Germany: Zoo Osnabrück Features New Tiger Temple Garden

After a construction phase of eleven months, Germany’s Zoo Osnabrück officially opened its new tiger temple garden enclosure on 7 April 2014. The total investment for the new enclosure, which represents the second major construction phase at the zoo after the opening of the monkey temple in 2012, runs at around 1.1 million Euros. The new area, built in an Asian temple ruin style, features a 1,280 square meter large outdoor enclosure, an additional 250 square meter large area designated for tigers and their cubs as well as a 60-square meter indoor barn. The design of the new tiger temple garden as well as the whole “Angkor Wat” theme world was created by artist Detlef Gehrs. Construction was mainly implemented by the zoo’s craftsmen guided by the Croatian artificial rock expert Goran Marusic and his assistant Detlef Roling. Coming from the Warsaw Zoo and France’s Zoo de Champrépus, the two tigers „Diana“ and „Argo“ have found a new home in the new enclosure. Zoo Osnabrück aims to continue tiger breeding again. Special features of the tiger temple garden include the approximately 40 panoramic glass panes through which visitors have a view on the enclosure without any bars in their way as well as a five meter high and 19 meter long viewing walkway. (eap)