Eberswalde's new Madagascar House: A paradise for endangered species!

Eberswalde's new Madagascar House: A paradise for endangered species!

There's a lot going on at Cologne Zoo at the moment: the Madagascar House is celebrating two occasions. On the one hand, the 50th anniversary of the popular house, which opened on December 13, 1973 as the lemur house, is being celebrated. On the other hand, the house has welcomed two new animal residents who bring a breath of fresh air to the exhibition. These are the two mongoose lemurs Emena and Newton, who moved from the Berlin Zoo to Cologne. Emena is five years old, while Newton is an impressive 26 years old, making him a real veteran among primates.

The Mongoz lemurs are considered one of the stars among lemurs and are native to their native Madagascar and the Comoros. They are an endangered species and can live up to 35 years in captivity, which underlines the importance of their breeding in zoos. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies them as “critically endangered” in the wild, which makes their presence in Cologne Zoo all the more valuable. The zoo director emphasizes that the protection of these fascinating animals is important and that the exhibition in the Madagascar House is intended to inform visitors about their habitat, which plays a crucial role in education.

Insights into species protection

Parallel to the celebration at Cologne Zoo, there was recently an opening that highlighted the commitment to species protection. The newly designed Madagascar House at Eberswalde Zoo was opened on July 12, 2025. This is tailored to the needs of endangered reptile and amphibian species from Madagascar. Zoo director Paulina Ostrowska explained at the opening that this not only created a place to preserve the species, but also a space for entertainment and education. The Madagascar House shows, among other things, impressive animals such as the giant leaf-tailed geckos and the bright blue bamboo day geckos.

The newly designed house, which replaces the former wood ant house, offers natural habitats that provide the animals with a species-appropriate habitat. With this initiative, Eberswalde Zoo is setting an example for species protection and inviting visitors to discover the diversity and beauty of Madagascar.

Both zoos, the Cologne Zoo and the Eberswalde Zoo, are actively committed to preserving biodiversity and in doing so send an important message: animals such as the mongoose lemurs and the various species presented in the Eberswalde Madagascar House depend on our help. Visiting a zoo day can not only be entertaining, but can also contribute to a better understanding and appreciation of our environment.