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Dresden Zoo in crisis: decline in visitors leads to lack of money!
Dresden Zoo records 50,000 fewer visitors than expected. Zoo director demands city subsidy while finance committee deliberates.
Dresden Zoo in crisis: decline in visitors leads to lack of money!
The situation at Dresden Zoo is developing tragically, as the number of visitors in 2025 will be 50,000 below expectations. Zoo director Dr. Götz Fuchs has therefore asked the city for financial support, as the zoo is expected to be short 850,000 euros. “The high energy and construction costs, combined with the decline in visitor numbers, are putting an enormous strain on us,” explains Fuchs. In order to stabilize the financial situation, the zoo itself has to save 350,000 euros, which doesn't make the situation any easier.
In order to at least partially solve the emerging financial problems, the city plans to cover its share of the costs from additional revenue from concession fees. The city council's finance committee is discussing the provision of an extra grant of 500,000 euros. But approval is in jeopardy: the CDU, AfD and SPD are skeptical about this step. The city and zoo are overshadowed by the positive developments in Leipzig, where the zoo has been following a master plan since 2000 and is perceived as more attractive.
Financial challenges compared to Leipzig
Compared to Leipzig, where the city raises 2.8 million euros annually for the zoo, the 2.6 million euros available to Dresden are already a sign of underfunding. Entrance fees of 5.77 million euros were originally forecast for 2025, but actual revenue could only be around 5.25 million euros. A possible increase in admission prices is under discussion, but this is considered counterproductive.
The situation makes it clear that there is an urgent need for action at Dresden Zoo. SPD parliamentary group leader Carolin Ramm is calling for a concept to stabilize the financial structures. In this tense situation, the animal protection organization Peta is also making its presence felt. She calls for a rethink in animal husbandry and criticizes the ethical acceptability of the zoo. “We should reconsider the need for a grant,” said a Peta spokesperson.
City council defends the zoo
In the midst of these heated discussions, city councilor Peter Lames defends the fundamental decision for Dresden Zoo. “A zoo has an important educational and research function,” he emphasizes. Dresden Zoo, founded in 1861, must now find ways to attract visitors and increase its attractiveness, while at the same time overcoming the challenges of rising costs and falling visitor numbers.
The coming months will be crucial for the future of the zoo. Without the city's crucial support, it will be difficult for the institution to survive in tough competition with other zoos like the one in Leipzig. “There is something going on,” one might say when one considers the urgent need for action.
The discussion about the future of the zoo remains exciting and shows once again how important the exchange between city politics and cultural institutions is in order to find a sustainable solution.