New tiger enclosure in Berlin: Start of construction for threatened Sumatra tiger!

New tiger enclosure in Berlin: Start of construction for threatened Sumatra tiger!

Berlin, Deutschland - in the Berlin Zoo is currently doing a lot, because it is being traded on a new enclosure for the fascinating Sumatra tiger. The construction work is already well advanced, which not only delights Zoofans, but also sets a strong sign of species protection. As Berlin Live , a steel arch was recently delivered and successfully set up. A total of seven steel arches will form the new home of the tigers, which enable visitors to better observe the majestic animals.

Each of these arches that has a span of 20 to 25 meters and weighs about five tons is composed of two segments on site. In the next few weeks, a fine network will be integrated into the construction that not only contributes to stability, but also optimizes the view of the tigers. Unfortunately, it is currently still unclear when exactly the new enclosure should be opened.

struggle for survival of the Sumatra tiger

The Sumatra tiger are not only an attraction in the zoo, but also a symbol of the urgent need for species protection. According to the support association of Tierpark Berlin and Zoo Berlin e.V., the zoo has been committed to preserving this type of extinction. Her natural habitat, the dense rainforest and moist swamp areas, is very threatened by various factors.

like Freunde Hauptstadtzoos . In the period from 1998 to 2002, an average of 51 tigers were hunted annually, mainly because of their parts of the body, which are very popular in Asian medicine. The illegal trade in tiger products is a lucrative business with an annual turnover of over $ 25 million. These economic incentives mean that Tiger continues to be hunted.

threat from loss of habitat

In addition to the poaching, the animals have to struggle with the destruction of their habitat. The palm oil and paper industry contributes significantly to the clearing of the forests, as far as not only the tigers, but also their prey. The number of tigers in the wild has dramatically reduced, so that the habitat of the tiger today only includes 5% of their original distribution area in Asia. In the Mekong region in Southeast Asia, where many tigers once lived, the number dramatically decreased from 1,200 in 1998 to only 350 tigers in 2010, as wwf reported.

The challenges with which the Sumatra tiger are faced with are alarming. Without determined and comprehensive protective measures, the animal species could disappear in the wilderness in just a few decades. The construction of the new enclosure in the Berlin Zoo symbolizes a step in the right direction to protect both the tigers and to sharpen the awareness of the challenges they are facing.