Masoala hall

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Exterior view

The approximately one hectare large Masoala hall or Masoala kely ( kely means "small" in Malagasy ) in Zurich Zoo is a piece of Madagascar's Masoala - rain forest , and is home to over 50 different vertebrate species (300 individuals) from Madagascar.

The ecosystem -Halle is after the Kaeng Krachan-Elephant Park (opening: 2014; cost: 57 million Swiss francs ), the largest project that has been realized Zurich Zoo, and one of the main attractions of the zoo. The costs of 52 million Swiss francs were largely covered by donations. In the opening year 2003, the number of visitors to Zurich Zoo rose to over 1.5 million for the first time.

Location inside the zoo

Map of the Zurich Zoo with the Masoala Hall (right)

The Masoala Hall is located east of the main entrance to Zurich Zoo. It is located approximately at an altitude of 590  m in a depression between Zürichberg and Adlisberg . The hall is connected to the rest of the zoo and the Zoolino by a tunnel that crosses a public road. The zoo administration considers the connection by public transport to be insufficient in the long term. A gondola lift from Stettbach station to the Masoala Hall is therefore planned . However, the project is controversial due to the cost and implementation.

history

Idea and first elaborations

Zurich Zoo decided to build a plant in 1991, on the World Zoo Conservation Strategy of World Association of Zoos and Aquariums is based and the basis for close cooperation with a conservation project in the wilderness provides. The Zurich Zoo traditionally relies on exotic animals and in 1994 Madagascar and Masoala were chosen. Zurich Zoo was transformed into a nature conservation center in 1992. To this end, Walter Vetsch drew up a development plan under the motto "Same number of animals, double surface". A project on the rainforest habitat was the central element of this plan and a close partnership with CARE International was established.

A year later, the zoo presented the model and the master plan to the Zurich city ​​council , which was convinced of the strategy. In October 1993 the project was presented to the President of Madagascar Didier Ratsiraka at the 5th  Francophonie Summit by the then Federal President Adolf Ogi . The zoo then had the opportunity to work with the Malagasy Ministry of Water and Forests to work out a cooperation agreement and to establish a partnership. The zoo worked out a master plan for the realization of the hall and a feasibility study , which confirmed both the ecological and the economic feasibility.

In order to implement the master plan, the zoo had to submit a design plan and an environmental impact report to the authorities in 1994 . These served as the basis for the subsidy application and for the referendum , in which a decision was made to hand over the reserve land acquired by the city president Emil Klöti in 1930 for the zoo to the zoo. The zoo submitted its application for subsidies. While the public purse was prepared to bear the infrastructure costs for the development of the zoo, animal facilities like the hall were to be financed privately through donations .

Objections and appeals

In 1995 opposition arose from the architecture college of the city of Zurich against the location of the hall on the Klösterliwiese. After an inspection by the entire city council, the latter decided to make the area of ​​the Fluntern shooting range available to the zoo for the hall. A rescheduling for the new location followed. For this reason, the design plan, the environmental impact report and the subsidy application were revised in 1996. In the same year, the Zurich City Council and the Cantonal Council visited the zoo and approved the design plans. They also recommended that the electorate accept the infrastructure subsidy.

The subsidy was approved in 1997 by the Cantonal Council and the people of Zurich. However, a private person objected to the design plan; he was rejected in 1998 by the government council and the administrative court. At the end of 1997 it became clear that the opening requested by the donor Hans Vontobel could not be realized by the year 2000. However, he was willing to extend his deadline to mid-2003.

After a processing time of over a year, the private individual's appeal was definitively rejected by the Federal Supreme Court, making the design plan legally binding. In 1999, the building permit was granted by the City of Zurich, whereupon the Swiss Transport Club raised an objection. A year later, after the Zurich Transport Authority had agreed to examine the extension of the tram route to the hall, he withdrew the objection.

Construction and opening

Construction site with today's parking lot and scaffolding of the hall

Contaminated sites found on the construction site of the shooting range were removed by the city of Zurich. A rubble dump came to light. The renovation of the site was completed in March 2001.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place in the same month. The overall and construction management was carried out by Bosshard + Partner Baurealization AG and the architects were Gautschi-Storrer Architekten and Vogt Landschaftsarchitekten AG . Excavation and construction work followed and the first steel girders were set in December 2001. The steel structure and the shell were completed in mid-June 2002. Despite obstacles such as the damage to the hall roof from hail on June 24th, the deadline for construction was met.

In November 2002, the planting of the first plants, which had been delivered from the zoo's own nurseries in Madagascar, began. The following year the interior work and all parts of the building were completed. The first animals were released in the hall at the beginning of May. On June 29, 2003, the hall was officially opened by Federal Councilor Moritz Leuenberger in the presence of a delegation from Madagascar under the leadership of the Minister for Environment, Forests and Water, Charles Sylvain Rabotoarison .

Since the planting in 2003, the trees in the hall have grown well, so that a closed forest with a well-developed shrub layer has formed. Since some animals prefer the treetops , especially to warm up in the morning in the sun, Zurich Zoo decided to build a treetop path, which was opened before Easter 2013 to mark the tenth anniversary of the hall. An 18 meter and a ten meter high steel tower , shaped like an insect cocoon and entwined by lianas and epiphytes, are connected by a path. In the middle of the taller tower a tree grows up. The cost of the treetop path is estimated at 1.9 million Swiss francs.

technology

Structure of the roof

The hall is 90 meters wide, 120 meters long and 30 meters high at the highest point and covers an area of ​​11,000 m². The hall roof consists of an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene- based film and is 14,000 m² in size. Ten vertical steel girders , which are 12.3 meters apart and have a span of 91 meters, hold the membrane roof. The support forces of the girders are directed into the subsoil via piles. The film is in the form of air-filled, one meter thick, 3.9 meter wide and 55 meter long pillows in three layers. A computer-controlled compressor pumps air between the first three layers and automatically regulates the pressure . A fourth film provides protection against hail and snow and is so stable that zoo employees can easily walk on it. The surface weight is 350 g / m² and the translucency of the individual film layers is 95 percent. Together, the light transmission of the four layers of film is around 70 percent and the UV transmission around 50 percent.

The artificially introduced layer of earth in the hall is around 50 to 70 centimeters thick and lies directly on the natural ground of the Zürichberg. The bottom layer is up to 20 centimeters thick and consists of lava stone . This is followed by a second layer of up to 30 centimeters consisting of 80 percent lava and 20 percent zeolite . Finally, there is another 30 centimeter thick layer of 20 percent pumice , 20 percent zeolite, 30 percent lava and 30 percent expanded clay . The top layer is 5 centimeters thin and consists of long-fiber peat , leaves and branches. This composition made it possible to meet the requirements such as good ventilation, drainage and nutrient storage capacity, as well as step resistance. The soil was composed on the basis of studies of the Malagasy soil.

To ensure low energy consumption, the hall is heated and cooled with a circulating air system. In the winter months, up to 70 percent of the heat is obtained from the zoo's internal wood chip heating system . The wood comes from the forests used for forestry in and around Zurich. In order to keep the wood energy requirement as low as possible, a heat recovery system is installed. A 25-meter-long intake chimney draws off warm air under the dome. In the ventilation center, the air is cooled by water-carrying registers and blown back into the hall through 26 supply air nozzles in each of the two side areas. The excess heat obtained in this way is fed into a 250 m³ storage tank.

At night, when there is a need for heating in the hall, the circulating air is heated up by the heat stored during the day and the stored water cools down again. In winter, up to 30 percent of the heating requirement can be covered. In summer, when the temperatures in the upper hall area rise above 30 ° C, the excess heat is released into the outside air through the open ridge flaps. In the transition period and in summer, when the heating is no longer needed, the warm water for the restaurant, the kitchen and the rest of the annex building is heated exclusively with excess heat from the hall and with waste heat from the commercial refrigeration system.

Glasses hairdryer at the entrance to the hall

Temperatures are between 18 and 35 ° C and the humidity is around 80 percent. At the entrance to the hall there are special hot air blowers for those who wear glasses to warm the glasses . The rainwater from the hall roof is collected in two 500 cubic meter cisterns , treated and heated to 17 to 20 ° C in several day tanks. In the off-peak hours in the morning and in the evening - before and after the public visiting hours - the hall is irrigated with an average of 80,000 liters every day. This results in an average rainfall of 6 millimeters per day. This corresponds to twice the amount of precipitation in Zurich in the year.

There are two independent water systems in the hall with a total volume of 500 m³. There are three lakes connected by streams. The streams carry 50 liters per second. A brook pours into a waterfall that carries 100 liters per second. These brook-lake systems work by circulating the required amounts of water during visiting hours. The water temperature of the lakes is between 20 and 24 ° C.

plants and animals

Welcome board after the entrance

The hall houses more than 50 species of vertebrates (300 individuals) as well as various mushrooms such as the lady of the veil . The animals can move around freely in the hall. The intervention of the district keepers in the flora is kept as small as possible. The animals, on the other hand, have to be fed because the plants and insects in the hall do not provide sufficient food.

plants

Yellow bamboo ( Schizostachyum brachycladum ) with climbing large-flowered Thunbergia ( Thunbergia grandiflora )
Different species of fern

In the opening year 2003, around 17,000 individuals of over 450 different plant species were planted in the hall. The proportion of plants that died in the first year of operation is only 0.5 percent and is therefore very low. The few dead plants are replaced by new ferns , orchids and aquatic plants . The biodiversity is increased by imported plant seeds that are sown directly in the hall. In the first year after the opening, a further 2,400 young trees from the zoo's own nursery were planted in the hall. At the end of 2004 there were around 4,700 trees from Madagascar in the hall. Small plants such as herbs and aquatic plants in particular have increased significantly.

The total stock of all plants can only be estimated and is likely to be over 35,000 individuals of 500 species from 92 families. The plant species also develop well in Central Europe thanks to the translucent roof . Over 100 different plant species grow on an area of ​​ten by ten meters. In the whole hall there are 100 trees that are higher than 20 meters, 1600 smaller trees and palms , 1000 lianas , 400 bamboo plants , 3500 plants from the zoo's own nurseries, which are grown in Madagascar, 4000 orchids and other smaller plants. There are also 39 species in the hall that are on the Red List of Endangered Species .

Some of the plant species shown in the hall did not originate in Madagascar, but are tropical crops , which are now also planted in Madagascar. In addition, some dominant plants come from the rainforest of South and Southeast Asia . Plant species that are closely related to Malagasy species were preferred. Over the years, these plants are said to be replaced by Malagasy species. In addition to imports from Madagascar, the zoo obtained various plants from tree nurseries in the United States - mainly Florida -, Thailand and Malaysia . These are transported by container to nurseries in the Netherlands and Belgium . After an acclimatization phase of six to twelve months and regular checks by plant specialists for growth and pests, the plants are delivered to Zurich.

The zoo does not use chemical pesticides such as soft soap in the hall. The aim is to build a functioning ecosystem in which the population of small herbivorous organisms - pests - is kept under control by beneficial insects . The biological equilibrium is monitored regularly. Since the opening of the hall, caterpillars , white flies , scale insects , aphids and ants have increased in numbers. If necessary, beneficial insects are brought into the hall. In the first year of operation, around 110 million beneficial insects were introduced.

and display information about the image
Panorama of the flora in the Masoala Hall

Animals

The Zurich Zoo has succeeded in breeding the hammerhead .

Over 50 different species of vertebrates are shown in the hall, including five species of mammals , 23 birds , nine reptiles , two amphibians and five types of fish. These animal species are represented by over 300 individuals. There are also invertebrates such as millipedes , bees , hissed cockroaches and around 30 types of beneficial insects such as beetles and roundworms .

Mammal species common in Madagascar such as the red vari , the red-fronted lemur , the Goodman mouse lemur and the Rodrigues fruit bat live in the hall. The Aldabra giant tortoises , which come from the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean, are “foreign” . Various fish species are shown in the hall and its visitor center, including the Madagascar perch and the Marakeli cichlid . There are ten different species of duck in Madagascar , six of which are shown in the hall. The amber duck is threatened with extinction. Often seen reptiles are the panther chameleon and the Madagascar day gecko .

In the first year of operation, the zoo recorded successful breeding of the Madagascar pearl quail , the Bernese and Madagascar ducks , the widow whistle geese , the hammerheads , the spectacled birds , the great Madagascar day geckos and the jointed turtles . For the first time outside Madagascar, the endangered species of mane ibis was rearing , and for the first time in captivity, blue-headed peanuts were rearing .

Mushrooms

The Basel mycologist Markus Wilhelm documented around 200 mushroom species in over 500 collections between 2009 and 2015. The vast majority of species are naturally tropical saprobionts . Often they only have working names so far because they are hardly researched or as yet undescribed species, about which hardly any literature is available. The collections are presented in the Tintling in a loose sequence and systematic structure.

Visitor facilities

Treetop Walk

Inside the hall there are two shelters and two towers connected by a canopy walkway; from them the visitor can observe the animals better. In the research camp , some invertebrates such as Madagascar hissing cockroaches , longhorn beetles , praying mantis and millipedes are shown. There are also two binoculars for watching the turtles . The weather station provides information on the temperature and humidity in the hall as well as information on the climate and weather conditions in Madagascar.

Attached to the hall is an information center that provides information about Madagascar , the Masoala Peninsula, the destruction of the tropical rainforest and its importance. A terrarium shows lizards , some of which are not easy to spot in the hall, and another Malagasy dog-headed boa . A large aquarium depicts a piece of coral reef in front of Masoala and the bones of the Madagascar giant tortoise , which died out around 1000 years ago, are shown. There is also a model of the extinct elephant bird .

In the restaurant, separated by panes next to the hall, Malagasy dishes are offered and in the Masoala Shop , handicrafts, spices and various other products from Madagascar are available.

Support for the Masoala National Park

With two percent of the income of the zoo restaurant and the donations collected, Zurich Zoo supports nature conservation projects in the Masoala National Park and to promote employment opportunities in the surrounding villages - over four million francs to date. With its commitment in Masoala, Zurich Zoo makes a direct contribution to the preservation of the rainforest and its rare, endemic animal and plant species. With the contributions to the operating costs and the establishment of a foundation for the benefit of the Masoala National Park, long-term protection is ensured.

The zoo shows the causes for the disappearance of the forests , but also projects that help to preserve the forest. With direct contributions, the Masoala Hall is supposed to cover a third of the costs of the long-term maintenance of the park.

The Friends of Masoalas association is the Swiss sponsor for the support of the projects that Zoo Zurich implements together with the Wildlife Conservation Society , ANGAP and CAP Masoala . The association, which was founded in 2004 and is chaired by zoo director Alex Rübel, wants to ensure the management of the Masoala National Park in the long term and support nature conservation projects.

literature

Web links

Commons : Masoala-Halle Zoo Zurich  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Infocorner opened for the planned zoo cable car. In: Tages-Anzeiger. Retrieved January 2, 2013 .
  2. ↑ Masoala - The Eye of the Forest. A survival strategy for the rainforest in Madagascar. P. 12/13.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Masoala - The eye of the forest. A survival strategy for the rainforest in Madagascar. Pp. 111, 119-120.
  4. ↑ Masoala - The Eye of the Forest. A survival strategy for the rainforest in Madagascar. P. 14.
  5. ↑ a b Nature guide Masoala Rainforest in Zurich Zoo. P. 25.
  6. ↑ Experience the third dimension of the rainforest. (No longer available online.) In: Zoo Zurich. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014 ; Retrieved December 25, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.zoo.ch
  7. ↑ a b c Wanger, Motzke, Furrer, Gruber: Movement patterns and habitat choice of the great Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma m. Grandis) in the Masoala rain forest exhibition at Zurich Zoo . Der Salamander 5 (3) 2009, p. 147.
  8. ^ Masoala Halle, Zurich Zoo. (PDF; 268 kB) In: MWV Bauingenieure AG. Retrieved November 20, 2009 .
  9. ↑ Atlant Bieri: Rainforest under the plastic film. (No longer available online.) In: NZZ am Sonntag. April 8, 2007, p. 69 , archived from the original on January 10, 2014 ; Retrieved November 20, 2009 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.atlantbieri.ch
  10. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 22.
  11. ↑ a b c d Information sheet The Masoala Rainforest - a nature conservation project by Zurich Zoo. P. 2.
  12. ↑ a b c d Facts and figures on the Masoala Rainforest in Zurich Zoo. (PDF; 42 kB) (No longer available online.) In: Zoo Zurich. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016 ; Retrieved December 4, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.zoo.ch
  13. ↑ a b Masoala - The eye of the forest. A survival strategy for the rainforest in Madagascar. P. 115.
  14. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 24.
  15. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 97.
  16. ↑ a b c Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 27.
  17. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 102.
  18. ↑ a b c Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 99.
  19. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 116.
  20. ↑ Mushrooms in the Masoala Hall of the Zurich Zoo. Episode 14: Agarics - Brown Spores. Der Tintling 97, edition 6/2015, pp. 4-9.
  21. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 101.
  22. ^ Information sheet Facts and Figures Masoala Rainforest Zoo Zurich. P. 4.
  23. ↑ Irène Troxler: Lemurs and flying foxes from a bird's eye view . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . No. 72 , March 27, 2013, p. 19 .
  24. ↑ a b Masoala Rainforest. Measures and goals. (No longer available online.) In: Zoo Zurich. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009 ; Retrieved November 3, 2009 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.zoo.ch
  25. ↑ Nature guide Masoala Rainforest at Zurich Zoo. P. 151.
This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on November 27, 2009 .

Coordinates: 47 ° 23 '4.9 "  N , 8 ° 34' 43.3"  E ; CH1903:  six hundred eighty-six thousand and eighty-five  /  248830