Start of the Species Protection House in Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo

The "House of Horrors" has become a Conservation House: On Friday morning, the new Conservation House was opened in the Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn, which is intended to make a strong statement in the fight against illegal wildlife trade, as stated at a media event. It should "raise awareness for this important issue," said Severin Gruber, Secretary General in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and owner representative of the Schönbrunn Zoo Society m.b.H.

According to the zoo, illegal wildlife trade is one of the most lucrative global crimes. Wild animals are mainly traded as medicine, food, fashion items, decoration, status symbols, and for pet keeping. "In addition to habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade poses a massive threat to individual endangered species and biodiversity. Many of these animals are fatally injured during capture or die during transport. The loss of a species can massively affect the balance of entire ecosystems. Zoological gardens try to counteract this in many ways," emphasized Zoo Director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck.

Live Animals Seized

In Austria, the customs authority is responsible for combating illegal trade. Most often, medicines or animal products are found. However, live animals are also seized. For rare animal species, the Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn is one of the first points of contact for customs. In the new Conservation House, there are now 16 terrariums showcasing animal species that were partly brought to the zoo through seizures years ago, but were mostly kept behind the scenes and successfully bred.

This includes offspring of the critically endangered Three-Keeled Box Turtle, which is smuggled for the meat and pet market and was seized at Vienna Airport in 2015, as well as the Sand Gecko, which is frequently smuggled for pet keeping and was also seized at the airport in 2017. For the first time, there are also offspring of the Crocodile Tegu, which were seized in the Netherlands in 2021 and handed over to the zoo. The Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn claims to be the first zoo in the world to have bred these South American lizards in 2023.

"By building healthy reserve populations through targeted breeding outside the natural habitat, we make a significant contribution to active species conservation. With the new Conservation House, we are bringing this work out of the zoo's backstage area and linking it with public education about the devastating effects of illegal wildlife trade," explained Hering-Hagenbeck.

Fischer's Chameleon Also in the Conservation House at Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn

With species-protected chameleons from Tanzania, of which more than 70 animals were secured at Vienna Airport in January 2021, breeding has already been largely successful with great effort. These reptiles born in the zoo are now on display in the Conservation House: including the Usambara Three-Horned Chameleon, the Nguru Pygmy Chameleon, and Fischer's Chameleon. Last but not least, the work of the conservation detection dogs is also documented.

(APA/Red)

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