Animal dangers in Leipzig Zoo: These jellyfish remain invisible!

Animal dangers in Leipzig Zoo: These jellyfish remain invisible!

Leipzig Zoo has an impressive variety of animal species that visitors can watch while feeding, bathing or dozing. From the majestic elephants in the “Asian Adventure World” to the chimpanzees and gorillas in “Pongoland”, there is a lot to discover. But not all animals are intended for the guests' eyes. The zoo's curator, Till Ramm, said in a new podcast from “Elefant, Tiger & Co.” reveals that some species cannot be seen in the zoo for good reasons.

The current episode is all about the fascinating world of jellyfish. The zoo is home to, among other things, the most famous species, such as the moon jellyfish. So far you might think that jellyfish are unexciting, but Ramm reveals some fascinating facts. For example, these creatures have special eyes on the edges of their umbrellas; two of them are even built like human eyes with a lens, retina and cornea. “They can create pretty good images,” explains Ramm, thereby increasing interest in these often overlooked creatures.

Life-threatening creatures in the background

Not only the jellyfish but also their reproduction is of interest. Ramm explains that these animals have a complex reproductive cycle that alternates between sexual and asexual stages. The males release sperm into the water, which is ingested by the females, whereupon new larvae emerge. Interestingly, visitors to Leipzig Zoo cannot see the polyps that develop during this phase. “We have the polyps separately behind the scenes,” he says. These small life forms require different conditions than their fully developed relatives and are therefore not suitable for aquarium visibility.

But it's not just jellyfish that pose a challenge. According to Till Ramm, there is also the Australian sea wasp, an extremely poisonous species of jellyfish that can regularly be dangerous for people. “The time in which you theoretically die is very short,” explains the curator. Although an antidote now exists, the time it takes to use it is crucial as symptoms can set in very quickly. This makes it essential that this species is not kept in zoos. “That would be too dangerous,” he emphasizes.

The decision not to exhibit such animals is seen by zoo officials as an important step to ensure the safety of visitors and employees. The idea of ​​coming into contact with such a species of jellyfish is completely unacceptable to the zoo curator. Additionally, handling these animals during aquarium cleaning could be risky for keepers. “What zookeeper would risk catching these animals themselves?” he asks rhetorically, underscoring the need for caution.

This exciting podcast episode is not just about the supposedly “boring” jellyfish, but about a deep understanding of the challenges associated with keeping complex and potentially dangerous animal species. “The background to these changes can be read in the article from www.thueringen24.de,” explains Ramm and invites the listeners to find out more about the fascinating, but sometimes dangerous, world of underwater creatures.

Those interested in the full episode can listen to it on the zoo's website and learn more about the animals' special requirements and secret lives that go on behind the scenes while visitors enjoy the other attractions.