Zoo Duisburg Duisburg Zoo news

Great news about the new species and refurbishing!!

About Baby... R.I.P. I had the lucky to see him in September 2019

Some time ago I heard that the exhibition from Baby was going to be for manatees when this one die. Anybody knows if this is true?
 
Great news about the new species and refurbishing!!

About Baby... R.I.P. I had the lucky to see him in September 2019

Some time ago I heard that the exhibition from Baby was going to be for manatees when this one die. Anybody knows if this is true?
This is was the plan at the time of Rio Negro's construction.... I wonder from where they might obtain manatees
 
Great news about the new species and refurbishing!!

About Baby... R.I.P. I had the lucky to see him in September 2019

Some time ago I heard that the exhibition from Baby was going to be for manatees when this one die. Anybody knows if this is true?




So sad i Wish i had Seen him but unfortunatly i have never Seen this amazing River Dolphin Species.
 
I was quite devastated to learn of the news of Baby's passing. It was my dream to visit the Duisburg Zoo to see and photograph him, but unfortunately time, money, and this damn Covid-19 pandemic got in the way! I actually wrote my own tribute on Facebook, and here it is;

"I have some very upsetting and devastating news to report. "Baby" the last Orinoco river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis humboldtiana) at the Duisburg Zoo in Duisburg, Germany just passed away today. My dream was to visit the Duisburg Zoo and see this animal, but time, money, and the Covid-19 pandemic got in the way of that. Duisburg Zoo has kept Orinoco river dolphins since 1975, but never successfully bred them. The founder stock consisted of 1 male (Baby) and 2 females that were imported from Venezuela in 1975. The director at the time of their import was Dr. Wolfgang Gewalt who had a special interest in cetaceans. Despite never having visited the Duisburg Zoo or Germany in general, but being someone who follows zoos and aquariums the way that I do, I loved this animal and formulated what felt like a special bond with him. Baby's lifespan went past the average for his species, so we can say that he lived a nice long life. He was loved and cherised and he missed by the zoo world.

Rest in Peace, "Baby"


However a friend of mine let me know that my information on Baby's acquisition wasn't fully accurate, and here is what he had to say;

"The founder stock consisted of 1 male (Baby) and 2 females that were imported from Venezuela in 1975."

Slightly incorrect - 3,2 individuals were imported. All five were captured on 19/03/1975 in the Apure River, Venezuela. Baby was an infant at the time of capture.

Oma, the albino adult female, died on 20/08/1975 and as such survived 155 days in captivity (5 months, 2 days)

Mutter, the adult female, died on 30/05/1976 and as such survived 439 days in captivity (1 year, 2 months, 12 days)

Halbstarker, the sub-adult male, died on 31/12/1978 and as such survived 1384 days in captivity (3 years, 9 months, 13 days)

Vater, the adult male, died on 08/10/2006 and as such survived 11,527 days in captivity (31 years, 6 months, 20 days)

Baby, the infant male, died on 21/12/2020 and as such survived 16,715 days in captivity (45 years, 9 months, 3 days)"
 
I was quite devastated to learn of the news of Baby's passing. It was my dream to visit the Duisburg Zoo to see and photograph him, but unfortunately time, money, and this damn Covid-19 pandemic got in the way! I actually wrote my own tribute on Facebook, and here it is;

"I have some very upsetting and devastating news to report. "Baby" the last Orinoco river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis humboldtiana) at the Duisburg Zoo in Duisburg, Germany just passed away today. My dream was to visit the Duisburg Zoo and see this animal, but time, money, and the Covid-19 pandemic got in the way of that. Duisburg Zoo has kept Orinoco river dolphins since 1975, but never successfully bred them. The founder stock consisted of 1 male (Baby) and 2 females that were imported from Venezuela in 1975. The director at the time of their import was Dr. Wolfgang Gewalt who had a special interest in cetaceans. Despite never having visited the Duisburg Zoo or Germany in general, but being someone who follows zoos and aquariums the way that I do, I loved this animal and formulated what felt like a special bond with him. Baby's lifespan went past the average for his species, so we can say that he lived a nice long life. He was loved and cherised and he missed by the zoo world.

Rest in Peace, "Baby"

However a friend of mine let me know that my information on Baby's acquisition wasn't fully accurate, and here is what he had to say;

"The founder stock consisted of 1 male (Baby) and 2 females that were imported from Venezuela in 1975."

Slightly incorrect - 3,2 individuals were imported. All five were captured on 19/03/1975 in the Apure River, Venezuela. Baby was an infant at the time of capture.

Oma, the albino adult female, died on 20/08/1975 and as such survived 155 days in captivity (5 months, 2 days)

Mutter, the adult female, died on 30/05/1976 and as such survived 439 days in captivity (1 year, 2 months, 12 days)

Halbstarker, the sub-adult male, died on 31/12/1978 and as such survived 1384 days in captivity (3 years, 9 months, 13 days)

Vater, the adult male, died on 08/10/2006 and as such survived 11,527 days in captivity (31 years, 6 months, 20 days)

Baby, the infant male, died on 21/12/2020 and as such survived 16,715 days in captivity (45 years, 9 months, 3 days)"



Same i would Love to See him too but i couldnt yet
 
Sad news. I was so fortunate to see him when I went to Duisburg several years back and I got some good photos of him...he was magnificent. R.I.P., Baby.

I wonder what they'll do with the exhibit now? I doubt they'll try to exhibit another Amazon River Dolphin....
 
Sad news. I was so fortunate to see him when I went to Duisburg several years back and I got some good photos of him...he was magnificent. R.I.P., Baby.

I wonder what they'll do with the exhibit now? I doubt they'll try to exhibit another Amazon River Dolphin....

Manatees I believe.
 
Duisburg recieved 0.1 Wombat from Hamerton, which was born last year. She is supposed to mate with the young Apari. There should be 1.3 wombats in Duisburg now, however I don't know why they don't intend to breed with the female which came from Hannover last year.
 
Duisburg recieved 0.1 Wombat from Hamerton, which was born last year. She is supposed to mate with the young Apari. There should be 1.3 wombats in Duisburg now, however I don't know why they don't intend to breed with the female which came from Hannover last year.

That would probably be because she’s an entirely separate subspecies to the others (Tasmanian instead of mainland), if they have indeed received one from Hannover (hadn’t heard about this?).
One wonders if, since the other female of the mainland subspecies at Duisburg is Apari’s mother, she will be moved to Hamerton to provide more breeding opportunities for them (as they’re the only other holder of said subspecies in Europe at the moment)...

EDIT: I’ve just been reminded that Hannover had a single mainland female and sent her to Duisburg so that they could solely focus on the Tasmanian subspecies, ignore that part haha
 
That would be because she’s an entirely separate subspecies to the others (Tasmanian instead of mainland), if they have indeed received one from Hannover (hadn’t heard about this?).
One wonders if, since the other female of the mainland subspecies at Duisburg is Apari’s mother, she will be moved to Hamerton to provide more breeding opportunities for them (as they’re the only other holder of said subspecies in Europe at the moment)...
As far as I am concerned, the female arrived in 2020 (indeed true) is the Australian subspecies as Hannover wanted to concentrate on the Tasmanian subspecies. There is no Tasmanian subspecies in Duisburg. The old female in Duisburg ist at least 20+ so I don't know if moving for breeding still makes sense
 
As far as I am concerned, the female arrived in 2020 (indeed true) is the Australian subspecies as Hannover wanted to concentrate on the Tasmanian subspecies. There is no Tasmanian subspecies in Duisburg. The old female in Duisburg ist at least 20+ so I don't know if moving for breeding still makes sense

Seems we cross posted - I just posted an edit to my post saying I was reminded that Hannover had a single mainland female that they sent over to Duisburg to be able to focus on the Tasmanian subspecies :)
 
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