#### In Memoriam * Hartmuth Wiedenroth († 03.06.2011) * ####
Ein großer Tier- und Menschenfreund |
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Thema: ZOO BERLIN / Auch: Kritik der Süddeutschen Zeitung Bewertung:  |
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Ich muss hier mal eine Frage loswerden, aber erst nachdem ich allen ein schönes, erfolgreiches, glückliches und gesundes Neues Jahr gewünscht habe.
Meine Frage: Dürfen die drei Bärliner Eisbärinnen eigentlich auch raus? Ich hatte vor einigen Tagen gelesen, dass sie in ihren Wurfboxen sind. Wenn es mit Jungen nicht geklappt haben sollte, wann dürfen die Ladys denn endlich raus in die Kälte und in den Schnee? Weiß jemand Antwort.
Liebe Grüße,
Conny
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Happy New Year to you too, dear Patrica.
As far as your comments about the missing water and an extra fence are concerned, I would like to give you a reply without trying to speak for Uli, Sylvia and Barbara.
Naturally, in the wild the animals will quench their thirst with snow, rain water and the like. However, the water they find in nature, is not fecies- and urine-contaminated as it is at the zoo. At times, when neither snow, puddles of rainwater, or other water resources are available, they suffer from thirst. And, that is exactly the topic in this case: animals in zoos should not have to be thirsty or drink contaminated water. Many of the zoos offer fresh drinking water to their animals, including bears. Our zoo is planning to install drinking devices when they finally remodel the bear enclosures, same as they did for the primates and other animals as well. It is quite understandable, that in order to keep a zoo up to the latest standards of animal keeping, it has to be an ongoing process. So much has been learned in the past decades and so much has to be - and thankfully is being - changed that often it is a question of finances and priority to not only keep up, but catch up to modern standards. Drinking water should be a priority.
As to the fence in front of the wolf enclosure, it is a temporary fence which will be removed again in the spring. It is placed there for the visitors protection. When the water in the moat is frozen, the wolves might jump up when someone carelessly reaches over the glass. It is not very high and is merely meant to keep the distance.
You adore Sylvia’s photos? That is good. I shall try a little analysis as to possibly why. She loves animals and walks through the zoo with open heart and eyes (as most of us do). She sees the beauty of flora and fauna and captures it in her photography. She also (again, as many of us) sees misgivings and inquires about them and sometimes questions the setting of priorities on the part of the zoo. What connects all of us though, is the deep love for the animals and our beautiful zoo.
I hope I could explain some of the things in question and possibly you in turn might be able to revise your extremely harsh words, such as “cheap, worthless and easily given”.
Best regards
Doris
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Dear Doris, thank you for your reply. Well, OK, I admit that my words were harsh and unfriendly and even though I do not intend to start an endless discussion or so, I will hereby try to explain why I wrote it.
First of all, it goes without saying that Sylvia is having a warm hearth and open eye for the animals. Only a person with a great and deep love for animals is willing to visit the Zoo on an almost daily basis (however, I think it is rather daily) in whatever weather circumstances, to make such beautiful pictures and to report on the daily life of these animals. And furthermore, I like Ursula’s subtitles to Jessie’s photos. In most cases, they are funny and ad rem. And I am daily checking to see whether she has posted a new episode of “Eine Foto und eine Geschichte” (na ja, my German is awful, I know). But :
1. Having access to water is indeed a priority, and as you wrote, the Zoo has scheduled improvements to these accommodations.
2. I know the extra fence at the wolves’ enclosure (I have seen it before) and we all know that it is there for the safety and security of all parties, both animals and humans.
And so, the thing that made me soo upset was the fact that notwithstanding they possess of the same information like you, their comments were negative (well, in my eyes) and most of all, there are better ways to express one’s concern. You all know that you have a wonderful zoo (whether you like or dislike its director is actually having no importance because nobody can change that situation), but sometimes I wonder whether they realize what kind of reaction this might bring to foreigners who have never been in your Zoo and reading such comments. It must give these foreigners the impression that it is about the worse place on earth (which is definitely not true !!!!).
And finally, may I ask you to cross your fingers that everything works well because I plan to come to Berlin at the end of Jan. or beginning of Feb.
Regards,
Patricia
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Hallo Patricia, danke für Deine netten Worte zu meinen Fotos.
Auch heute sah der Zoo mit dem Schnee sehr schön aus
Eine Krähe, die anders aussah mit dem Federkleid
Überall im Zoo hängen Besucher Meisenknödel auf
Der Reiher im Braunbärengehege
Siddy
Die Wölfe, durch die Scheibe aufgenommen. Deshalb sind die Fotos nicht so klar.
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@ Patricia
you all know that you have a wonderful zoo
As a frequent visitor to the zoo for many years I regret that many people, Germans and foreigners alike, who only pay a visit now and then, prefer to close their eyes to the obvious shortcomings in the keeping of the animals. Because, if they all would observe carefully, follow up to what they have seen and raise their voices, much might have been changed a longtime ago.
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Patricia,
please allow me to explain in more detail what my posts are about.
In my first posting I referred to information I received from frequent zoo visitors that the bears ( at Zoo Berlin ) must drink from their moats as they have no access to fresh drinking water. During the day at least.
Then I tell the readers that I googled with 'zoo animals' and 'drinking water' and got no hit. In the German section of the web that is.
I then refer to an article about the projected polar bear enclosure in Munich. For this enlosure the usage of water from the river Isar is planned. And I tell from a guided tour at Zoo am Meer Bremerhaven, where I got the information that the pools there are filled with drinking water as the river Weser is too contaminated. The water for the pools at Zoo am Meer is filtered and treated with ozone daily, 24 hours, 7 days a week.
I go on reflecting on the usage of moat water for farm animals and I question if we should not ask ourselves if we would want to drink what we put out for our animals.
You may have read that I have posted about water quality and water management at zoos more often. I want people to be aware that there are different water qualities, many means to improve water quality and the urgend need to distribute water more just. To zoo animals, farm animals and between us. Water is a precious asset and we should use it accordingly. When I see farm animals who are forced to drink contaminated water or zoo animals no matter in which zoo - and please go back to my post and see if I mention Zoo Berlin with any word - I am deeply concerned that the vallue of fresh drinking water and the access to it are not dealt with properly.
No zoo or farm or pet animal should be forced to drink from puddles or from moats contaminated with their own feces only because there are no alternatives. I know from the headstrong housemates I care for that animals may choose to drink rain water or lick snow but they should never be forced to.
Now to my second post:
when I use this  emoticon in a posting, that part of a post is meant ludicrously. In my post I reinforced the silliness by referring to tame "wolfjes". I usually do not belittle animals in my posts. To seperate the silly part of my post I went on writing: "Spass beiseite [...}". ( Seriously ).
You are always welcome to ask for clarification of a post of mine. You know that you may adress me in Dutch.
Barbara
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Heute Vormittag waren alle vier Wölfe draußen
Die kleine Esel-Dame wurde am 11.12.2009 geboren
Siddy schlummerte im weichen Schnee
Bao Bao schmeckt es auch bei der Kälte
Doppelter Panda ?
Zwei die sich verstehen
Eiszapfen am Dach des Schweinehauses
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Monika Sylvia Doris.....
Danke für die schönen Winterfotos...
Bei Euch liegt ja viel Schnee!
Gruss Birgit B
Der kleine Esel süß !!
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Hallo Patricia,
es ist immer sehr erquickend, wenn auch von Ihnen mal ein Beitrag zu lesen ist, auch wenn es sich dabei um Kritik handelt.
Mit der Negativkritik klappt es nun schon ganz gut, vielleicht sollten Sie sich hin und wieder an einen positiven Beitrag versuchen.
Wie lösen die Zoos in Belgien ihr Trinkwasserproblem für die Tiere? Sicher haben Sie das eruiert.
Ein gutes neues Jahr wünsche ich Ihnen,
Uli
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Auch Siddy und die Wölfe genossen den Sonnenschein. Immer öfter sind jetzt alle vier Wölfe zu sehen. Während sich eine der kleinen Wölfinnen lange am Tage meistens versteckte und erst während der Abenddämmerung regelmäßig zu sehen war, hat auch sie ihre Scheu abgelegt. Offensichtlich ist die Rangfolge nun geregelt im Rudel.
Doris
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