Germany: New Management at Hagenbeck Zoo
© © Götz Berlik
Hamburg’s Hagenbeck Zoo (G.: Tierpark Hagenbeck) has a new management: With immediate effect, Dr. Dirk Albrecht and Ludger Patt take over as CEOs of the zoo, which was founded in 1907 by Carl Hagenbeck sen. as an “animal park with open enclosures”. The new Managing Directors – the first non-family members at the helm of the park – take over from Friederike and Bettina Hagenbeck who ran the family business in sixth generation.
Currently the zoo, like all other leisure facilities in Germany and other European countries, is closed due to the Corona pandemic. In Hagenbeck Zoo alone, there are about 1,850 animals that need to be fed and cared for also during this challenging times. The situation is increasingly turning into an extreme economic burden for European facilities and is thus also threatening the animal population due to the lack of income from entrance fees. The Association of Zoological Gardens recently addressed the German government and requested a financial aid package of 100 million Euros as a support for zoos to deal with the situation (cf. EAP News of 1 Apr 2020).
As soon as the gates of the zoo and other leisure destinations in the country are allowed to reopen, visitors to Hagenbeck will be able to enjoy, among other things, kangaroo show feedings as a new offer this year. (eap)
