Duisburg Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Duisburg Zoo, founded on May 12, 1934, is one of the largest zoological gardens in Germany. It is especially well known for its dolphinarium
and, since 1994, for breeding koala
s.
Far less well known are the breeding successes in other areas, for example, with fossas
(civits from Madagascar
) and Red River hogs.
The zoo is located in the northern part of the Duisburg
urban forest
on the border with Mülheim
on the Ruhr. Federal highway A 3 divides the zoo into western and an eastern parts, which are joined by a leafy country bridge. The highway is scarcely noticeable to the visitors.
. With the beginning of the Second World War
in 1939, the zoo had to be closed. Only in 1946 was the zoo reopened with animals loaned from the Hellabrunn Zoo
in Munich
. In 1952, the zoo could register the acquisition of its first elephant. In 1958, a facility for penguin
s and seals
was dedicated by businessman and promoter Helmut Horten
. In 1965, one of Europe’s largest dolphinarium
s was opened in a newly developed area. Research into the behavior of dolphin
s increased the zoo’s prestige, but also drew sharp criticism, since even the generously dimensioned dolphinarium only managed to offer a small fraction of the space available to a dolphin in its natural habitat.
Director Wolfgang Gewalt
drew similarly vehement criticism for leading an expedition to supply the zoo with a white whale. In the summer of 2004, the beluga Ferdinand and the Commerson's dolphin
Yogi, the last animals of their kind in Duisburg, were flown to Sea World
in San Diego, California, where they are spending their twilight years in species-appropriate tanks with their others of their kind. Amazingly, the animals, which are the oldest of their kind known, appear to have tolerated the move well.
In 1970, the animal park renamed itself a "zoo" and marked 1978 with the birth of its first dolphin. Besides the construction of a house for kodiak bear
s (1982), big cat
s (1985), koala
s (1994) and an outdoor facility for gorilla
s among other things, a city partnership between Duisburg
and Wuhan
was dedicated with the construction of a Chinese garden
complete with fauna. The Duisburg Zoo celebrated its 70 years of existence in May 2004. In recent years, the zoo made efforts to renovate its antiquated enclosures, which caused many species, for example the polar bears, to be given up. There are, to be sure, a few facilities which in no wise meet contemporary standards. Since September 2005, a new facility for the two river dolphin
s, dubbed the “Rio Negro”, has opened. One of the dolphins died a short time later; the other one is still alive (Oct 2008).
is inhabited by six bottle-nosed dolphins
Ivo, Pepina, Delphi, Daisy, Dolly and Donna, who live in a pool containing about 3 million liters of seawater. It is not cleaned chemically, but with special equipment using air. It is the largest dolphinarium in Germany. Depending on the season, two or three performances take place every day in the large arena. During the week, the dolphinarium is free-of-charge for visitors between performances (but not on Sundays or bank holidays). It regularly offers special treats, such as "An Evening with the Dolphins" or "Zookeeper for a Day" and weddings or children's birthday parties can be celebrated there. Dolphins have been born and bred in Duisburg several times: Duphi (1988; since died), Delphi (1992), Daisy (1996), Duke (2001; since died) and Dolly (2007, the daughter of Delphi). However, on several occasions the offspring did not reach maturity. In September 2007, Donna, the daughter of Pepina was born, and she has been on show to visitors since 27 February 2008.
House, one will find a glass-fronted area housing these small Australian animals. The koalas are only separated from the visitors by this glass plate. Additionally, one can read general information on koalas and Australia, as well as the story of how the koalas came to be in the zoo. A long-term exhibition of pictures by the nature photographer Ingo Öland is also on view, showing the landscape of Australia and its animals in 22 large-format pictures.
Enclosure is laid out to imitate the natural habitat of the fossa, with much foliage and small pools. The breeding program is the largest worldwide, and since 1994, the zoo has coordinated the European preservation program for this species. The enclosure was financed and donated by the Association of Duisburger Zoo Friends (Verein der Duisburger Zoofreunde) in 2000.
. In the autumn of 2005, the new East entrance opened, behind which one can view the mountain loris
in a 'walk-through' enclosure. Visitors can feed these animals daily. Next to the loris enclosure, colobus monkeys
also inhabit a natural-looking enclosure donated by Thyssen. Other animals in this section include orangutan
s, macaque
s, gibbon
s, sloth
s, and pygmy hippos
.
Previously, the tortoises were housed in the same building as the aquarium, where they had a large enclosure strewn with sand and into which warmimg lamps were placed.
. This TV channel has broadcast the documentary series Ruhrpott-Schnauzen since June 2006.
The last program so far was broadcast on 8 July 2008, and was succeeded from October 2008 by a new program Tierische Kumpel, which relates stories from not just Duisburg but also ZOOM Erlebniswelt in Gelsenkirchen and the :de:Aquazoo Düsseldorf).
Dolphinarium
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or for public performances...
and, since 1994, for breeding koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s.
Far less well known are the breeding successes in other areas, for example, with fossas
Fossa (animal)
The fossa is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the Eupleridae, a family of carnivorans closely related to the mongoose family . Its classification has been controversial because its physical traits resemble those of cats, yet other traits suggest a...
(civits from Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
) and Red River hogs.
The zoo is located in the northern part of the Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
urban forest
Urban forest
An urban forest is a forest or a collection of trees that grow within a city, town or a suburb. In a wider sense it may include any kind of woody plant vegetation growing in and around human settlements. In a narrower sense it describes areas whose ecosystems are inherited from wilderness...
on the border with Mülheim
Mülheim
Mülheim an der Ruhr, also called "City on the River", is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It is located in the Ruhr Area between Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen and Ratingen...
on the Ruhr. Federal highway A 3 divides the zoo into western and an eastern parts, which are joined by a leafy country bridge. The highway is scarcely noticeable to the visitors.
History
The Duisburg Zoo was founded in 1934 as the Duisburg-Hamborner Tierpark am Kaiserberg. In 1936, the zoo began to grow from a small animal park with its first (loaned) elephantElephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
. With the beginning of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939, the zoo had to be closed. Only in 1946 was the zoo reopened with animals loaned from the Hellabrunn Zoo
Tierpark Hellabrunn
Hellabrunn Zoo is a zoological garden in the Bavarian capital of Munich. The zoo is situated on the right bank of the river Isar, in the southern part of Munich near the quarter of Thalkirchen...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. In 1952, the zoo could register the acquisition of its first elephant. In 1958, a facility for penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
s and seals
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
was dedicated by businessman and promoter Helmut Horten
Helmut Horten
Helmut Horten was a German entrepreneur who built up and owned the fourth-largest chain of department stores in Germany - the Horten AG....
. In 1965, one of Europe’s largest dolphinarium
Dolphinarium
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or for public performances...
s was opened in a newly developed area. Research into the behavior of dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s increased the zoo’s prestige, but also drew sharp criticism, since even the generously dimensioned dolphinarium only managed to offer a small fraction of the space available to a dolphin in its natural habitat.
Wolfgang Gewalt
Wolfgang Gewalt was a German zoologist, author and former director of the Duisburg Zoo.-Biography:After the study of zoology, botany, chemistry and anthropology, his main focus was research of the Great Bustard. He recorded his observations in the breeding grounds and his experience with hand...
drew similarly vehement criticism for leading an expedition to supply the zoo with a white whale. In the summer of 2004, the beluga Ferdinand and the Commerson's dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin is one of four dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus. The species has also the common names Skunk Dolphin, Piebald Dolphin and Panda Dolphin...
Yogi, the last animals of their kind in Duisburg, were flown to Sea World
Sea World
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It includes rides, animal exhibits and other attractions, and promotes conservation through education and through the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The...
in San Diego, California, where they are spending their twilight years in species-appropriate tanks with their others of their kind. Amazingly, the animals, which are the oldest of their kind known, appear to have tolerated the move well.
In 1970, the animal park renamed itself a "zoo" and marked 1978 with the birth of its first dolphin. Besides the construction of a house for kodiak bear
Kodiak Bear
The Kodiak bear , also known as the Kodiak brown bear or the Alaskan grizzly bear or American brown bear, occupies the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in South-Western Alaska. Its name in the Alutiiq language is Taquka-aq. It is the largest subspecies of brown bear.- Taxonomy :Taxonomist C.H...
s (1982), big cat
Big cat
The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...
s (1985), koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s (1994) and an outdoor facility for gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
s among other things, a city partnership between Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
and Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
was dedicated with the construction of a Chinese garden
Chinese garden
The Chinese garden, also known as a Chinese classical garden, is a style of landscape garden which has evolved for more than three thousand years, and which is inspired by Chinese literature, Chinese painting and Chinese philosophy...
complete with fauna. The Duisburg Zoo celebrated its 70 years of existence in May 2004. In recent years, the zoo made efforts to renovate its antiquated enclosures, which caused many species, for example the polar bears, to be given up. There are, to be sure, a few facilities which in no wise meet contemporary standards. Since September 2005, a new facility for the two river dolphin
River dolphin
River dolphins are the four living species of dolphin that reside in freshwater rivers and estuaries. River dolphins inhabit areas of Asia and South America. They are classed in the Platanistoidea superfamily of cetaceans. Three species live in fresh water rivers. The fourth species, the La Plata...
s, dubbed the “Rio Negro”, has opened. One of the dolphins died a short time later; the other one is still alive (Oct 2008).
Dolphinarium
The DolphinariumDolphinarium
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or for public performances...
is inhabited by six bottle-nosed dolphins
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
Ivo, Pepina, Delphi, Daisy, Dolly and Donna, who live in a pool containing about 3 million liters of seawater. It is not cleaned chemically, but with special equipment using air. It is the largest dolphinarium in Germany. Depending on the season, two or three performances take place every day in the large arena. During the week, the dolphinarium is free-of-charge for visitors between performances (but not on Sundays or bank holidays). It regularly offers special treats, such as "An Evening with the Dolphins" or "Zookeeper for a Day" and weddings or children's birthday parties can be celebrated there. Dolphins have been born and bred in Duisburg several times: Duphi (1988; since died), Delphi (1992), Daisy (1996), Duke (2001; since died) and Dolly (2007, the daughter of Delphi). However, on several occasions the offspring did not reach maturity. In September 2007, Donna, the daughter of Pepina was born, and she has been on show to visitors since 27 February 2008.
Rio Negro
The Rio Negro was opened in 2005, and is situated in the Tropical House. In a large pool lives the Amazon Dolphin Butu. The pool is constructed to look almost natural, and is separated from the viewing area by a curved, meter-high glass plate. The house is decked out naturally with wooden flooring, much foliage and uncaged animals. Previously, another dolphin Apure also lived here; at the time of his death in 2006, he was the oldest known Amazon dolphin in the world, being at least 42 years old. The pool is not intended to be exclusively used for the surviving Amazon dolphin - the plans are that it will be used in the future by sea cows also.Koala House
In the KoalaKoala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
House, one will find a glass-fronted area housing these small Australian animals. The koalas are only separated from the visitors by this glass plate. Additionally, one can read general information on koalas and Australia, as well as the story of how the koalas came to be in the zoo. A long-term exhibition of pictures by the nature photographer Ingo Öland is also on view, showing the landscape of Australia and its animals in 22 large-format pictures.
Fossa Enclosure
The FossaFossa (animal)
The fossa is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the Eupleridae, a family of carnivorans closely related to the mongoose family . Its classification has been controversial because its physical traits resemble those of cats, yet other traits suggest a...
Enclosure is laid out to imitate the natural habitat of the fossa, with much foliage and small pools. The breeding program is the largest worldwide, and since 1994, the zoo has coordinated the European preservation program for this species. The enclosure was financed and donated by the Association of Duisburger Zoo Friends (Verein der Duisburger Zoofreunde) in 2000.
Equatorium
The Equatorium is the largest section of Duisburg Zoo. It derives its name for housing animals usually found in the rainforests of the equatorial regions, and primarily houses primates. A few years ago, the installation was redesigned and renovated piece-by-piece. In 2002, the Gorilla-Bush, was opened, a large open enclosure for lowland gorillas and De Brazza's monkeysDe Brazza's Monkey
De Brazza's monkey is an Old World monkey endemic to the wetlands of central Africa.- Taxonomy :Locally known as swamp monkeys, these primates are named after the Italian-French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza. They were given the species name neglectus because of their skill in hiding from...
. In the autumn of 2005, the new East entrance opened, behind which one can view the mountain loris
Loris
Loris is the common name for the strepsirrhine primates of the subfamily Lorisinae in family Lorisidae. Loris is one genus in this subfamily and includes the slender lorises, while Nycticebus is the genus for the slow lorises....
in a 'walk-through' enclosure. Visitors can feed these animals daily. Next to the loris enclosure, colobus monkeys
Black-and-white colobus
Black-and-white colobuses are Old World monkeys of the genus Colobus, native to Africa. They are closely related to the brown colobus monkeys of genus Piliocolobus. The word "colobus" comes from Greek κολοβός kolobós , and is so named because its thumb is a stump.Colobuses are herbivorous, eating...
also inhabit a natural-looking enclosure donated by Thyssen. Other animals in this section include orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s, macaque
Macaque
The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
s, gibbon
Gibbon
Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae . The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates , Hoolock , Nomascus , and Symphalangus . The extinct Bunopithecus sericus is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape which, until recently, was thought to be closely related...
s, sloth
Sloth
Sloths are the six species of medium-sized mammals belonging to the families Megalonychidae and Bradypodidae , part of the order Pilosa and therefore related to armadillos and anteaters, which sport a similar set of specialized claws.They are arboreal residents of the jungles of Central and South...
s, and pygmy hippos
Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
.
Outdoor Tortoise Enclosure
In 2006, the Outdoor Tortoise Enclosure was laid out. It is meant to imitate the animals' natural habitat, with many stony burrows for the tortoises to retreat into and foliage in the enclosure for the tortoises to consume. Within the enclosure, there is also a small stream and 'warming shelters': Plexiglass containers into which the tortoises can go to warm themselves up.Previously, the tortoises were housed in the same building as the aquarium, where they had a large enclosure strewn with sand and into which warmimg lamps were placed.
Ruhrpott-Schnauzen
Everyday life at the Duisburg Zoo can be followed daily on ZDFZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
. This TV channel has broadcast the documentary series Ruhrpott-Schnauzen since June 2006.
The last program so far was broadcast on 8 July 2008, and was succeeded from October 2008 by a new program Tierische Kumpel, which relates stories from not just Duisburg but also ZOOM Erlebniswelt in Gelsenkirchen and the :de:Aquazoo Düsseldorf).
External links
- Duisburg Zoo home page
- Duisburg Zoo school home page
- Zoo restaurant “Zoo Terraces“ home page
- Brief portrait of all the important details at Zoo-infos.de
- The complete presentation of “70 Years at the Duisburg Zoo“ from Zoo-AG Bielefeld
- Field trip report from Zoo-AG Bielefeld
- ZDF-Series "Ruhrpottschnauzen" home page
- Website about Ferdinand, the Beluga Whale