Although it was only allowed to reopen on March 8 after a forced break of 126 days due to the pandemic restrictions, the Opel Zoo had a record number of visitors last year.

Almost 581,000 day visitors came to the outdoor enclosure between Kronberg and Königstein in 2021.

The high growth of 28.6 percent can be explained by the losses in the first Corona year 2020.

But the absolute number also represents the previous peak value. The fact that there are higher figures from earlier years is due to a change in counting.

From 2017, the estimated number of visits per annual pass was set significantly lower.

Thanks to digital recording, the exact value can now be given.

Bernhard Biener

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Hochtaunus district.

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"There was obviously a lot of catching up to do," said Gregor von Opel, Chairman of the Opel Hessian Zoo Foundation, about the great demand.

“We successfully defied the pandemic.” At first he feared that the consequences of the corona virus could become existential for the zoo.

Director Thomas Kauffels blamed a number of reasons for the fact that things turned out differently.

It starts with the summer, which offered less swimming pool weather than previous years, and extends to the often canceled holidays.

That is why many families have opted for day trips.

In addition, the Opel Zoo with its outdoor enclosures does not live from show houses.

"People are outdoors in nature, that's our unique selling point." The visitors felt safe.

But there was also a lot going on in 2021 when it came to livestock.

Not every change was pleasant: Zimba, the last of the old elephant cows, died in April.

In the meantime, young bull Tamo and newcomer Kariba, who came to Kronberg with her foster mother Lilak in 2020, are getting along better and better, said Kauffels.

"They're still practicing," he said, hoping for a massive pachyderm romance.

The tours through the Madagascar aviary, which opened in May, in which ring-tailed lemurs and red ruffed lemurs can be seen without a separating fence, were fully booked.

Actually, visitors should be able to walk through the facility with the lemurs on their own.

But Kauffels is still hesitating.

“Even on guided tours, the participants are undisciplined and, for example, bring food with them contrary to instructions.

Among the upcoming changes this year is the construction of a new entrance on the Kronberg side of the Philosophenweg.

After decades of discussions, the zoo now has the opportunity to dispose of the path that runs right through its grounds.

Which is why Kauffels called the decision of the Kronberg city councilors on the development plan last October the "most important decision for the zoo's future viability".

To compensate for the loss of the public footpath to Königstein, the people of Kronberg receive an annual ticket at half price and a passage ticket valid for one hour on which their fingerprint is saved.

"But only on the map," the director pointed out.

It is used for identification when you leave the zoo at the exit on the Königstein side.

Königstein still has the opportunity to join the treaty and claim the same terms for its citizens.

New Asia expansion

The vast majority of visitors arriving from a greater distance, on the other hand, will be more interested in the planned construction of the Asia facility.

Of the seven animal species that are to be shown there on 18,000 square meters, three Indian rhinos are undoubtedly the most prominent.

Malayan tapirs, short-clawed otters, Asian deer and binturongs, the largest species of civets, will also be settling in Kronberg in a few years.

The preliminary planning has now been completed, now the approval planning begins, said Kauffels.

Specifications could be created and offers obtained on their basis.

"By the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023 we will then have cost certainty and can decide on the construction." It is already clear that the ten to twelve million euros specified in the architectural competition in 2019 would not be enough in view of the increase in construction costs.

In addition to the prospect of exotic animals, visitors should also be able to enjoy the painter's view over Kronberg to Frankfurt from a terrace.