With regard to animal husbandry there are two main geographical priorities in Görlitz Nature Conservation Zoo: Europe and Central Asia. The Upper Lusatian farm has been a comprehensive, authentic and realistic facility for our European pets for a long time. In 2005 the foundation stone of the Tibetan village was laid in order to not separate our Asian pets by putting them in individual houses and enclosures. At the end of 2006 the building site was consecrated by a Tibetan monk.
In order to depict the living conditions of the animals and the Tibetan farmers as accurately as possible some of our employees have traveled to Tibet to the roof of the world several times. They had coversations and lived with Tibetans site by site, took photos and measurements, looked over the shoulder of workers while building new houses and helped them with their daily work. We would like to share this experience with our visitors with heart and mind so that they can get an idea of it and above all get a feeling for the people and animals in Tibet.
A region in Western Tibet was used as a rolemodel. It is characterized by the use of a mixed construction of natural stone and wood. Our Yaks, camels and cashmere goats were given a large outdoor enclosure in Tibetan style with high storage for hay and straw. The Tibetan pigs live in a separate house. In addition to that there are also various wild animals nearby our Tibetan village which enrich our facility. For example, porcupines inhabit a ruin at the edge of the village. They can be fed and observed on their feeding table at close range. Blue crown jays, Chinese bamboo chickens and Edwards pheasants can be admired in a walk-in aviary.
The SZ newspaper article dated August 24, 2009 offers a detailed report Cover photo items.
A two-storey farmhouse is accessible for visitors to give more insight into the typical Tibetan way of life and furnishings. In comparison to the neighboring barn the architectural styles, methods and use can be compared directly. Chortening, prayer flags, a water-powered prayer wheel, hand-held prayer wheels and mani stones convey impressions of Buddhist religion. In the Tibetan farmhouse trilingual signs inform about their meaning but also the origin of mandalas or the handling of the grain mill. A three-minute film tells of the establishment of the Tibetan village in the zoo in the living room of the Tibetan farmhouse.
We also want to provide information about current problems facing Tibetans. Educational deficits, insufficient medical care and environmental protection are just a few of these points. Our zoo takes part in the campaign "Raise the flag for Tibet" every year (www.tibet-flagge.de). The background to that is the popular revolt that happened March 10th in 1959. The hissing of the flag is a sign of democracy and human rights to prevent the human rights violations, the destruction of the Tibetan culture and the oppression of the Tibetan population to be forgotten. The desire to preserve the impressive nature and culture of Tibet is also connected to that.
With our Tibetan recipes you can bring a piece of Tibetan culture straight to your home and let it melt in your mouth!
