New deer at Chemnitz Zoo / Offspring among the kangaroos
The keeping of Mesopotamian fallow deer has been discontinued as there have been virtually no offspring in the European breeding programme in recent years. As a result, there are no more animals available to replenish the group. The rest of the Chemnitz herd was given to Tierpark Berlin. In return, a new species of deer moved into Chemnitz: the Vietnam sika deer. The first animal, a young female, came from Tierpark Berlin, a second female from Landau Zoo. In March, two young deer will complete the small group. A female Prince Alfred stag has also arrived from Karlsruhe Zoo and will soon be joined by a male. Both deer enclosures will then be occupied again.
There is further good news from the Bennett's kangaroos (Macropus rufogriseus). The two females "Aurora" and "Maggie" each have a young animal in their pouch. With a little patience and luck, you can see the young animals peeking out of their mothers' pouches - especially when the weather is nice. Nobody can say how old the two differently sized young are, as the birth of marsupials is very inconspicuous. Bennett's kangaroo pups are born after a short gestation period of around 30 days and are relatively undeveloped for a mammal. They are tiny, naked, deaf, blind and can only hold on to their mother's fur with the help of their arms. Nevertheless, they quickly and independently find their way into the pouch, where they suck on a teat and are supplied with mother's milk. After around six months, the young leave the pouch for the first time. After a further
two months it has grown too big to fit in. However, young animals are suckled until they are around one year old. For this purpose, they put their head into their mother's pouch.
Opening hours of the zoo in March: 9 am to 5 pm, last admission 4 pm
Opening hours of the wildlife park in March: 8 am to 4 pm