Interview 366 – Caption Index: 419
Did you feel it was important for you, as a director, to make rounds?… Read More
Did you feel it was important for you, as a director, to make rounds?… Read More
I think, well, for me, a zoo director has to love animals, that’s the most important part. Maybe we are coming back up to what a zoo director should be. And so a person loving animals cannot stay 10, 12 hours a day just in the office and just to… Read More
So when you were getting this money to run this zoo, were you comfortable in being a beggar and going to these people and asking for money?… Read More
Frankfurt Zoological Society acquires money for conservation, never, ever for zoo. And the city, neither I think they hardly would know how to acquire money. Sorry to say this. So it was my task. And in Europe it’s well known that the zoo director is the biggest beggar to get… Read More
But I tried to convince people and firms to donate money. You kind of jumped around a bit but you mentioned it. Read More
Or did the city pursue these private people to be part of this public-private partnership?… Read More
Or did the zoo society pursue them?… Read More
Who was instrumental in going to these private people or industries and saying, will you be partners with us?… Read More
It didn’t all come from the Frankfurt Zoo Society. Well, about 2 million of this 25 million came from the Zoological Society of Frankfurt. About 10 million or so came from the city of Frankfurt. And then there were some donations, some bequests. And the biggest part, namely the ape… Read More
Next year, we are short of money. Maybe in two years. And in two years, it will be there exactly the same. But with this public-private partnership that my superior and I followed very closely, we succeeded to build even the ape facility, that was originally planned for about 70… Read More
So you would pursue the private people, you a zoo director?… Read More
But of course, it was a threat for the city because what city tolerates an empty house with a big label that the house is too small?… Read More
And we soon got some money for a new place called the cat jungle of South Asia for Indian lions and Sumatran tigers and clouded leopards. A special clouded leopard exhibit that was an old tradition in Frankfurt. And for the visitor, two labels, and the treetop label as well. Read More
How did you find 25 million?… Read More
I found that the big cat house was the worst place. There was a wonderful outside enclosure for lions, built by Grzimek in the ’50s and I retained it like it was. Because for me, first of all, I haven’t had the money to re-do everything and it was good. Read More
We moved out until the new house will be created. And one of the heads of the city department responsible for finances came to visit me and said, you are threatening us with this sending out of the big cats. And I told him, oh, no, I’m not threatening. I… Read More
To lead a good zoo with a good team for as many visitors as possible. And of course, with no new exhibits for 16 years, my main focal point was to create new exhibits. And in my time I could start only five years after starting because my first superior… Read More
So how did you, what was the first thing you wanted to do?… Read More
What’s the first exhibit you wanted to build, when you found you could receive the money?… Read More
You come in as director and what are your top items?… Read More