Protection of species equals climate protection: This is how the Nuremberg zoo wants to become CO₂-neutral

Created: 01/18/2022 17:19

The zoo in Nuremberg wants to become climate-neutral.

© Thomas Hahn /Eibner-Pressefoto/Imago

Species protection equals climate protection: With ideas such as a thorough renovation, the Nuremberg Zoo in Schmausenbuck is doing everything it can to become CO₂-neutral by 2030.

Nuremberg – "Climate change can be felt dramatically in the Arctic," says Nuremberg* Tiergarten Director Dag Encke to 

.

Species protection and climate protection therefore absolutely belong together, one should not consider the two separately.

And above all, we must act now.  

A zoo's concept of conserving endangered species and reintroducing them to their natural habitat where appropriate no longer works so well.

As a result of climate change, it is ultimately no longer possible for polar bears to be released back into the wild.  

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Nuremberg: Successful release of Przewalski horses  

Nuremberg Zoo* has also been supporting the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses into the Mongolian steppe for years. "We use the animals as a vehicle to restore habitats or to protect them," says Encke. Despite the catastrophic winter of 2009/2010, in which only two-thirds of the wild horses survived, the population there was able to develop splendidly. In addition, scientists believe that the offspring are more resistant to freezing temperatures thanks to their genes.  

Due to the rapidly growing groups, the Mongolian government has doubled the protected area since 1992.

So in this case, the release made sense - even if this is one of the few positive examples.

On the other hand, many animal species threatened with extinction are losing their habitat due to deforestation, wildfires or other natural disasters as a result of climate change.  

Nuremberg: A complex project with a lot of "mess"

By 2030, the Nuremberg Zoo should therefore be CO₂-neutral. Encke formulates this ambitious goal and sees zoos obliged to react quickly to the dangerous climatic development. Not an easy goal: In order to throttle the 50 buildings with an annual consumption of 4.2 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and 4.3 million kWh of heat, a fundamental energetic renovation would be an option. Now Encke comments on

: "We create one building per year, so we would need 50 years, but we don't have the time anymore." 

A start, however, is to convert the desert house (former hippo house) for one million euros, which would save 97 percent of carbon dioxide, notes the zoo director.

In addition, however, projects such as the development of a decentralized energy supply, the switch to e-cars, sustainable forest management and use of wood, organic farming on Gut Mittelbüg and much more would be added.

“The tasks add up to a huge jumble,” Encke sighs as he lists them.

However, he is not discouraged by this.

Rather, he is pleased to be able to implement concrete steps in the zoo against climate change.  

Nuremberg: Time is running out

Despite promising support in the energy sector, with an engineering office for concepts, three employees from N-Ergie and two employees from municipal energy management in the building construction department for ideas and solutions, time is of the essence.

The road to CO₂ neutrality is long and complicated.