Completely agree. They are easily the most popular exhibit at the zoo, but I cringe to think of how excessively huge the complex is and the far more interesting and important species that could be housed there. But I suppose that's why the Tierpark exists!
But that's exactly what I mean. And along the same lines, I can totally see them give up on the sloth bears to be honest. Then they'd have pandas (THE WWF maskot and symbol of all exotic as well as endangered species), polar bears (THE poster animal of climate change) and brown bears (one of THE symbols of extinct native fauna as well as THE symbol for the city Berlin).
Other (possibly even more endangered) bears like sun bears, spectacled bears and so on can either find a place in the Tierpark or they possibly won't care too much about giving them up.
Also it doesn't surprise me that they would bring polar bears back despite the Tierpark already having some as well which could well deal with some more space and an overall upgrade. Not to forget species with mediocre exhibits in the Zoo like apes/monkeys and elephants that perhaps could and should have a higher priority than bringing back another expensive species.
It may sound a bit cynical (and don't get me wrong: I like the Zoo including some of its pomp), but I could even imagine them thinking:
"Well, how will Tierpark fans like it, if we not only have polar bears return to the zoo but also give them an amazing new exhibit where they can breed - just like we intended for the Tierpark - and even announced to start fundraising for it - but then never followed up?
Ummh, I just remember we also never moved one of the ape species there as we originally announced.
Ups, or send the panda offspring over there as we told we would.
Or the koalas that were to come to the Tierpark instead.
And then we even decided we also want Red Pandas in the zoo.
But I guess, we never really cared in the past. Why would we start now?
And even better: Let them have remodel some exhibits and put some Asian small-clawed otters and even some okapis on some of them. Then they can show some popular species of Zoo Berlin and they won't feel so bad about an amazing whole new complex for polar bears in the zoo."
Like I said, I really don't mind it, if the zoo has amazing exhibits for all the popular zoo animals (including big pandas and polar bears etc) and possibly even ends up #1 in the Sheridan ranking some day in the future. If there should actually be koalas in Berlin, I'd even give them to the zoo myself, as they'd fit there just perfectly and I don't really need them (or big pandas) in the Tierpark. It's just the overall attitude which kind of gets on my nerves: Making promises and breaking them. Having each single compromise one-sided. Pretending like none of it was planned like that.
And again, I don't ever see them giving up on their elephants either.
By they way: I did some sketchy measuring on google maps. I'd say they extension area, the area just before it, where they now have the okapis etc (and used to have some rhinos) and also the area between elephants and monkey building all three potentially make up about 1.6 hectares space without loosing any highly popular species or modern buildings which cannot be replaced at another place in the zoo. If you wanted more space for the elephants it's impossible at the extension area, whereas it probably would be most difficult/expensive at the present elephant area.
Having said that, I wouldn't be too surprised, if they move more or even all of their apes (or at least all of the African ones) over to the extension area eventually. Then they would have a whole new and attractive complex in the traditional systematic approach (closely related species share the same section) but still avoid crowding all their monkeys and apes like now (I'd say it's a bit of an "overkill").
And this way they could knock down some parts of the monkey building to add space to the elephants (bringing it up to 2 hectares or more) without even moving them in the park. The remainder of the building can provide more modern and generous exhibits for some of the most popular or attractive monkey like orangs (if they stay) but also some smaller ones like squirrel monkeys.
What possibly speaks in favour of this:
- The elephant plans for the extension area seem outdated once and for all.
- The okapis and bongos receive a modernized complex close to the extension area very soon and this wouldn't make sense, if they are going to knock it all down. In contrast, it would make a whole lot of sense to also move the bonobos close to gorillas, okapis and bongos. They could also get mandrills again for this section as some of them also exist in Congo.
What possibly speaks against this:
- This would mean several massive construction sites and quite some years without being able to present some of their prime attractions.
- So far they tried using old building structures rather than knocking down too much of them.
But I don't think, Andreas Knieriem would like the monkey complex nor the elephant complex too much. And as you need both animal groups for strategic reasons and they could also generate some donations, he may well feel like making an exception in this case.
last year when attending the Zoohistorica event at NaturZoo Rheine I had an interesting discussion with a few German zoo enthusiasts and professionals on the subject, and the fact that the zoo was entirely uninterested in my offer to donate my copy of the 1866 guidebook (which seems to be the only extant copy as far as anyone I have consulted can tell) to their archives.
