Chemnitz Zoo is involved in the reintroduction of the Vietnam pheasant to its original habitat
Successful breeding programme and contribution to international species conservation
This week, a group of 20 Vietnamese pheasants selected from European breeding programmes will be transported from Berlin to Vietnam. There, the animals will support an important reintroduction project and help to rebuild stable populations in their natural habitat in the long term. The selected animals include one from the Chemnitz Zoo population.
The Vietnam pheasant (Lophura edwardsi), also known as the Edward pheasant, is one of the rarest and most endangered pheasant species in the world. Originally native to the rainforest regions of central Vietnam, the species is categorised as "critically endangered" on the international Red List of Threatened Species. The main reasons for the dramatic population decline are habitat loss, poaching and the consequences of decades of conflict in the region. In order to preserve the species in the long term, international protection and conservation measures have been underway for years.
The critically endangered pheasants have been kept at Chemnitz Zoo since 2013. The rare chicken birds have been successfully bred since 2015. The zoo is thus making an important contribution to the long-term conservation of the species and is actively involved in international species protection measures.</p
Chemnitz Zoo participates in the so-called EEP - the EAZA Ex-situ Programme of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. The aim of this programme is to maintain the genetic health of endangered animal species in human care and to create long-term prospects for conservation and reintroduction projects in their original habitats. Breeding is coordinated across Europe in order to establish stable reserve populations and organise exchanges between zoological institutions.
The release into the wild, which has now been accompanied, represents a significant step for the protection of the Vietnam pheasant. The fact that an animal from Chemnitz Zoo is also part of this project underlines the importance of the successful breeding work on site.
"The success of our breeding programme shows how important cooperation between modern zoological institutions is in international species conservation. We are delighted to be able to make a concrete contribution to the future of this rare bird species with our work," says Kevin Rüffer, Head of Animal Care at Chemnitz Zoo.
Opening times (April to September)
Chemnitz Zoo: daily 9 am to 7 pm
Oberrabenstein Wildlife Park: daily 9 am to 6 pm
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