Chemnitz Zoo: Big litter of meerkats
Six offspring are now exploring the outdoor area
The absolute visitor favourites at Chemnitz Zoo are the meerkats. The group, which has been living together at the zoo for a year now, has given birth once again. The zookeepers discovered six young animals in the litter box for the first time on 9 April. Since last week, the current offspring have been making occasional appearances in the enclosure.
Like most carnivores, meerkats are nest-builders, which means that they only leave the protective den in which they were born after a certain period of time. In addition, meerkats still have their eyes and ears closed at birth. These only open after around two weeks.
In the meantime, the young animals - especially in warmer temperatures - are already busy exploring the enclosure, always under the watchful eyes of the family members. Outside the enclosure, meerkat pups are usually always accompanied by a "babysitter". At the zoo, this is currently mainly done by the father and uncle. After such excursions, the young animals also retreat to one of the burrows for a break, where they are still suckled by their mother.
Zoo and wildlife enclosure open again
Chemnitz Zoo and the Oberrabenstein Wildlife Park have been open again for a week under certain conditions. As only a limited number of visitors are allowed on the grounds at any one time, there may be waiting times. Please note: Online tickets and reservations are not possible.
An overview of the corona-related measures can be found at www.tierpark-chemnitz.de.
Opening hours in summer:
Zoo: 9 am to 7 pm, last admission 6 pm
Game enclosure: 8 am to 6 pm, last admission 5 pm