Chemnitz Zoo: Offspring among the wild asses
The Somali wild asses at Chemnitz Zoo have had offspring. At the end of September, mare "Hera" gave birth to a colt, who was given the name "Herkules". It is doing well and romping around the outdoor enclosure.
Mother and child are the only stable social units among the Somali wild asses. Father "Da Vinci" has nothing else to do with his son. Adult stallions often live solitary lives and can be territorial. He was therefore temporarily separated from the rest of the group.
The wild ancestors of the domestic donkey are one of the most endangered animal species. Chemnitz Zoo has been exhibiting this species since 1997, and offspring have been born here regularly since 2003. The zoo is thus successfully participating in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which is coordinated by Basel Zoo.
The EEP population comprises just over 200 live animals in 37 zoological institutions - in Germany there are only five institutions, including Chemnitz. It is assumed that there are no more than 200 adult animals left in the natural range of the Somali wild ass in Ethiopia and Eritrea - an alarmingly low number. In this respect, Chemnitz Zoo is making an important contribution to the conservation of this species with its regular breeding programmes.
www.tierpark-chemnitz.de
Opening hours in October:
Zoo and wildlife enclosure: 9 am to 5 pm, last admission 4 pm.