Berlin Tierpark Tierpark Berlin news
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To change the subject... 0.2 Northern Chinese Leopard have been born
Chinese leopard cubs at Berlin zoo | www.statesman.com
Chinese leopard cubs at Berlin zoo | www.statesman.com
@chizlit and BjoernN: Why not check out the new thread if you are interested in individual enclosures 
I would enjoy discussing it, but it is rather off topic in a news thread. It also is easy to always throw in critical comments while it may be more productive to have a more detailed and well-rounded analysis...
http://www.zoochat.com/109/animal-husbandry-educational-efforts-tierpark-293004/
@Nisha: Apparantly they also received a female snow leopard for breeding. I don't know where it is from, though.
I would enjoy discussing it, but it is rather off topic in a news thread. It also is easy to always throw in critical comments while it may be more productive to have a more detailed and well-rounded analysis...http://www.zoochat.com/109/animal-husbandry-educational-efforts-tierpark-293004/
@Nisha: Apparantly they also received a female snow leopard for breeding. I don't know where it is from, though.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
Does anybody know where from yet? I know Twycross were expecting their cubs (1.1) to leave in Autumn/Winter 2012 and was wondering if this could be 'Maya' born at Twycross. (Irma x Suou)
Thanks markmeier,
New buildings are costly and time-consuming indeed, but environmental enrichment for primates (many climbing branches and ropes, sight screens, toys, soft surface indoors) is really cheap, affordable even for little orphanages.
Are there any details of this planned cat/sun bear/possibly orangutan accomodation at Tierpark?
New buildings are costly and time-consuming indeed, but environmental enrichment for primates (many climbing branches and ropes, sight screens, toys, soft surface indoors) is really cheap, affordable even for little orphanages.
Are there any details of this planned cat/sun bear/possibly orangutan accomodation at Tierpark?
@Pertinax, BjoernN, Jurek7: During my last visit I checked out the outside enclosure for the mangabeys and it is in fact not overly well equipped. They did use the fence for climbing by the way which I wasn't sure about. And the inside enclosures for all monkeys have improved a lot in my opinion. They have a lot of equipment in there (climbing structures but also leafs, branches etc. on the floor) and they make extensive use of it.
Other than that I learned of some news concerning the master plan, but nothing is certain yet. Apparently, the 5 mio playing ground+ has the best chances of getting through. There are rumours about a surprising funding for the North American part, however, whcih would include cougars, beavers, otters, bald eagles and prairie dogs among others (compare: http://www.zoochat.com/109/tierpark-2020-a-226469/index4.html ). The polar bear enclosure and the Brehm-building still feature massive building sites. Neither of them looks like they will be completed in 2012, but perhaps they both open in spring 2013. This isn't any official information, though. The eagle aviary at the entrance, however, still didn't see any constructions.
Other than that I learned of some news concerning the master plan, but nothing is certain yet. Apparently, the 5 mio playing ground+ has the best chances of getting through. There are rumours about a surprising funding for the North American part, however, whcih would include cougars, beavers, otters, bald eagles and prairie dogs among others (compare: http://www.zoochat.com/109/tierpark-2020-a-226469/index4.html ). The polar bear enclosure and the Brehm-building still feature massive building sites. Neither of them looks like they will be completed in 2012, but perhaps they both open in spring 2013. This isn't any official information, though. The eagle aviary at the entrance, however, still didn't see any constructions.
Pelican-breeding startet well : 2 Dalmatian pelicans have hatched !
Two weeks before christmas the Tierpark reached the magic number of 1 mio visitors. This has been the second year in a row now (and only the second time in recent years). It seems, however, like last year's total number can't quite be reached again (in 2011 the park had some 1,06 mio visitors). Having said that, so far the total number for 2012 has not been officially announced.
I hope that 2013 will be an even more successful year and there are some developments that may help.
-The tropical hall in the Brehm-building should finally be completed. Unfortunately, this will not be of any help in the coming weeks and months but it may help at the end of the year. Also the visitors will make use of it thorughout the year and it is definitely going to be more attractive than the present building site (particularly if the new board walk is well received)...
-The visitor areas of the polar bear enclosure should soon be completed as well. Polar bears are still rather popular and another ugly building site will disappear. The project is supported by the sports team Berlin Eisbären and so this should get some additional media attention as well. And the young and playful female polar bear Tonya may actually generate some long term visitors as well.
-2013 will also see new building sites, though. The one for the big cats may actually be well-received, though. Actually the cages are the biggest issue of critique. I hope the construction site will feature some posters that inform visitors about this project. The same basically holds for the eagle aviary. It is situated near the main entrance but it is not very attractive. So visitors may rather cheer for the rebuidling. Oh, and the prairie dogs are to receive a bigger and more attractive enclosure as well.
-Other than that the tierpark still wants to improve the service and the public relations. This may be very promising and I actually notice more adverts throughout the city. It also depends on the funding, though...
I hope that 2013 will be an even more successful year and there are some developments that may help.
-The tropical hall in the Brehm-building should finally be completed. Unfortunately, this will not be of any help in the coming weeks and months but it may help at the end of the year. Also the visitors will make use of it thorughout the year and it is definitely going to be more attractive than the present building site (particularly if the new board walk is well received)...
-The visitor areas of the polar bear enclosure should soon be completed as well. Polar bears are still rather popular and another ugly building site will disappear. The project is supported by the sports team Berlin Eisbären and so this should get some additional media attention as well. And the young and playful female polar bear Tonya may actually generate some long term visitors as well.
-2013 will also see new building sites, though. The one for the big cats may actually be well-received, though. Actually the cages are the biggest issue of critique. I hope the construction site will feature some posters that inform visitors about this project. The same basically holds for the eagle aviary. It is situated near the main entrance but it is not very attractive. So visitors may rather cheer for the rebuidling. Oh, and the prairie dogs are to receive a bigger and more attractive enclosure as well.
-Other than that the tierpark still wants to improve the service and the public relations. This may be very promising and I actually notice more adverts throughout the city. It also depends on the funding, though...
Some updates:
Actually the visitor numbers for 2012 weren't as bad as I thought. In fact, the level of 2011 was almost reached again with 1.048.860 (2011: 1.053.222). We also need to remember that the one million mark had not been reached for years before 2011.
The Chacoan maras just had a baby (don't know which sex). It also seems like the Javanese leopards are about to breed again. Last time the embassador of Indonesia came to present the offspring, but I doubt this will become a routine procedure
The constructions at the Brehm-building and polar bear enclosure don't seem to proceed very quickly. In fact, the tropical hall may not reopen before late in 2013
By the way: At least on of the new outdoor enclosures for the cats may receive a large pool with windows for the visitors. Blaskiewitz apparently saw such a construction at an Indonesian zoo and immediately wanted it for the tierpark. It was very similar with the lemure forest which is modelled after a similar enclosure Blaskiewitz visited in the US. In fact, the lemure forest is one of the most popular enclosures for many visitors - so I am quite curious about this pool
Actually the visitor numbers for 2012 weren't as bad as I thought. In fact, the level of 2011 was almost reached again with 1.048.860 (2011: 1.053.222). We also need to remember that the one million mark had not been reached for years before 2011.
The Chacoan maras just had a baby (don't know which sex). It also seems like the Javanese leopards are about to breed again. Last time the embassador of Indonesia came to present the offspring, but I doubt this will become a routine procedure
The constructions at the Brehm-building and polar bear enclosure don't seem to proceed very quickly. In fact, the tropical hall may not reopen before late in 2013
By the way: At least on of the new outdoor enclosures for the cats may receive a large pool with windows for the visitors. Blaskiewitz apparently saw such a construction at an Indonesian zoo and immediately wanted it for the tierpark. It was very similar with the lemure forest which is modelled after a similar enclosure Blaskiewitz visited in the US. In fact, the lemure forest is one of the most popular enclosures for many visitors - so I am quite curious about this pool I wish he'd visit more zoos and learn both aspects!
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
He has probably visited more collections than you and myself combined!
I'd guess that's true, but he seems to be a little slow in putting into action what he has seen then.
@chizlit:
It's the old discussion again I should not have wasted the time to create an entire thread for this topic as it seems to get connected to any Tierpark-related event or decision and keeps popping up on this main thread anyways... I think it is rather easy to keep criticizing Blaskiewitz or the Tierpark as a whole and to do so in such a general way, whereas it may be far more productive to actually discuss specific aspects that need to be improved and how this could be done with the limited staff and funds available...
Speaking from personal experience, I believe the staff generally does a rather good job and for the most part the animals also do quite well. I haven't had much time to visit recently. If I get to go, however, I also get to watch the animals a lot and occasionally I manage to speak with some of the animal keepers as well. Some of them - the latter of course - also occasionally visit other zoos and they don't necessarily agree that the often cited "modern" zoos are so much better for the respective animals. Just let me cite/ translate some statements from a post from a German zoo forum (January 10th 2013):
Two well-informed forum members (with evidently far more knowledge on the building, the individual animals and their daily routine than I possess) immediately confirmed this keeper's description of the present status. This is also what I thought. Most of the time the cats do sleep or doze, some of the time they climb around on the trunks (trees), play around with some wood, or chase after each other. They also communicate with each other across barriers and a keeper told me they definitely enjoy this and she witnessed some odd "friendships" where animals regularly communicate. Still other times (and particularly before their lunch) they do pace around quite a bit. The pacing is not excessive in my eyes but it indeed looks a bit odd in the comparitively small cages.
Funnily, one time a visitor told a keeper off and stated something like this "This cat is very nervous and just walks around in circles. It clearly wants to go outside and play there. Can't you let it out?" It was stated in a way that was quite patronizing and in my eyes rather inapropriate. The keeper propably was a bit annoyed but kept calm and just answered: "It's not that. The cat just gets nervous and alarmed because it wants to get sure to have some food. It is clever and knows when we prepare it." Of course, this was absolutely right and about an hour (and quite some pacing) later the cat greedily grabbed the meat with its paws and teeth and pulled it up a trunk to a platform where it started to devour the meat. After that it just slept again - or it had a nervous breakdown if we are to follow animal activists that haven't watched cats in the wild Of course, I can see how it may be quite odd for a visitor to see an animal sleep then quickly get up and walk around like this when they themselves don't notice any difference at all. But if I don't understand something and feel like asking a keeper, I am still very polite about it (ok it is also an issue of experience and I may not always have been like that either). Very often (i.e. if a keeper is around and has some time) I get a spot-on answer that proves absolutely correct if I do some research and watch the animals again. Even the staff may be alarmed at times, like when they started breeding rhinos decades ago at Berlin zoo and didn't know about the temper of the animals
It's the old discussion again
I should not have wasted the time to create an entire thread for this topic as it seems to get connected to any Tierpark-related event or decision and keeps popping up on this main thread anyways... I think it is rather easy to keep criticizing Blaskiewitz or the Tierpark as a whole and to do so in such a general way, whereas it may be far more productive to actually discuss specific aspects that need to be improved and how this could be done with the limited staff and funds available...Speaking from personal experience, I believe the staff generally does a rather good job and for the most part the animals also do quite well. I haven't had much time to visit recently. If I get to go, however, I also get to watch the animals a lot and occasionally I manage to speak with some of the animal keepers as well. Some of them - the latter of course
- also occasionally visit other zoos and they don't necessarily agree that the often cited "modern" zoos are so much better for the respective animals. Just let me cite/ translate some statements from a post from a German zoo forum (January 10th 2013):Yesterday I had a chat with one of the workers at the Brehm-building, as well as a longer and very interesting conversation with one of the keepers there. She even sacrificed some of her lunch break for it. They hope the tropical hall will open this summer (it's the 50th anniversary of the buidling this year) but it may take some longer. Apparently the cats don't mind the noise and the shield against the dust functions very well.
However, to my surprise the keeper wasn't all enthusiastic about the upcoming extensions at the outside enclosures. She said that contrary to some self-declared experts and animal rights activists, the building with its inside and outside enclosures is absolutely well-suited for the animals just the way it is. Since cats sleep most of the day, it would rather help to change the equipment more often to have still more variety for them. She said the contact between keepers and animals is very good. [...] She also wasn't all negative about the changes though, but she wants to wait and see. It may turn out quite nice she said. However, 4 million Euro are not that much money for so many enclosures in her eyes.
However, to my surprise the keeper wasn't all enthusiastic about the upcoming extensions at the outside enclosures. She said that contrary to some self-declared experts and animal rights activists, the building with its inside and outside enclosures is absolutely well-suited for the animals just the way it is. Since cats sleep most of the day, it would rather help to change the equipment more often to have still more variety for them. She said the contact between keepers and animals is very good. [...] She also wasn't all negative about the changes though, but she wants to wait and see. It may turn out quite nice she said. However, 4 million Euro are not that much money for so many enclosures in her eyes.
Two well-informed forum members (with evidently far more knowledge on the building, the individual animals and their daily routine than I possess) immediately confirmed this keeper's description of the present status. This is also what I thought. Most of the time the cats do sleep or doze, some of the time they climb around on the trunks (trees), play around with some wood, or chase after each other. They also communicate with each other across barriers and a keeper told me they definitely enjoy this and she witnessed some odd "friendships" where animals regularly communicate. Still other times (and particularly before their lunch) they do pace around quite a bit. The pacing is not excessive in my eyes but it indeed looks a bit odd in the comparitively small cages.
Funnily, one time a visitor told a keeper off and stated something like this "This cat is very nervous and just walks around in circles. It clearly wants to go outside and play there. Can't you let it out?" It was stated in a way that was quite patronizing and in my eyes rather inapropriate. The keeper propably was a bit annoyed but kept calm and just answered: "It's not that. The cat just gets nervous and alarmed because it wants to get sure to have some food. It is clever and knows when we prepare it." Of course, this was absolutely right and about an hour (and quite some pacing) later the cat greedily grabbed the meat with its paws and teeth and pulled it up a trunk to a platform where it started to devour the meat. After that it just slept again - or it had a nervous breakdown if we are to follow animal activists that haven't watched cats in the wild
Of course, I can see how it may be quite odd for a visitor to see an animal sleep then quickly get up and walk around like this when they themselves don't notice any difference at all. But if I don't understand something and feel like asking a keeper, I am still very polite about it (ok it is also an issue of experience and I may not always have been like that either). Very often (i.e. if a keeper is around and has some time) I get a spot-on answer that proves absolutely correct if I do some research and watch the animals again. Even the staff may be alarmed at times, like when they started breeding rhinos decades ago at Berlin zoo and didn't know about the temper of the animals I dont consider what you wrote as a waste of time at all, you have a lot more info on Tierpark than any of us on here will ever have.
Who really knows what the cats are thinking, the keepers who work with them all the time and know the animals moods may indeed by right, or maybe not, we will never know, until a cat learns to talk and says what he really wants.
And yes cats like to sleep lots, but on the odd occassion that they are awake I'm sure they would like a slightly bigger area to explore and play in.
Once again I will state I have no problem with Tierpark and always am interested in your news, but maybe I will just not comment on anything about director.
Who really knows what the cats are thinking, the keepers who work with them all the time and know the animals moods may indeed by right, or maybe not, we will never know, until a cat learns to talk and says what he really wants.
And yes cats like to sleep lots, but on the odd occassion that they are awake I'm sure they would like a slightly bigger area to explore and play in.
Once again I will state I have no problem with Tierpark and always am interested in your news, but maybe I will just not comment on anything about director.
Maybe you don't really have to. Todays Berlin newspapers are full of anti-praise and new facts.
And dare I ask what they are saying?
He was just his usual charming self - putting a "0.1" (zoospeak for "female") in front of women`s names in internal papers (note, no 1.0 in front of the men`s names) and said that most of the staff didn`t deserve their christmas gratification since they weren`t christians.
Chizlit, please don`t hold back - I am praying for the day to come where both Berlin zoos have a modern director who takes animal welfare into consideration and doesn`t just regard them as stamps to be collected and exhibited.
By the way, the Brehm house wouldn`t be as bad as it is if every cat would at least have one indoor cage and constant acess to the adjacent outdoor cage. But since Blaszkiewitz is a collector and needs his big cat house full to the roof, there are so many cats that many share the outdoor cage with an (incompartible) neighbour and some have to spend a lot of time in small offshow cages between the indoor cages. And I can`t see anything in that keeper`s statement that would make me think more space wouldn`t be beneficial for the cats. It is understandable that she is justifying the current situation since she probably wouldn`t be able to work there anymore if she allowed herself to realize how bad it is. Not just because the outdoor cages are too small, but because so many cats share too few cages.
I don`t even want them to reduce the number of rare leopard and tiger subspecies - if they`d limit the number of jaguars and stopped breeding/keeping the leopard hybrids, that would free some cages.
Chizlit, please don`t hold back - I am praying for the day to come where both Berlin zoos have a modern director who takes animal welfare into consideration and doesn`t just regard them as stamps to be collected and exhibited.
By the way, the Brehm house wouldn`t be as bad as it is if every cat would at least have one indoor cage and constant acess to the adjacent outdoor cage. But since Blaszkiewitz is a collector and needs his big cat house full to the roof, there are so many cats that many share the outdoor cage with an (incompartible) neighbour and some have to spend a lot of time in small offshow cages between the indoor cages. And I can`t see anything in that keeper`s statement that would make me think more space wouldn`t be beneficial for the cats. It is understandable that she is justifying the current situation since she probably wouldn`t be able to work there anymore if she allowed herself to realize how bad it is. Not just because the outdoor cages are too small, but because so many cats share too few cages.
I don`t even want them to reduce the number of rare leopard and tiger subspecies - if they`d limit the number of jaguars and stopped breeding/keeping the leopard hybrids, that would free some cages.
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