Animal-pleasing retrospectives: The year at Leipzig Zoo 2024!

Animal-pleasing retrospectives: The year at Leipzig Zoo 2024!

Leipzig Zoo is celebrating its spectacular animal highlights this year! An unforgettable moment occurred in Gondwanaland when the gardener Martin Hönicke discovered a cute baby sloth during his evening walks. “I saw the two arms on the heating pipe and asked myself: ‘What is that?’” reported Hönicke. There was great joy when the little sloth that the team had been waiting for for years was finally seen alone for the first time. Animal keeper Martina was thrilled: "I can't get enough of it. I'd love to hang out!" We can expect this sight again soon, because the sloth will soon have another addition to the family, confirmed Hönicke. “Martin has to be prepared to perhaps experience one or two animal surprises on his evening walks,” says the nurse ^thuringia24.

Strong visitor numbers and new animal births

In 2022, Leipzig Zoo was an impressive destination, visited by over 1.87 million guests, which is the third highest result on record. Zoo director Jörg Junhold expressed his satisfaction and attributes this rush not least to the boom in city tourism. While admission prices will remain stable next year, two elephant births are the upcoming highlights, and the zoo is expecting two more elephants and giraffe offspring early this year. The aim is also to reopen the modernized Arche discovery land this summer, while the Fabrikium is being further renovated ^MDR.

The zoo is also committed to species protection. The newly established breeding station for the endangered European hamster is to be expanded over the next few years, supported by various institutions and the zoo's circle of friends. The past few months clearly show how important the commitment to protecting biodiversity is and how much solidarity has been experienced in the times after the pandemic.