Rare Asian gold cat in Heidelberg Zoo: Hope for Species Protection!

Rare Asian gold cat in Heidelberg Zoo: Hope for Species Protection!

Heidelberg, Deutschland - in the Heidelberg Zoo is reason to be happy: a rare Asian gold cat from an Indonesian safaripark has moved into the facility. This four -year -old female is one of the last of its kind in Europe, which is only represented with a total of eleven copies in European zoos. This new addition could be crucial for the conservation breeding of the endangered types of predatory cats, which is of great importance in the face of the threats - such as the destruction of their habitat and hunting. The Heidelberg Zoo is one of the few places in Germany with the animal park Berlin that holds the Asian gold cat, like Heidelberg24 reported.

unique opportunities for species protection

The female animal is now to be associated with a young hangover that was born in 2022 in the Wuppertal Zoo. In order to make it easier to get used to it, the zoo has designed special wood cladding and hiding places in the enclosures. The first encounters between the two cats are promising: through an intermediate grille, you regularly sniff yourself, which indicates a good start to the future partnership. "The two gold cats are regularly on the intermediate grille, especially the hangover seems very interested in the new cat," says Sandra Reichler, the curator for mammals, as well as The Zoo Heidelberg informed.

It is pointed out that the Heidelberg Zoo has made an important contribution to the breeding of the Asian gold cats since 1978, with 26 survivors so far. However, this was a challenge because the population in European zoos has declined sharply in recent years. Genetic diversity is crucial for the future breeding preservation of the species, and the new cat represents a valuable enrichment. The efforts of the zoo also extend to the nature and habitat protection of this species, as the cooperation with the Clouded Leopard Working Group shows, supports the projects to secure the habitats in Southeast Asia.