Wild species are not touchable for the visitor. And so I found this very important to get the children access to the pygmy goats. And we started rides with the Shetland ponies as another experience. And of course this continues. For families, for example, we made double labeling very low. Read More
So I think we reached quite a good collaboration between the two organization. There’s been some debate among zoo people sometimes about the use and the reason for children’s zoo. Read More
Did Frankfurt Zoo have a children’s zoo?… Read More
And if so, what’s your opinion about children’s zoo?… Read More
And when you came into the Frankfurt Zoo and as you were director, was there then a much bigger emphasis that you wanted to place on conservation?… Read More
Or was the zoo society already doing so many things that you just had to make sure it was kept going?… Read More
It’s very strange. My predecessor, Richard Faust, he was zoo director and President of Frankfurt Zoological Society. But in his term there was just one label in the zoo announcing Frankfurt Zoological Society, a small label in the old carnivore house. And I very much tried to, the cooperation between… Read More
What story shall we tell the visitor with the animals involved?… Read More
And I have had some philosophies how to go on. And one philosophy was as few machines, especially as few computers, as possible, because they very often are not functioning and that’s the worst thing, out of work and out of work. So we made interactive a lot of new… Read More
And we added a label in writing for blind people and the idea of us, not for all over 500 species, of course, but for about 20, 25 characteristic, six species, to add such broad statues and add blind people labels. Right before I came to Frankfurt, there was a… Read More
And then your time frame for, did the education philosophy shift or change while you were there?… Read More
I always included the zoo educator in the planning of new, all the things. The master planning, of course, and in the planning of new exhibits, because I think it’s very important to get the influence and ideas. Read More
What shall we tell the visitor?… Read More
Did you have a vision for education at the zoo and how to develop it?… Read More
Well, there is of course, a very famous four tasks zoos have. Many people think that Heini Hediger explained these tasks. It’s not true. Heini Hediger always said, no, it was Bronx Zoo that said the four tasks of a modern zoo are recreation, education, research, and conservation. And I… Read More
The first zoo educator in Europe was hired in Frankfurt in the late ’50s. And there was a special policy. We didn’t have a school room because the thinking was people are staying in this cool room all the day. And in a zoo, the whole zoo is this cool… Read More
The major money came from the city to run and operate the zoo?… Read More
Well, it’s a special case. Entrance fees into Frankfurt Zoo are very, very low. So unfortunately, Frankfurt Zoo depends very much on annual contribution from the city. So it’s, I don’t know exactly, maybe about 60% of the running costs are coming, are paid by the city of Frankfurt. Read More
Did you do well with it?… Read More
Did you enjoy it?… Read More