Munich Zoo in Germany

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Munich Zoo
A landmark of Hellabrunn Zoo: The old elephant house was built in 1914
A landmark of Hellabrunn Zoo: The old elephant house was built in 1914
Local name Munchner Tierpark Hellabrunn
Typezoo
Size40 ha (99 acres)
Total nrs18943
Founded1905
Opened for public1911
Number of species767
Number of animals18943
Place Munich
Country Germany
Website Website
Related persons
Owner
Directors 2011-2014: Andreas Knieriem
1964-1972: Lutz Heck Jr.
1927-1964: Heinz Heck
Assistant Directors-1954: Hilde Hagenbeck
Key People -1911: Emanuel von Seidl (zoo designer)
Zoological department
Veterinarians 2020-now: Hanspeter Steinmetz
Zookeeper: Joachim Herzner
Elephant department
Elephant managementProtected Contact, since
Head keepers
of elephants
-1989?: Joachim Herzner
1940?-1943: Josef Hack
1929-1938: Hans Werner
-: Andy Fries
-: Daniel Materna
1943-: Georg Ball
1989?-: Robert Müller.
Elephant keepers
1991-2017: Thomas Günther
1991-1991: Dan Koehl
-1967: Ulrich Barkowski
-1953: Eduard Soukop
-: Hermann Nelz
-: Navin Adami
-: Robert Ostermeier
-: Sascha Nolde
: Joachim Herzner
Record history
History of updates2025-03-17:
Latest document update2025-03-17 18:27:59
Google map
Description

Munich Zoo, in Munich, Germany , was founded in 1905, opened for public in 1911

Munich Zoo elephants are managed in Protected Contact, since .

Living elephants

At the Munich Zoo lives 6 elephants with records in this database: (detail list)
  1. ♂ Gajendra born 1993-04-30
  2. ♀ Mangala born 1993-01-19
  3. ♂ Otto born 2020-11-11
  4. ♀ Rani born 2009-07-03
  5. ♀ Savani born 2023-07-29
  6. ♀ Temi born 2001-11-02

Casualties

6 casualties
  1. 1933-05-01: director Heinz Heck attacked by Boy. Heinz Heck Survived.
  2. 1938-07-17: elephant head-keeper Hans Werner fatal attack by Wastl. A very early birth, only 50 kgs heavy, and the mother had no milk by the birth. During the first two weeks handreared by elephant keeper Hans Werner, later succesfully introduced to the mother. Killed the elephant keeper Hans Werner 1938-07-17 by six year of age. † Hans Werner Died 1938-07-17, Munich Zoo.
  3. 1953-07-28: elephant keeper Eduard Soukop attacked by August. Eduard Soukop Survived. 1953-07-31: August was shot by director Heinz Heck.
  4. 1966-05: elephant keeper Hermann Nelz attacked by Cora. During Sunday afternoon, Cora attacked keeper Nels, by trumpeting with erected ears charged the keeper with full speed, in order to fatally kill him. Hermann Nelz Survived. Nelz was saved by elephant Mini who attacked Cora during her charge, and pushed her into the concrete wall. Cora died the next day of spinal injuries.
  5. 1967-07-25: elephant keeper Ulrich Barkowski attacked by Stasi. Ulrich Barkowski Survived. Severe injuries. Stasi was killed the next year 1968-12-09.
  6. 1968-10-04: visitor Ursula Junge fatal attack by Mini. A visiting girl 3,5 years, was giving bread to the elephants trunk at the moat of the enclosure. After the old girl had given the last piece of bread, elephant Mini puller her over to the enclosure rolled her on the ground and kicked her with her front foot. † Ursula Junge Died 1968-10-04

Comments / picturesTierpark Hellabrunn is the name of the zoological garden in the Bavarian capital Munich. The 36 hectare (89 acre) park is situated on the right Bank of the river Isar in the southern part of Munich, near the quarter of Thalkirchen. As the groundwater level here is rather high and the water is of very good quality, the zoo can cover its needs for freshwater by using its own wells.

On February 25, 1905, the Verein Zoologischer Garten München e.V. (Engl. Society of the Zoological Garden of Munich) was founded and the Hellabrunn area was chosen as the location for the zoo.
On August 1, 1911, the zoo, planned by the famous architect Emanuel von Seidl, opened for the public for the first time, but in 1922, it had to be closed down due to the inflation in Germany.
After the re-opening on May 23, 1928, the Tierpark Hellabrunn became the first Geo-Zoo in the world and engaged in the controversial back-breeding to "recreate" extinct animals like Heck cattle (to mimic the Aurochs) and the Tarpan.

During World War II, the zoo sustained massive damage due to allied air raids, but it was able, amazingly, to reopen in May 1945.

In 1970, a badly needed plan for the renovation of the zoo was drawn up.

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Henning Wiesner, Hellabrunn is today the largest zoo in Europe. The preserves of the animals—about 7,700 vertebrates of 340 different species—are arranged along geographic lines.

The Tierpark Hellabrunn is very active in breeding, reintroduction and Conservation projects.

In 2003, about 1.4 million people visited Hellabrunn.

*wikipedia


References for records about Munich Zoo

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2025). Munich Zoo, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=32. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:


Munich Zoo on elephant-news.com

Munich Zoo is mentioned on Elephant News:

DateLinks which opens in new window
2009-11-06Nelly-natal exercise: panang the pregnant elephant practises her maternity stretches - Elephant News
2007-10-08Second elephant stillbirth in munich zoo - Elephant News
Nz zoos turn nose up at electricity from dung - Elephant News
2006-11-02A berlin girl moves to munich! asian elephant temi transfered from berlin to munich - Elephant News


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