Werner Behrens

From the list of elephant persons Family: Behrens

☨ Werner Behrens

Werner Behrens with Omari, Basel.Zoo
Profession	zoo elephant head-keeper
Personal details
Born	Hamburg in Germany

Dead	2020? in Switzerland

Residence
Country	Switzerland

Locations
Title	elephant head-keeper 1952-1990
Location	at Basel Zoo in Switzerland

Title	elephant trainer-1952
Location	at Circus Carl Hagenbeck-Stellingen in Germany

Relevant literature

Biography details

Werner Behrens , zoo elephant head-keeper in Switzerland

Behrens was born * in Hamburg Germany dead 2020? , in Switzerland .

Werner Behrens was educated in elephant training by Josef Hack, and during tour with Circus Carl Hagenbeck-Stellingen in Basel, he was appoached by Heini Hediger, the director of Basel Zoo, who asked him to cecome head keeper of Basel Zoo elephants, which he accepted.

Except for touring with the zoos African elephants during two seasons (1956?) with Circus Knie, when they were trained by Josef Hack, Behrens worked in Basel Zoo until his retirement in 1990, responsible for the zoos elephants, the elephant show, and the rides for children on African elephants.

He also worked bulls, until 1972, when he was attacked by Katoto.

Peter Wenger, elephant Rupa, and head keeper Werner Behrens, Basel.

Three of Basel Zoo elephant headkeepers; From left Werner Behrens, Peter Wenger, and right with Carrots Thomas Ruby.

Werner Behrens is mentioned on 2 other person pagesPeter Wenger, Thomas Ruby,

Werner Behrens is mentioned on 1 location pagesBasel Zoo,

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2025). elephant head-keeper Werner Behrens in Switzerland. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 19 April 2025 at https://www.elephant.se/person.php?id=855. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

Der Zoologische Garten Basel 1944-1966 by Louanne Burkhardt
Daisy Reck; Werner Behrens – seit sechzig Jahren im Dienst der Basler Elefanten, baslerstadtbuch.ch (2011)
http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/141/1415950279.pdf

Selected publications

Der Zoologische Garten Basel 1944-1966 by Louanne Burkhardt

External links about Werner Behrens

Search more with Google for Werner BehrensThe link will automatically include Werner Behrens and open a new browser window.

Search this site www.elephant.se AND Googlewith google for keyword Werner Behrens
OR search the Internet (with any chosen keyword you type below)

Search more on the Internet Web for Werner BehrensThe link will automatically include Werner Behrens and open a new browser window

About this documentWebsite online since 1995. This document was created: . Latest update: 2021-12-24 12:13:21 included 1051 characters with valid HTML5