Zoo Leipzig: Nurse publicly admits: "I refuse" (to euthanize a rhino)
Mayhem rules at Leipzig Zoo almost daily. Boasting about 630 animal species, the 27-hectare park plays host to a diverse menagerie of critters. But it's not just animals causing chaos. Besides the hoards of visitors, there are 250 dedicated employees - keepers, admin, and catering staff - ensuring the animals' wellbeing.
Taking care of the Scimitar-horned Oryx in the "Himalaya" enclosure is Holger Wust, a keeper who dishes the dirt in the MDR podcast "Elephant, Tiger, and Co." In a shocking revelation, he confesses their hopes for little Scimitar-horned Oryx running around the zoo.
Wishing for Baby Scimitar-horned Oryx
Be it a bee or an elephant, Leipzig Zoo claims to house more than 3,000 vivacious animals. With each one requiring tender love and care, it's a full-time job for countless keepers daily, like Holger Wust. The Scimitar-horned Oryx are relatively novice residents compared to other species. The new male arrival, "Janno," has only set foot on the "Himalaya" grounds since early this year, due to a lack of romance between his previous counterpart "Paul" and female "Nicole." Hoping for a spectacular in-zoo debut, everyone's keeping their fingers crossed for baby Scimitar-horned Oryx.
Without any success thus far, Leipzig Zoo and Wuppertal Zoo even swapped the males (for more information, read on)
Efforts have their boundaries
"Since the Scimitar-horned Oryx are not kept in large groups but in pairs, the goal of creating a herd is not an issue." Holger Wust clarifies. "But of course, if you're keeping the animals and both sexes, the ultimate goal is to breed, and there's nothing cuter than little Scimitar-horned Oryx, as well as observing their mating, pregnancy, and child-rearing behaviors - that's all part of their natural tendencies, which we want to permit our animals."
To make this possible, Holger has even conversed with keepers from Wuppertal Zoo. "Obviously, you do exchange information when necessary," Holger confesses in the podcast. Yet, every effort has its limits. When asked whether he takes zoo tours to converse with more Scimitar-horned Oryx keepers, he almost chuckles, "I don't go on zoo tours. I'd be lying if I said otherwise... but I've got other colleagues who do nothing else in their free time."
To delve deeper, listen to the entire episode of the MDR podcast "Elephant, Tiger, and Co." >>HERE<<
Enrichment Insight: While resources do not provide specific breeding efforts or conservation partnerships regarding the Scimitar-horned Oryx, many European zoos collaborate in coordinated breeding programs and animal exchanges to protect endangered species like the Scimitar-horned Oryx. If you need up-to-date information, consult the official websites of Leipzig Zoo and Wuppertal Zoo or European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) documentation for detail.
Even though their primary focus is on the diverse array of animals in the zoo, the keepers like Holger Wust are also working hard to introduce new members to the Scimitar-horned Oryx family. In an attempt to achieve this, Holger has been in touch with keepers from Wuppertal Zoo. However, every effort has its boundaries, and Holger mentioned that he doesn't spend his free time visiting other zoos to speak with Scimitar-horned Oryx keepers, unlike some of his colleagues who may do so.
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