display
Dresden (dpa / sn) - The corona pandemic has caused the Dresden Zoo a significant loss of visitors and thus of income.
Last year around 627,000 guests came, almost 30 percent fewer than in the previous year, as director Karl-Heinz Ukena announced on Wednesday on the occasion of the zoo inventory.
By the end of the year there had been a loss of revenue of around one million euros.
The Dresdeners would have remained loyal to the zoo during the pandemic: “With the city of Dresden we also have a strong shareholder who subsidizes us so that the running costs are covered.
The care of our animals and the safeguarding of all jobs was never endangered. "
Despite the crisis, the planning for the new orangutan house continues.
With a cost of 17 million euros, it will be the largest construction project in the history of the zoo.
The start of construction is planned for the summer.
Breeding orangutans has a long tradition in Dresden.
display
An investment grant from the city is not expected due to the current economic situation.
Therefore, a loan of 12 million euros should be taken out, it said.
The remaining amount is to be financed from own funds and donations.
By the end of the year, 126,000 euros had been donated.
Overall, they want to raise ten percent of the construction sum from donors.
Dresden Zoo has been closed since November 2nd due to the pandemic.
Everyday life at the zoo continues behind the scenes.
As usual, the new year began with the recording of all animal populations.
The number of animals remained almost constant at around 1500.
However, the zoo recorded a decline in biodiversity.
This was due, for example, to the donation of capybaras and Parma kangaroos, it said.
With the death of the giant salamander, the keeping of this amphibian species ended.
This year, however, new animals are expected to arrive, for example the African spoonhounds before Easter.
Further newcomers are planned for gorals - an Asian goat species - and ring-tailed lemurs.
Dresden Zoo