Changes are ahead at the Schönbrunn Zoo. The Vienna Zoo plans to showcase new, extraordinary animal species in the future. Among others, pangolins and elephant shrews are expected to move in. At the same time, visitors will have to wait longer than originally planned for the reopening of the Rainforest House.

As announced in the Ö3 news, the opening of the Rainforest House, which has been undergoing a complete renovation since 2022, is postponed to early 2027. There are also delays with the planned conservation aquarium.

The announcement of new animal species is particularly interesting. In the future, pangolins and elephant shrews, among others, will be on display at the Schönbrunn Zoo.

According to Zoo Director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck, pangolins, in particular, are rarely seen in European zoos. With the new animal species, Schönbrunn aims to further expand its focus on conservation.

The exact timing of when the animals will arrive in Vienna and when they will be available for visitors to see has not yet been announced.

Originally, the Rainforest House was supposed to reopen in 2026. That is no longer the case. The complete renovation, ongoing since 2022, is taking longer than initially planned. According to Zoo Director Hering-Hagenbeck, greater damage to the building’s structure was discovered during the work than expected.

Additionally, the Rainforest House is not only being renovated but also redesigned according to a new concept. This required changes to walls and the heating system, among other things. The reopening is now scheduled for early 2027. A specific opening day has not yet been announced.

Not only at the Rainforest House do visitors need to be patient. The completion of the planned conservation aquarium is also expected to be delayed by about a year. Originally, the year 2028 was planned. Now, according to Ö3, the zoo expects completion at the earliest in 2029.

The zoo management cites ongoing consultations with the relevant authorities as the reason. A special feature is the location of the zoo within the UNESCO World Heritage Site Schönbrunn. Therefore, additional requirements and approval procedures must be considered for construction projects.

In addition to the construction projects, entrance fees could also become a topic in the future. Hering-Hagenbeck does not rule out a price increase in view of rising costs. According to its information, the zoo finances itself about 80 percent through entrance fees.

However, a specific increase has not been announced. There are also no details about a possible timing or the amount of new ticket prices. For visitors, this means: For now, it is only known that higher entrance fees are a possibility.

With the announced new animal species and the planned aquarium, Schönbrunn aims to further develop its focus on conservation.

Pangolins are considered internationally as particularly vulnerable animals. The zoo sees their planned keeping as an opportunity to bring rarely shown species more into public awareness.

(Ed.)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article .