Switzerland: Construction Start of Zurich Zoo’s Pantanal Aviary Delayed

Last year, Zurich Zoo presented its “Master Plan 2050“, an ambitious development plan for the next 28 years, which aims at having the zoo consist of a total of eleven large-scale habitats in the future. One of these areas is  the “Pantanal Aviary“, where colourful parrots but also mammals such as lowland tapirs will live together. Now the building application for the aviary, which was already legally approved by the City of Zurich last year, has been resubmitted because there was an appeal. “In order to avoid potentially long court proceedings to clarify a formality and corresponding construction delays, the zoo has decided to forego the use of the already existing permit and instead submit a new application,“ says the official statement. So the opening, which was planned for spring 2025, is also expected to be postponed by one year.

Since April, visitors to the zoo – around 1.27 million came in 2021 despite a two-month closure – have been able to find out more about the project through construction profiles and construction information boards. The construction itself is intended to provide particularly large flight space for the winged inhabitants of the aviary by the implementation of particularly steeply mounted side nets and the absence of support poles. In order to make the area close to nature, initial tests are also currently being carried out to develop a floodplain area like those found in the Brazilian Pantanal. (eap)