Dresden Zoo with more guests and furry additions

Dresden Zoo received more visitors and new animals last year. According to the annual inventory, 492,513 visitors came to the facilities in the state capital's Great Garden. The increase is also attributed to the new orangutan house, with which the zoo completed the largest investment in its history in 2024. The facility cost around 22 million euros.

Zoo achieves particular breeding success

According to the results of the inventory, Dresden Zoo is home to 949 animals of 204 species, not including individuals such as schooling fish or insects. Last year, the southern spectacled langur (a primate species), white-nosed coati, alpine crow and sunbird, among others, were seen here for the first time. For the first time, the zoo succeeded in breeding a smooth otter, an Indian otter, at night. Other breeding successes include an orangutan, two binturongs (tanuki), a caracal, a griffon vulture and three bald ibises.

Mourning at the zoo due to several deaths

However, it was also time to say goodbye to much-loved animals. The 13-year-old lioness Abaja was euthanized due to her deteriorating health. Other deaths included a snow leopard, a lesser panda and two pink pelicans. Among the new arrivals in Dresden were two zebras, a spotted marten and three Emperor whiskered tamarins. A snow leopard was also reintroduced to the population. Two lesser pandas, a red dog, an orangutan and a white-nosed coati are expected in 2026.

Grouse vultures for reintroduction project in Italy

Two male griffon vultures from the zoo's own offspring were handed over for a reintroduction project in the Lago de Cornino nature reserve in northern Italy. The zoo raised a good 300,000 euros through species conservation projects and paid out 320,000 euros to such projects around the world.

Expansion of zebra and giraffe enclosure

The biggest construction project in the new year is the expansion of the giraffe and zebra enclosure. The costs for this are estimated at around 500,000 euros and are to be realized exclusively through donations. So far, 300,000 euros have already been raised.

Dresden Zoo was founded in 1861 and is the fourth oldest German zoo after the facilities in Berlin, Frankfurt/Main and Cologne.