Leipzig's zoo director Junhold takes stock: Farewell after six years!

Leipzig's zoo director Junhold takes stock: Farewell after six years!

Leipzig, Deutschland - A farewell that remains in the memory: Prof. Dr. Jörg Junhold, who has significantly shaped the fate of the Leipzig Zoo and the Association of Zoological Gardens (VDZ) in the past six years, has resigned. Today, various news portals are saying goodbye and take a look at his success and challenges. For the Leipzig Zoo, his time as a director was not only shaped by joy, but also by intensive challenges, for example by the Corona pandemic and the former Ukraine crisis. Thuringia reports that ...

Junhold, who has also been President of the VDZ since 2019, leaves improved political visibility in Berlin and became known for his focus on the participation of zoo experts in law developments. His successor, Dr. Dag Encke from the Nuremberg zoo, now takes over the Presidium of the VDZ. Junhold looks back on a term in which he modernized the work structures for research, public relations and protection of species. However, he remains the VDZ as an active member for another three years and can look forward to his new role as treasurer of the European Zoo Association (EAZA). TAG24 reports that ...

The role of zoos in species protection

The review of Junhold's efforts emphasizes the central role of zoos in species protection. These facilities are often in the crossfire of criticism, but have also brought a lot of light into the dark: Zoos take responsibility by maintaining and rehabilitation. Your work is an important contribution to biodiversity and animal species threatened. The knowledge shows that ...

There is criticism of zoos, especially with regard to the species -appropriate attitude, but the approaches to better animal welfare and cooperation with universities for researching official standards are important. Junhold himself has reformed the species protection foundation and established a public zoo and wildlife forum, which strengthens the view of zoos as an education and information centers. These engagements are necessary in the context of a holistic approach so that Zoo can successfully continue their role in species protection in the long term.