhäuterhaus im Tierpark in Berlin, Deutschland (luftbildsuche.de)

This kind of complements the last official update from February: Wer zieht in das Elefantenhaus? – Zoo Berlin (tierpark-berlin.de)

I think we can see some progress here. But the most critical process - putting up the roof - hasn't really started (although it seems like they now prepare everything for it). They wanted to begin constructing the roof this Spring, so let's hope it will actually start this month...

And because of it dives a rather wide perspective, this also gives an idea what the whole area will be like once this complex gets finished. They will then connect giraffe exhibit (quite large, as some of you may know from your visits) with the new Savannah (huge!). And, apparently, the smaller animals will even be able to visit the elephants.

I think this has the potential to become something similar for the Tierpark like Gondwana represented for Leipzig. On the other hand, this also suggests the Tierpark may reach a peak here so it will be tough to actually raise much attention with new zones or even smaller developments after that.

This is also true now, of course: There aldready are smaller building projects which don't get communicated by the park at all...

...like the renovation of the present spectacled bear exhibit including the visitor area:
144140.jpg (383×600) (schueling.com)
144031.jpg (496×600) (schueling.com)
It seems like they are building two viewing huts at the right and at the left part of the glass front (I hope this should far improve the visibility of this long stretched enclosure). And apparently it is going to be a mixed species exhibit after that.

...or the former wildebeest and future okapi exhibit.
...or the former exhibit of the snow leopards.
...or the present water buffalo exhibit which is designated for bantengs and eld's deer.

So let's keep digging ;)
 
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@markmeier, thanks for your additional comments on the Elephant project (2016 ..).

And yes, correct to mention all the other developments and smaller projects happening at Tierpark Berlin. It is continueing at break-neck speed (and I am happy with that progress ...).
 
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I only wish this project would come along quicker. I always felt like the official dates were too optimistic and expected 2025. So I am not quite as disappointed as others were and still are. But now we are already going for 2026 and this may not be the final date. Probably, I'll only start to feel better as soon as they actually begin putting that large new roof on top of the building. Or if they should ever start to communicate more frequently and more reliably about their small and large projects (like other zoos seem to do, at least as far as I am aware of it).

But you are still right. Compared to the decades before, the park has seen a lot of money and progress in the last 10 years.
 
markmeier said:
...like the renovation of the present spectacled bear exhibit including the visitor area:
144140.jpg (383×600) (schueling.com)
144031.jpg (496×600) (schueling.com)
It seems like they are building two viewing huts at the right and at the left part of the glass front (I hope this should far improve the visibility of this long stretched enclosure). And apparently it is going to be a mixed species exhibit after that.
Click to expand...

It seems like they are creating an immersive forest exhibit: The new climbing trees have been pulled much closer to the front and complement the new tree log design of the visitor's area.
144230.jpg (800×588) (schueling.com)

I think this design well suits the combination spectacled bear and bush dog which has been spoken about (but not confirmed).
 
Baringogiraffe12 said:
Confirmation that the cubs have been sexed as 2,0. :)

Tierpark Berlin | Berlin
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The Tiger cubs have received the names of EDE and KUNO.
Tierpark Berlin on Instagram: "Das Geheimnis ist gelüftet: Unsere Tiger-Brüder heißen… Ede und Kuno! Unser Tiger-Team und die indonesische Botschaft haben sich gemeinsam für diese Namen entschieden. „Ede“ und „Kuno“ dürften einigen von euch ein Begriff sein: Die Namen basieren auf den beliebten Cartoonfiguren Ede (Tierparklehrling) und Kuno Wimmerzahn (Ritter) des Berliner DDR-Karikaturisten Erich Schmitt. ✏️ ➡️ Die Tiger-Zwillinge kamen am 25. Februar zur Welt und leben seither mit Mutter Mayang und Vater Jae Jae bei uns im Alfred-Brehm-Haus. The secret is out: Our tiger brothers are called... Ede and Kuno! Our tiger team and the Indonesian embassy have jointly decided on these names. "Ede" and "Kuno" may be familiar to some of you: The names are based on the popular cartoon characters Ede (Tierpark apprentice) and Kuno Wimmerzahn (knight) by the Berlin GDR cartoonist Erich Schmitt. ✏️ ➡️ The tiger twins were born on February 25 and have been living with their mother Mayang and father Jae Jae at the Alfred Brehm House ever since. #sumatratiger #tigertwins #tiger #tigerbrüder #edeundkuno #tierparkberlin"
 
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