Farewell to giant tortoises: World tortoise day at the Vienna Zoo!

Farewell to giant tortoises: World tortoise day at the Vienna Zoo!

Wien, Österreich - Today there is a significant change in the Vienna House of the Sea: Four giant turtles are brought to another zoo that offers them more space. Zoo Director Jeff Schreiner emphasizes that this measure is part of a comprehensive adaptation of animal husbandry that takes into account new findings to improve animal welfare. The focus is on optimizing the living conditions of all animals.

previously removed the Sunda-Gavial Adam and several anacondas in the Zoo beforehand to make room for the new collection. In particular, the arrival of Leila, a rare and endangered West African tank crocodile, is considered an important step. In order to celebrate the farewell to the giant turtles, a farewell party will take place on the World Tortians' Day, in which various feeding and a creative stand are offered in the marine protection exhibition.

research and knowledge about giant turtles

The traditionally known slowness and durability of giant turtles is reflected in her old roommate Schurli, who was over 120 years old. Schurli and his fellow species Mädi and Menschik are part of a remarkable study by Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the results of which were published in the “Animal Cognition” journal. The study illuminates the cognitive skills of these animals, which are often underestimated.

The learning ability and memory of giant turtles were examined by a learning experiment. As part of this study, the turtles learned to link a visual signal with food. In the first step, they received a carrot when they bite a ball with a certain color. In the second step, you should select the correct ball from two alternatives. The results were remarkable: the turtles were able to successfully cope with the task after three months and after nine years and prove their healthy long -term memory.

The role of zoos in research

The importance of research in zoos goes beyond animal husbandry and includes essential areas such as breeding, nature conservation and education. Zoos and aquariums contribute significantly to the scientific knowledge and are part of a global science network. These institutions offer unique access to animals, which decisively promotes understanding of biological and veterinary aspects. Due to controllable conditions, researchers such as movement behavior and the reproduction of animals can study comprehensively.

The meaning and purpose of such research projects is to gain valuable knowledge that are important not only for the animals in the zoo, but also for the species in their natural habitats. The exchange of these scientific findings on how they are recorded in publications and specialist journals enriches international understanding and promotes cooperation between different research locations.

The coming days and weeks in the Vienna House of the Sea are all about changes and knowledge that promote animal welfare and research for the benefit of animal species.