Chemnitz Zoo: Offspring of a rare deer species
At the beginning of February, the Prince Alfred deer at Chemnitz Zoo gave birth. Deer cow "Herta" gave birth to a cub on 1 February. It is now also known that it is a male. As the names of all Prinz Alfred deer in the zoo begin with the letter H, the young animal was given the name "Hugo". He can now often be seen in the outdoor enclosure.
After a new pair was put together for Chemnitz Zoo in 2019 via the International Stud Book, which is coordinated by Landau Zoo in the Palatinate, and another female was added in 2022, this is now the family's second offspring in a row.
The species, which is endemic to the Philippines, is named after Duke Alfred of Edinburgh, the son of the British Queen Victoria. It is not only one of the smallest, but unfortunately also one of the most endangered deer species in the world. Populations continue to decline, primarily due to habitat loss. Since 2016, the species has therefore been classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - the middle of three endangerment categories. This makes the successful and coordinated breeding of such endangered species all the more important. At Chemnitz Zoo, there have already been several offspring of this species.
Opening hours of the zoo and wildlife centre in March:
Daily: | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., last admission 4 p.m. |