Animal park parts with its wild boars
African swine fever is getting closer
The Chemnitz City Zoo has disposed of its wild boar population as a precautionary measure. The seven animals in the Oberrabenstein wildlife park, two boars and five bucks, were professionally shot. The reason for this is the approaching African swine fever (ASF).
Should the epidemic materialise, the wild boars would have to be permanently housed in a barn. In the opinion of the zoo team, this is neither in the interests of animal welfare nor would it be technically possible in the wild boar enclosure. It must be assumed that ASF will continue to affect the region for many years to come.
The wild boar enclosure with the wallow was popular with young and old alike. It has not yet been decided which animal species will inhabit the enclosure in future or for which species it will be converted and when this will happen.
Even without wild boar, the wildlife enclosure is always a worthwhile destination. More than 15 species live there, such as Carpathian lynxes, European wolves, bison and fallow deer as well as various forest birds. Like the zoo's outdoor facilities, the game enclosure can also be visited under 3G conditions. Pre-booking is recommended.
Background:
African swine fever (ASF) is a viral infection that only affects pigs, i.e. wild and domestic pigs. It is almost always fatal and incurable. The disease can be transmitted directly from animal to animal or indirectly to other areas by humans via contaminated objects (clothing, shoes, vehicles) and food. ASF is not contagious or dangerous for humans or other animal species. The ASF virus was first detected in Saxony in October 2020. Since then, there have been around 750 official detections in the district of Bautzen, the district of Görlitz and the district of Meißen.
Opening hours in winter
Zoo: 9 am to 4 pm, last admission 3 pm
Game enclosure: 8 to 16, last admission 3 pm
www.tierpark-chemnitz.de