Although hyraxes look like rodents at first glance, they are closely related to elephants and manatees. In contrast to those, however, they can climb agilely.
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Their dress of spines turns porcupines into a less welcoming pray for predators. The effect is increased by their typical defensive behaviour: at alarm the spikes bristle up and the animals appear as twice as large. If the threat persits they will rattle their tail. If the predator kepps approaching anyways the porcupine turns to its back and ramps its spines into the enemy's body. Being in extreme distress, porcupines are able to fire off certain quills. The intruded spines get off the porcupine's back easily.
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One does not have to look long to notice the carmine red penis and azure blue scrotum of the male vervet monkeys. Sometimes the males even put their sexual organs to display. When a fellow species approaches the penis is also erected. With this impositioning behavior the animal signals superiority over other males and that way secures the interest of the females of the group.
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They are known from children‘s books, video games and by their supposedly selfless behaviour: lemmings go on mass migrations and voluntarily jump off cliffs into death due to food shortages. It is all a fairytale that has been going on for over half a century. However, it true that the small vole relatives can reproduce rapidly if there are good environmental conditions. That is also important for prey pickers such as snow owls.
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The Vietnamese sika deer is almost exterminated in its area of origin. The remaining livestocks live in gates in national parks (Cuc-Phuong, Cat-Ba and Ba-Vi) and are now under strict prodection. There are also many sikas on deer farms in Vietnam.
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Monkeys are worshipped in Asia. However their resemblance of rhesus monkeys to humans has become their undoing. To this day they are used for experiments. In the 1950s about 200,000 rhesus monkeys each year were exported from India to the USA for biological, medical and psychological reasons and even for cosmic space research. Already in 1940 Karl Landsteiner discovered the so called rhesus factor (Rh+ or Rh-) in their blood which also exists in human blood.
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The Reeves‘ muntjac is a primeval deer species. It has small pair of antlers but also elongated, pointed and sharp corner teeth in the upper jaw. Those canines are used for fighting rivals. Five-year-old males often no longer have canines since they become thin and break easily when rubbing them on trees. Muntjacs are also called barking deer. They owe that name to their short, harsh and loud calls which resemble the barking of a dog. That way they are warning of danger.
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Hearing the word "panda" most people visualize a large black-and-white bear. The lesser panda which is also called red panda or red cat-bear not only resembles a raccoon but is also closely related to it. The name "panda" was given to them by the Europeans who explored East Asia in the 19th century. Perhaps they derived it from the Nepalese word POONJA which can be translated to "bamboo paw". Bamboo is the favorite food of both.
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Since the 1930s the North American racoon has been spreading throughout Germany. As opportunists they not only eat almost everything they also inhabit the urban area where the "poltergeist" is not necessarily liked by many house and arbor owners. It is a controversial discussion whether they are dangerous for endangered native species. With a number of 800,000 animals we now have to live with them...
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Pygmy marmosets reach a head to barrel length of 12-15cm and a weight of 100-120g. Therfore, they are still larger than e.g. mouse lemurs which is the smallest primate but are not counted as real monkeys. A group of pygmy marmosets consists of a couple and their (even adult) offspring. To avoid inbreeding the dominant couple suppresses reproduction of the other group members by hormones and aromatic substances.
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The Persian gazelle is an Asian gazelle species. It owes its name to a chondroid thickening on the neck of the males wich swells up during the rut in autumn. The function of this "goiter" is attributed to acoustic enhancement.
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Père David's rock squirrels are endemic to China. It is not an endangered species because it is widespread and has a large total population and is also found in protected areas and very common in some places. Although they mainly live on the ground they are very good at climbing.
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Especially in the early morning hours and in the twilight the manul goes hunting in the high-altitude steppes of the Himalaya. Their short legs show that they hunt their prey only for short distances. More often they hide near dens of small rodents and wait persistently for their prey. If the den is not very deep they reach into it and try to fish for its inhabitants. Small rodents and pikas are a large part of their prey.
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Although it is the largest mammal in Australia the great gray kangaroo cub is no larger than a gummy bear at birth. It measures just 2.5 cm and weighs less than 1 gram! Although completely underdeveloped it finds its way from the birth opening into the mother's pouch and clings to a teat with its mouth which it won't let go of for the next two to three months. Immediately after the birth of a young animal the female mates again. However, this embryo only develops and is born when the older cub has finally left the pouch. The evolutionary advantage is likely to be found in the sometimes inhospitable habitats of these animals: if the cub dies or the mother has to leave a successor is immediately available.
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The reproduction of this species which belongs to the callitrichidae is very interesting. Golden-headed lion tamarins are very social animals that live in small groups of about 2 to 11 individuals. However, only one female is able to reproduce. Pheromones supress the cycle of the remaining females in the group. The offspring is therefore "exclusive" and is cared for by the whole group: older siblings and especially the father carry the offspring (usually 2) around on their backs. The mother only takes them for feeding. Rearing the offspring all together helps the lactating mothers to stay fit.
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In contrast to a normal domestic guinea pig, which is fully grown at one year of age and then weighs around 1kg, a Cuy already reaches this weight at the age of four months.
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The menu of the otters in our zoo varies. There are fish, liver, mice or chicken, heart or rumen. The food of their free-living conspecifics looks different. In addition to fish they also hunt craps, amphibians and small animals. Wild ducks or herons are also a feast for them just like for the zoo otters who share their large enclosure with them. They sometimes catch such a bird themselves and then they do not wnat to know anything about the food of the zoo keepers.
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Without domestic yaks the life of the Tibetans at an altitude of more than 2000m would be unthinkable. They are very insensitive to the cold and they are very undemanding. Because of their big claws they are very helpful pack and riding animals on snoy mountain passes. Their tasty meat is often cut in stripes and dried. The milk is processed into butter and their fur into clothing, blankets and tents. Their excrement is dried in wood-poor areas and used as fuel. The tail serves as a fly swatter.
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Originalls the species was widespread in north-eastern Germany and Poland. The undemanding and resistant milk sheep is well adapted to barren pasturages on dry sand and wet soils and was often kept for personal requirements-. Since the beginning of the 19th century the livestock of sheep was steadily declining. The wool is too rough for people. That is why the wool is only being felt today. Soft, smooth synthetic fibres often replace sheep's wool in textiles.
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The black rat is a descendant of arboreal species from southern Europe that still nest in trees. As a synanthropic species it lives in packs, consisting of up to 60 animals. It is often found in barns, attics and granaries. Black rats are very curious and playful. They act carefully on dangers. Before they try a new food source they will send a scout as food taster.
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After the Romans conquered Spain in 206 BC they exported the wild rabbits in other countries for food. Originally the rabbits were held in enclosures surrounded by walls. Brown hares could not be kept because they ran against the walls and injured themselves trying to escape and as they are flight animals. In 1000 AC rabbits first became pets. French monks kept them in cages and selected them according to tameness, adaptability and rapid growth.
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In fact the so-called Tibetan pigs that live in the Tibetan village of Görlitz zoo do not actually exist. In order to recreate the appearance of the doemstic pigs living in Tibet attempts were made to cross the European wild boar and the Meishan pig. The result is impressive: almost real Tibetan pigs.
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In the beginning of the 20th century the saddlebag was very popular due to its robustness, good feed utilization and mothering abilities. From the 1950s onwards consumers demanded lean meat and the livestock declined rapidly.
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These little rodents actually owe their name to the fact that they were brought from South America to Europe on ships of seafarers and their voives resemble the squeaking of small piglets. The communication between the animals varies. They "chuckle", "whistle" and "squeak". By squeaking they get in touch, they call for their mother. Domestic guinea pigs also squeak when they are being fed by the zoo keepers. Guinea pigs are very social animals and should therefore not be kept alone. Before purchasing a guinea pig you should find out about their needs and requirements. We are happy to inform you and give you tips!
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This demanding goat breed produces around 700-800 kg of milk per year and is very well suited for a combined use for both milk and meat. In addition the animals are very fertile and particularly the females mature early. Thuringian goats are good mothers; multiple births occur frequently. The goats show a high resistance and is often used for landscape maintenance as they are bred for the harsh climate of the Thuringian forest.
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