Zoo Leipzig: Gondwanaland inspires despite construction problems and criticism!

Zoo Leipzig: Gondwanaland inspires despite construction problems and criticism!

Leipzig, Deutschland - In the Leipzig zoo, there is currently an exciting change. The zoo is considered one of the most modern in Europe and has already attracted great attention with projects such as the tropical world of Gondwanaland. Zoo Director Jörg Junhold, who has headed the zoo for 25 years, shares in his podcast "Elefant, Tiger & Co." Insights into the diverse challenges in building this unique area. Despite various obstacles, including problems with the raw maker and the far -reaching steel crisis from 2008, Gondwanaland was finally completed with total costs of around 68 million euros and is very popular. The city of Leipzig contributed around 15 million euros, while funding and donations financed the rest. However, it does not go unmentioned that these developments were controversial within urban politics, which was also a lot of media attention. Junhold and the Mayor of Leipzig had to make some tricky decisions, whereby a public exchange.

But that's not all that happens in the zoo. A fascinating water world called "Tierra del Fuego" is currently being worked on, which should attract visitors by 2026. This system will offer a walk -in underwater landscape that enables guests to experience the animals up close. It is said to house California sea lions, Humboldt penguins and various seabirds on a hectare area. A 140 meter long underwater tunnel with a breathtaking 360-degree view is also one of the highlights. The construction is progressing quickly, with the shell, which should be completed by the summer of 2025. It is planned that the open -air grandstand will be used for feeding and a wave system complements the water attractions. Zoo Director Junhold has emphasized that in all of these developments the natural design of habitats is in the foreground for the animals.

planned innovations in Leipzig's zoo

The “Tierra del Fuego” project is not the only construction site that is currently running in the Leipzig Zoo. A total of three new major projects will be completed by the Zoo's 150th anniversary in 2028. This also includes the expansion of the "Asian island worlds", which has been under construction since 2022 and is supposed to inspire visitors with a piece of Vietnam. Here Aras will soon fly around the guests and open a renovated terrarium that is connected to the aquarium, which includes alligators and other animal residents. It is therefore not surprising if the expectations of both the zoodirectors and visitors are screwing up.

The numbers speak for themselves: Over 650 animal species and more than 1600 animals are already at home in the Leipzig zoo and make the trip a real experience. The zoo remains in continuous development, with exciting innovations that will offer visitors exciting insights into the wildlife in the coming years. So it remains to be seen how the Zoo Leipzig program will develop in the coming years.

For all curious people who would like to find out about the developments and the progress of the construction projects, a regular visit to the websites of thuringia24 , the official page of the zoo leipzig Tag24 .