Berlin Zoo Berlin Zoo news 2025

GamerGorilla said:
From what I understood in the announcement, they are planning to phase out the orangutans, but might also have misunderstood it as my German is not very good.
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Your German must be quite adequate. You got the correct information.

To be honest, I am more than surprised about this. And there even are rumors they may reduce their ape collection much further. However I am not sure how substantial these rumors actually are.
 
I actually wouldn't be surprised if they stop keeping chimps as well. They only have 4 with the youngest of them being 35 and the others a good chunk older. I think it's interesting that it's the gorillas they're constructing a new enclosure for, I personally found the Bonobo one to be the worst of their great ape enclosures. Hopefully they'll be next for a renovation if they aren't getting rid of the species.
 
markmeier said:
Your German must be quite adequate. You got the correct information.

To be honest, I am more than surprised about this. And there even are rumors they may reduce their ape collection much further. However I am not sure how substantial these rumors actually are.
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If the gorillas will move and the orangutans will be phased out, what are the thoughts on the other two species and what would it mean for the redevelopment of the current primate house?
 
Al said:
If the gorillas will move and the orangutans will be phased out, what are the thoughts on the other two species and what would it mean for the redevelopment of the current primate house?
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There is no official plan. According to the rumors they are going to create a top-of-the-art gorilla complex and phase out the rest of the ape collection. Apparently, the monkey building could be redeveloped into a modern house for smaller monkeys. And this in turn could also suggest they use some of the area of the present outside enclosures of the apes to add some space to a modernized elephant complex (but this is just me speculating).
 
And now it is official: The zoo has just confirmed to media that only gorillas are to be kept in the near future!

The reason for the decision is that the zoo has neither space nor money for several modern ape houses in the foreseeable future. It would also not make sense to keep several great apes in one house. Bonobos, for example, would need an enormous amount of space for species-appropriate keeping in large groups. Orangutans, on the other hand, require particularly high indoor and outdoor enclosures. Gone are the days when zoos, like museums, collected as many species as possible. However, it cannot be completely ruled out that there could be more great apes in the zoo again at some point.

On the other hand, it could be a few years before the orangutans, bonobos and chimpanzees leave the zoo. Until then, no more new animals are expected to arrive. Only in the case of the young orang male could it happen that a pair is put together first and then placed together. Much now depends on the coordinators of the conservation breeding programmes.

Unfortunately, there isn't much information on the new gorilla complex. They just stated that they are going to stick to the location in the extension area and have developed/finalized(?) their plans for the layout architecture. They are still collecting donations, though (which they have been doing for three years now).

By the way: There has been no mention of any ape species being kept in the Tierpark. I would have been pleased if their reasoning in this matter had at least been mentioned and some perspective given (whether it could be expected at all in the foreseeable future - but I guess nothing will happen soon anyway).

Partially translated with DeepL.com (free version)
 
Fallax said:
I hope this could lead to Tierpark potentially getting great apes in the future, in a way it feels weird for Berlin to have just one species down from the four they have now.
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I really do hope they get orang utan for their Asian precinct. It would make a lot of sense and make the parks truly complementary. Given the original structure of Benefactors at Berlin Zoo ... they have always been a bit stingy to say the least ... and looked down on Tierpark Berlin (but pretty soon that can no longer hold water ...).

For the Berlin Zoo, I am hoping the zoo may choose to focus on African primates along with the gorilla in the extension zone. It would give it more of a draw card too for the area and fit with the overall theming of the parts nearer the extension area (Moorish Temple) with zebra et cetera.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I really do hope they get orang utan for their Asian precinct. It would make a lot of sense and make the parks truly complementary. Given the original structure of Benefactors at Berlin Zoo ... they have always been a bit stingy to say the least ... and looked down on Tierpark Berlin (but pretty soon that can no longer hold water ...).

For the Berlin Zoo, I am hoping the zoo may choose to focus on African primates along with the gorilla in the extension zone. It would give it more of a draw card too for the area and fit with the overall theming of the parts nearer the extension area (Moorish Temple) with zebra et cetera.
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I completely agree! A guenon species, mangabey and perhaps a colobus species would complement them well.

With the long term departure of all great apes from the current primate house it will be interesting to see what species they will exhibit here. Perhaps a focus on South American species and south East Asian species would complement the tierpark as collection well.

Do we think any of the species from the current extension at the zoo will be retained elsewhere in the zoo?
 
Al said:
I completely agree! A guenon species, mangabey and perhaps a colobus species would complement them well.

With the long term departure of all great apes from the current primate house it will be interesting to see what species they will exhibit here. Perhaps a focus on South American species and south East Asian species would complement the tierpark as collection well.

Do we think any of the species from the current extension at the zoo will be retained elsewhere in the zoo?
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@Al, I think / feel that whatever was in the extension area did not exactly have the WWOOWW-factor! Two things ... I would favour A) a complete rethink and redesign of the extension area and B) ... hopefully a real extension expansion beyond the current boundaries and limit of Zoo Berlin.

The extension should not be what it has been since it was ever acquired and absorbed into the zoo map and design plan ... AN ISLAND IN THE STREAM!


I also agree that if and when the Zoo Berlin no longer intends to maintain a representative Primate and Great Ape Building at the old location .... THEN it is great and TMM it is imperative some of the South American as well as the S.E. Asian segment of the primates in Zoo Berlin's collection WOULD nay ... SHOULD be transferred to new accomodation fit for purpose and themed along the South American Continent and the S.E. Asia zoogeographical area at Tierpark Berlin.

HEAR, HEAR, HEAR .... ZOO BERLIN Benefactors and current ZB Management Team!

(I would not mind what @markmeier's perspective would be on the above and the Great Ape/Primate Building at Zoo Berlin!!!!!
 
@Kifaru Bwana Well, my ideal idea would be:
- Gorillas and Bonobos (the former perhaps accompanied by a smaller species or two) in a modern complex for the Zoo
- Orang Utans for the Tierpark (ideally close to the Brehm building to add even more quality and variety) and possibly at some point also a group of chimpanzees (they would complement the African Savannah theming)

Realistically speaking, I guess we will be down to gorillas soon and this likely won't change any time soon. The Zoo certainly would prefer to keep everything. But it notoriously lacks space, while they also don't want to give up on showing elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, pandas, polar bears and so on. Even then, I'm certainly very surprised they will give up three of their ape species (and I wouldn't be surprised, if there will at least be plans for a comeback at some time). But I guess they didn't see another feasibly solution for the time being nor will their be an easy one in the future.

As for the extension area: Most likely, they are not going to expand it (it would be far to expensive if even possible). And it always had its qualities. I always liked the atmosphere and also the species on there. And I think some of them like the capybaras and possibly the emus may indeed end up in the Tierpark - which I wouldn't mind at all of course.
On the contrary, I actually would love it, if they were to split the camel paddocks up between South America and Australia/ Oceania and give both some upgrades like mentioned capybaras (and possibly giant anteaters, although they are still being kept outside the extension in the zoo) for South America and emus or possibly also kangaroos (if they would remain behind the ditch/moat) for Australia.
But they seem to be rather fond of their camelid collection and it is of course a long standing tradition. So I guess we have to wait and see what they actually do about that.

As for moving primates to the Tierpark: I don't see them taking on a whole lot of new species. They have a rather large collection as it stands. Of course, if there should be the chance they would love to take over the husbandry of Orang Utans and I would also very much enjoy this (see above). But I can't see them securing any funds for this in the near future.
Both zoos still have a number of open projects (for instance, both want to keep polar bears in modernized exhibits). So we probably just have to face another major loss.
 
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I'm surprised by the plans to phase out all apes from the building. All EEP need space, especially orang-utan. Current installation is not the nicest nor the best but fine I would say and with the departure of gorillas and other apes, I'm pretty sure current aviaries would do a pretty decent complex for one specie. Bonobos for example could probably be a good fit with their fusion fission social structure and make the most of 2 islands and 2 or 3 aviaries. Orang-utan would probably need to a more structural revamp but would be a good fit.

I know it would not happen (for Berlin zoo logo is gorilla) but gorillas were the best fit for tierpark in my opinion. It would have been easy to create a forested island for them and they do not necessarily need huge buildings. The 2 other African apes might be alternatives but do not have the same attractivity. Orang utan is maybe the best fit with Tierpark's collection but out of all apes, this is the most demanding one in terms of exhibitry and for which naturalistic enclosure is the hardest to achieve/maintain.
 
Fallax said:
I hope this could lead to Tierpark potentially getting great apes in the future, in a way it feels weird for Berlin to have just one species down from the four they have now.
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The Tierpark Berlin 2015 Masterplan already mentions orang-utan in or nearby the current Monkeyhouse. The latter would be given an Asian interpretation. However, given the current adjustments toward Madagascar, it seems to me that new changes are unlikely in the near future.
 
Therabu said:
I'm surprised by the plans to phase out all apes from the building. All EEP need space, especially orang-utan. Current installation is not the nicest nor the best but fine I would say and with the departure of gorillas and other apes, I'm pretty sure current aviaries would do a pretty decent complex for one specie. Bonobos for example could probably be a good fit with their fusion fission social structure and make the most of 2 islands and 2 or 3 aviaries. Orang-utan would probably need to a more structural revamp but would be a good fit.

I know it would not happen (for Berlin zoo logo is gorilla) but gorillas were the best fit for tierpark in my opinion. It would have been easy to create a forested island for them and they do not necessarily need huge buildings. The 2 other African apes might be alternatives but do not have the same attractivity. Orang utan is maybe the best fit with Tierpark's collection but out of all apes, this is the most demanding one in terms of exhibitry and for which naturalistic enclosure is the hardest to achieve/maintain.
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My 2 cents on the matter is that the Capital facilities are quite able and known how to move the animals in both facilities, but there's different stakeholders that go in the way: heritage and historical buildings/structures (which I also like), economic difficulties and human pride on both the zoo and sustainers' side, to maintain a legacy of symbol-animals which means spending more to upgrade something that could be built cheaper/easier on the sister facility's site.
 
Can a regular visitor tell me where in the aquarium (which tank) I can find the
Richardson's moray (Gymnothorax richardsonii)? It is mentioned on ZTL as being seen and signed on june 2024.
 
ralph said:
Can a regular visitor tell me where in the aquarium (which tank) I can find the
Richardson's moray (Gymnothorax richardsonii)? It is mentioned on ZTL as being seen and signed on june 2024.
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I'll go through my notes and get back to you on that. Though I seem to recall it was incredibly shy and I didn't manage to get photos of it but that was last July.
 
They've moved the Malay crestless fireback (Lophura erythrophthalma) from "Welt der Vogel" to the Pheasantry, to one of the aviaries that only has exterior views. In fact, they didn't bring it out today, and I haven't been able to see it; I'll try my luck tomorrow when the weather is better.
Another one I haven't seen is the yellow-crested duiker (Cephalophus silvicultor). I've passed by several times during the day and nothing. Let's see if I'm lucky tomorrow as the weather looks like it'll be better.
 
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