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Secret water world: This is how salt water is created in Leipzig Zoo!
At Leipzig Zoo, the challenge of aquarium care is highlighted, including the production of salt water for sea creatures.
Secret water world: This is how salt water is created in Leipzig Zoo!
It is located in the heart of Leipzig Leipzig Zoo developed into an important center for the conservation of aquatic and terrestrial animals. The latest episodes of the MDR documentary series “Elephant, Tiger & Co” take a look behind the scenes of the work at the zoo, in particular the challenges of creating and maintaining habitats for its aquatic inhabitants. Around 500,000 liters of water are stored in the aquariums, with a crucial element being the right salt mixture.
Once a month the zoo has a special task: the zookeepers have to produce fresh salt water to keep the aquatic ecosystem intact. To do this, a ton of salt, packed in small bags, is dumped through a shaft and then mixed with demineralized water (deionized water). Loud Day24 This special treatment of the water is important to remove harmful heavy metals and salts that could harm sensitive sea creatures.
Water quality and measurement technology
The keepers at the zoo take their tasks very seriously. Before filling the aquariums with the newly produced salt water, the water quality is comprehensively checked. Animal keeper Martina Hacker measures, among other things, the temperature, density and salt content of the mixture to ensure that everything is in the right range. Unlike freshwater creatures, many marine creatures are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment.
Another aspect of the episode, entitled “Elephant, Tiger & Co.” is available in the ARD media library, shows the animal keepers' joy in experimenting. They created a challenge for their viewers to calculate the amount of seawater that can be produced from one tonne of salt. In this way, knowledge is conveyed in a playful way and awareness of the relevance of ocean benefits is raised.
Commitment to species protection
Leipzig Zoo is not only a place of entertainment, but also an active member in the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), which was founded in 1992. With over 400 members, EAZA is the largest network organization of its kind and is committed to species protection. Its goal is to make sustainable contributions to the conservation of species through knowledge exchange and cooperation and to educate the public about the importance of nature conservation.
Thanks to these initiatives, Leipzig Zoo is also involved in international exchanges, which not only benefits the animals but also the visitors. With around 148 million visits to EAZA zoos and aquariums every year, it is clear how much awareness of species conservation has grown and how important the work of zoos and aquariums is for society.
In summary, Leipzig Zoo's commitment shows that biodiversity and the protection of marine ecosystems are more important than ever today. By producing fresh salt water and thus maintaining the habitats of their animals, animal keepers make a valuable contribution to environmental protection and raising awareness in society.