Affenberg Salem
| Affenberg Salem | ||
|---|---|---|
| place | Mendlishausen 88682 Salem |
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| surface | 20 hectares | |
| opening | 1976 | |
| Animal species | Barbary macaques | |
| organization | ||
 Barbary macaques in social grooming |
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| http://www.affenberg-salem.de/ | ||
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Coordinates: 47 ° 45 ′ 35 " N , 9 ° 14 ′ 50" E
The Affenberg Salem is a zoo west of Salem in the Lake Constance district and at the same time Germany's largest monkey enclosure. The main attraction of about 20 hectares of forest piece are nearly 200 Barbary macaque ( Macaca sylvana ), which move freely there. There is also a free-flying colony of white storks that breed on the roofs of the Mendlishauser Hof every year, a herd of fallow deer and a large pond, which is a retreat for many different bird species.
The Affenberg Salem is characterized by the fact that there are no dividing bars or ditches to shield visitors from the animals. The visitors move on fixed paths through the natural forest.
From mid-March to the beginning of November, the Affenberg is open every day and in all weathers and is in the winter break from the beginning of November. The winter break is considered an undisturbed mating season for the monkeys .
history
The founder and owner of the park is the Alsatian Baron Gilbert de Turckheim . He opened the first enclosure, La Montagne des Singes , in Kintzheim in Alsace in 1969 , and the second in 1974 in Rocamadour in the south of France . In 1976 the "Affenberg Salem" was added to the leased land of Salem Castle . The park director has been zoologist and doctor of primatologist Roland Hilgartner since 2006. The concept envisages a restriction to one animal species on generously dimensioned areas. Because of this, the behavior of the Barbary macaques in Salem is no different from the animals that live in the wild. In 2005 another monkey enclosure was created in Trentham in Staffordshire ( England ).
Livestock
In order to bring the animals closer to the visitors, there is an interactive information system and moderated feedings take place at certain times, in which the visitors can learn interesting information about the Barbary apes , storks and fallow deer .
Barbary macaques
Currently (as of 2011) there are three primate groups with almost 200 animals on the Affenberg. Barbary macaques live in well-organized social associations of 60 to 80 animals, they are constantly in communication with one another, utter a wide variety of sounds or use expressive facial expressions.
While the rank of females is innate, the males must work hard to achieve their rank. To become an alpha male, you need a good network with many high-ranking supporters. Showing the long canines helps you to make a special impression on the competition and to impress your competitors accordingly. The “term of office” of an alpha male on Affenberg lasts two to five years on average and depends on the pressure of competition.
The original home of the Barbary macaques is Morocco and Algeria , where they live in mountains up to 2000 meters above sea level. The animals also feel at home on Lake Constance , as the climate there is very similar to that of their home. The barbary macaques are threatened with extinction. Around 10,000 animals still exist worldwide. According to experts, a population can only survive if it includes at least 150 specimens. For this reason, the Affenberg Salem forms an important reserve stock.
In addition to its importance as a tourist attraction, the Affenberg enjoys a high international reputation as a research location. Almost half of what is known about Barbary macaques today comes from the Affenberg. There is a collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, the University of Zurich and the German Primate Center in Göttingen.
Storks
Native to Affenberg Salem is a free-flying breeding colony of white storks with around 90 animals. Storks are migratory birds, and every spring they return to the same eyrie to breed. Here the couple partners alternate equally. The incubation period is 32 days.
Since the white stork was already extinct in many areas of Baden-Württemberg in the mid-1970s, targeted reintroduction projects were started. In 1978 the Affenberg founded the stork station, which to this day makes an important contribution to the protection of storks in Baden-Württemberg. The active resettlement of some breeding pairs on Affenberg Salem enabled a free-flying colony to be established there.
Fallow deer
You can also move freely among the animals in the extensive fallow deer enclosure. A big fallow deer lives there with around twenty hinds and young animals.
literature
- The Affenberg Salem . Self-published, 1979
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Daniel Drescher: At a glance. There are monkey mountains elsewhere too . In: Schwäbische Zeitung from August 13, 2010
- ↑ a b c d Bernhard Conrads: How Morocco benefits from the monkey mountain . In: Südkurier from June 26, 2010
- ↑ pond. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Burger: Barbary macaques in the wild . In: Südkurier of April 12, 2010
- ↑ Opening times Affenberg Salem . Website of the Affenberg Salem. Retrieved November 10, 2014
- ↑ Targeted conception on Affenberg Salem . In: Bodensee-Woche.de of October 22, 2007
- ^ Concept Interactive: Affenberg Salem. April 4, 2012, accessed January 23, 2020 .
- ↑ feeding times. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Affenberg Salem: Home. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Stefan Hilser: Affenberg boss leads readers behind the mountain . In: Südkurier of August 7, 2010
- ↑ Communication is everything - monkey theater or monkey talk. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Spring on Affenberg in Salem - a fascinating nature program for the Easter holidays. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ storks. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).
- ↑ Fallow deer. In: Affenberg Salem. Retrieved January 23, 2020 (German).