Good news from the House of Representatives: the Berlin Senate will make a maximum of €15 million available both to Berlin Zoo and to Tierpark Berlin in the course of the next three years.
In April 2016, the Zoo and Tierpark applied for grants from the GRW Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures programme. Today, the Senate published a press release confirming that both applications have been approved. The good news was greeted with joy and enthusiasm. “We are delighted to have more planning security for construction developments at the Zoo and Tierpark Berlin. We are extremely grateful to the Senate for using these funds to secure the future of these outstanding zoological institutions,” said Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr Andreas Knieriem. “It’s a great investment towards strengthening Berlin as a tourist destination.”
Projects the Tierpark plans to finance with GRW funds include: restructuring the enclosures to follow a more geographical order, improving the overall experience for visitors; establishing a closer alignment with modern trends in education; and developing future-oriented concepts of zoo-keeping that envisage animals living in large herds and communities. Part of the funding will also go towards the creation of a Himalayan mountain landscape, which is also a convenient way of using the aggregate materials.
The Dickhäuterhaus (Pachyderm House) in the Tierpark is also due for renovation. The existing building will be transformed into a unique area that recreates the animals’ natural habitats.
The funds will also go towards improving visitor infrastructure in the Tierpark. Comprehensive information about individual animal species will be provided for visitors from Germany and abroad, raising the profile of the animal park as a tourist destination.
Berlin Zoo also aims to use the funds to improve visitor information. Multilingual signage, more educational activities, new greenery and additional toilet facilities are some of the measures in the pipeline to help Berlin Zoo cope with increasing visitor numbers.
A number of lighthouse projects that aim to give visitors the ultimate zoo experience include new rhino and tapir enclosures and a new elephant house. The facilities will be extended and restructured in a way that is suitable for the species and in harmony with their natural habitats.
