| Tierpark Berlin | |
|---|---|
 Main entrance | |
 Interactive map of Tierpark Berlin | |
| 52°30′10″N13°31′49″E / 52.50278°N 13.53028°E /52.50278; 13.53028 | |
| Date opened | 1955 |
| Location | Berlin,Germany |
| Land area | 160 hectares (400 acres) |
| No. of animals | 7,250 (December 2013)[1] |
| No. of species | 846 (December 2013)[1] |
| Annual visitors | 1,035,899 (2013)[1] |
| Memberships | EAZA[2] |
| Website | www |
TheTierpark Berlin is one of twozoos located inBerlin,Germany. It was founded in 1955 and is located inFriedrichsfelde on the former grounds ofFriedrichsfelde Palace, which is situated within the zoo. As of 31 December 2013[update], the zoo houses 7,250 animals from 846 species,[1] in an area of 160 hectares (400 acres). Tierpark Berlin also features two public exhibits free of charge, one being the Bärenschaufenster (Bear Show Window) forAmerican black bears. The park is also home to theTreskow family's historicfamily burial ground.
Tierpark Berlin is a member of theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and participates in about 120 breeding programmes (EEP). It maintains the internationalstudbooks for endangered species of deer and wild asses of Asia and Africa as well as the European studbook forlittle pied cormorants.[3] The zoo further participates in attempts ofreintroducing species to areas where they have become endangered or extinct and it financially supports selected in situ projects for the protection of natural habitats.[4]
Founded in 1955, it was originally established as a counterpart of the famousBerlin Zoological Garden, which was located in what was thenWest Berlin and soon to be out of reach for residents of the formereastern sector. The initial bear enclosures featured natural rocks andartificial waterfalls, while largepaddocks surrounded by old trees and canals were designed for camels and bison. In the following years and decades, other exhibits,aviaries, and larger buildings were added to accommodate a selection of carnivores,ungulates, reptiles and birds, as well as primates, including great apes. A large building for bothAfrican andAsian elephants and otherpachyderms was completed just a few years before East and West Berlinwere reunited.
Despite serious discussions dealing with a possible closure of the park, the 1990s saw a process of replacing improvised or damaged structures as well as expanding the zoo with new areas for African ungulates and primates, as well as species from alpine regions of Asia and Europe. At the same time, Berlin Tierpark, which now was designated to complement Berlin Zoological Garden, had to give up some species such asgreat apes. In recent years, the zoo has become famous for its successfulelephant breeding program. It is also one of the few zoos inWestern Europe that houses various large herds of ungulates, including some rarely kept species such asmuskoxen andtakin. It has the most diverse collection of hoofed mammals in Europe. Due to economic challenges, Berlin Tierpark recently issued a new master plan which identifies a number of potential attractions and revenues, though the funding for the proposed projects is not clear.[citation needed]
Tierpark Berlin has faced several controversies in the past, including allegations in 2008 by Green Party politician Claudia Hämmerling that it illegally sold animals, such as apygmy hippopotamus and severalAsiatic black bears, for slaughter under its former director Bernhard Blaszkiewitz (also the director of the Berlin Zoo).[5] The same year, Blaszkiewitz faced criticism for breaking the necks of severalferal domestic housecat kittens at the Berlin Zoo.[6] A polar bear cub born in 2018 was found to be the offspring of bears who were brother and sister, accidentally housed together due to a studbook error.[7]
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The first director (1955–1990) of the Tierpark Berlin-Friedrichsfelde,Heinrich Dathe, was a well-known scientist. He edited five scentitific journals and wrote more than 1,000 scientific and popular papers and books.[8] He was succeeded by Bernhard Blaszkiewitz.
Media related toTierpark Berlin at Wikimedia Commons
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