Another breeding success for rare small cat species
Manouls - a particularly beautiful and rare species of small cat native to Central Asia - have been kept at Chemnitz Zoo since 2015. The animals, which come from a Scottish and a Russian zoo, have now given birth for the third time in a row.
The cubs were born at the end of April. As typical nestlings, they spent the first few weeks together with their mother exclusively in the whelping box. Now, with a bit of luck, the four cubs can also be observed in the outdoor enclosure - especially in the morning or late afternoon.
Man owls are not sensitive to the cold. This is due to their long and thick winter coat, which enables them to live in the cold regions of their natural range and protects them from ice and snow. They can therefore be kept in Chemnitz without a warm house. For the warm season, the cats change to a lighter summer coat.
There is a European conservation breeding programme for this endangered and rarely seen species. In 2019, this programme comprised around 140 individuals across Europe, with only a few zoos in Germany keeping man owls.
Opening hours in summer:
Chemnitz Zoo: 9 am to 7 pm, last admission 6 pm
Wildlife enclosure: 8 am to 6 pm, last admission 5 pm