Saving endangered animal species through conservation breeding in zoos and with private keepers – that is the mission of Citizen Conservation. The stories of our Creatures Podcast and our book “Von Okapi, Scharnierschildkröte und Schnilch – ein prekäres Bestiarium”, published by Galiani Berlin, report in a humorous way on the bizarre, fascinating or simply endearing peculiarities of animals that are threatening to disappear from the planet forever. They thus make the abstract figures of the biodiversity crisis vivid for everyone.
Species conservation with all senses
The ZooKultur exhibition 2022/2023 has now been opened at Schwerin Zoo. The animal heroes of our stories are presented on a total of 22 large display panels, with a picture, a short, curious quotation from the respective story and condensed information about the endangerment situation and the ex-situ strategy to save them. In addition, there is a link to the associated episode of the Creatures Podcast that can be called up via QR code. So during a relaxed tour of the zoo, you can not only enjoy the living animals, but also listen to funny, informative or thought-provoking stories about endangered species read by prominent voices.
Schnilch sighting in Schwerin
The panels correspond in many places with the animals on display. Thus, in the surroundings of the enclosures of the animals bred in the zoo, one can also hear the matching stories at the same time. In the forest part of the zoo, Danijel Višević from Ecosia World Fund talks about the rare milu, while the proud stag strides along in the background. Shortly before reaching the amphibian house and the open-air aquariums for fire salamanders and Lake Pátzcuaro salamander, journalist and TV producer Friedrich Küppersbusch and Alphaville singer Marian Gold introduce these amphibians. In front of the zoo’s newly opened Red List Centre, humourist Horst Evers informs about the comically sad history of the Partula snails bred there, while Sarah Bosetti informs about the Mangarahara-cichlids that have just moved into the zoo. The zoo, picturesquely situated between Schwerin’s lakes, also hosts many wild animals from the surrounding area – and who knows, maybe a Schnilch will be among them?
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Until June 2023
Those who have acquired a taste for the exhibition can of course then purchase our book in the Zoo Shop and thus support the work of Citizen Conservation. Director Tim Schikora and CC co-founder and author Heiko Werning ceremoniously opened the new exhibition on 11 June 2022 with a reading and an auction of last year’s ZooKultur signs in aid of species conservation projects. The Bestiarium exhibition will be on display at Schwerin Zoo until June 2023.