Otter center
The Otter Center in Hankensbüttel in the Gifhorn district is a nature experience center that is located on a six-hectare open-air site on Lake Isenhagen. The otter center presents the endangered species of otter as well as several related species of marten in natural surroundings. The facility is run by the Aktion Fischotterschutz eV association , a state-recognized nature conservation organization , and is a popular destination on the southern edge of the Lüneburg Heath .
history
The origins of the Otter Center can be found in the Oderhaus otter research enclosure , which the Lower Saxony Forest Administration set up in 1979 near Sankt Andreasberg in the Harz Mountains. Claus Reuther played a key role as an official of the Lower Saxony forest administration. Aktion Fischotterschutz eV , founded in Braunlage in 1979 and initiated by Reuther, was also involved in the scientific research program. When the project ended in 1986, the association drew up a concept for an otter center, which was opened in Hankensbüttel in 1988. The association changed from a pure otter protection association to a state-recognized nature conservation organization. The initiator of the Otter Center was Claus Reuther, who was also its director from the beginning. The facility suffered a setback in 1993 due to a damaging fire in the main building. Reuther was suspected of serious arson , but acquitted in 1995 by the Hildesheim district court. He passed away in 2004.
Selected location 2006
In 2006, the Germany - Land of Ideas initiative selected the Otter Center as one of the "365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas". From 1,200 applications it won the opportunity to present itself to the national and international audience at the 2006 World Cup . The initiative was supported by the federal government and the Federation of German Industries ( BDI ) and was under the patronage of Federal President Horst Köhler .
Animals and habitats
The otters are kept in spacious enclosures close to nature at water courses and ponds. There are also various species of marten in enclosures as the closest relatives of the otter . The presentation of several species is unique in this way.
- Badger
- Ermine (only ermine outdoor enclosure in the world)
- Polecat
- Beech marten
- Pine marten (Europe's only outdoor pine marten enclosure)
Enclosures are:
- Roof hill with a 17 meter long visitor tunnel
- Otter pond
- Otter waterfall
- Otter creek with underwater observation and viewing platform
- Stone marten house
- Beech marten barn
- Pine marten enclosure
- Polecat shed
- Otterhound kennel
The animal and habitat are modeled on the natural environment of the animals. There are the habitats:
- Village
- swamp
- Hedge landscape
- Standing waters (fish ponds and ponds )
- Flowing waters
- Forest with a tour at a height of 3.5 meters
Visitors
Every year, around 100,000 visitors come to the Otter Center (according to its own information). The facility carries out around 60 special events over the course of the year, especially for children, for example life as an Indian, in the Stone Age, in the Viking camp, etc. The visitor facilities include: visitor hall, boat rental, otter shop, restaurant and inn.
Environmental education
The facility pursues the concept of environmental education through hands-on learning and experimentation. On the entire site, visitors are introduced to environmental and nature conservation under the motto Games and Learn . For this purpose, there are a number of mechanical devices that help to clarify facts - for example, a wooden beech marten can be fed with magnetic picture plates to see what kind of food this species is actually consuming.
The educational games sometimes differ greatly from one another, but a series of opening question marks also runs through the Otter Center as a "red thread", where you can put your own knowledge to the test.
research
In addition to providing information, the Otter Center is also dedicated to research, which is largely carried out in an area separated from the public area. The research enclosures are based on the requirements of the otter and are all equipped with ponds, while the smaller indoor enclosures of the attached quarantine station are also suitable for other species.
In addition, the offspring of the otter protection campaign are usually conceived and born on the research site in order to offer the pregnant females the quietest possible environment for the birth.
Biotope protection
The Otter Center bought or leased areas of watercourses at various locations in Lower Saxony in order to develop them into otter relaxation rooms. The canalized water system of the Ise was also revitalized and made natural. The pilot project was funded by the Federal Environment Ministry.
An important principle in this form of biotope protection is not to cordon off large areas of the protected areas, but rather to build on the cooperation and understanding of the residents: Agricultural use is not prohibited, but rather directed into nature-friendly paths. In concrete terms, this means that only the bank margins remain completely untouched, while extensive grassland management can be carried out on the remaining area .
literature
- Claus Reuther: The Otter Center Hankensbüttel . In: Museums and excursion destinations in the Gifhorn-Wolfsburg area , Gifhorn 1989
- Claus Reuther, Willfried Janßen: Habitat work reports of the Action Fischotterschutz eV Hankensbüttel 1993, ISBN 3-927650-05-6
- Albert Spletto: A visit to the Otter Center . Hankensbüttel 1996, ISBN 3-927650-15-3
- Aktion Fischotterschutz eV: Otter-Post , four times a year since 1979
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ "Each mark for the Otter Center serves environmental protection twice" Communication from the German Federal Environment Foundation of December 13, 1995
Coordinates: 52 ° 43 ′ 53 ″ N , 10 ° 37 ′ 12 ″ E