Animal dangers in the Leipzig zoo: These jellyfish remain invisible!

Animal dangers in the Leipzig zoo: These jellyfish remain invisible!

In the Leipzig Zoo, there are an impressive variety of animal species that visitors can watch when feeding, swimming, swimming or growing up. There is a lot to discover from the majestic elephants in the "experience world of Asia" to the chimpanzee and gorillas in "Pongoland". But not all animals are intended for the eyes of the guests. The curator of the zoo, Till Ramm, has in a new podcast of "Elefant, Tiger & Co." revealed that some species cannot be seen in the zoo for good reasons.

In the current episode, everything revolves around the fascinating world of jellyfish. Among other things, the zoo houses the best -known species, such as the ear jellyfish. So far, one may think that jellyfish is not very exciting, but Ramm brings some fascinating facts to light. For example, these creatures have special eyes on the edges of their umbrellas; Two of them are even built as human eyes with lens, retina and cornea. "You can create pretty good pictures," explains Ramm and thus increases interest in this often known being.

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 changes between sexual and asexual stages. The males put sperm into the water that is absorbed by the females, whereupon new larvae are created. Interestingly, visitors to the Leipzig Zoo cannot see the polyps that develop during this phase. "We have the polyps separately behind the scenes," he says. These small forms of life need different conditions than their fully developed relatives and are therefore not suitable for visibility in the aquarium.

not only jellyfish are a challenge. According to Till Ramm, there is also the Australian Seeperep, an extremely poisonous jellyfish species that can regularly be dangerous for humans. "The time in which you then die theoretically is very short," explains the curator. There is now an antidote, but the time is crucial until its use, since the symptoms can use very quickly. This makes it essential that this species is not kept in the zoo. "That would be too dangerous," he emphasizes.

The decision not to exhibit such animals is considered an important step by those responsible for the zoo to ensure the safety of visitors and employees. The idea of ​​getting in touch with such a jellyfish is completely unacceptable for the zoo curator. In addition, dealing with these animals during aquarium cleaning could be risky for the zookeepers. "Which animal keeper would take the risk of catching these animals themselves?" He asks rhetorically, which underlines the need for caution.

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

If you are interested in the entire episode, you can listen to it on the zoo website and learn more about the special requirements and the secret life of the animals that take place behind the scenes while the visitors enjoy the other attractions.