Zurich Zoo: Delay in the Construction of the Pantanal Aviary

(eap) While above-ground and civil engineering works at the construction site of the new Pantanal Aviary at Zurich Zoo are on schedule, steel construction work has come to a standstill. According to the zoo, the steel construction company involved failed to meet the required specifications in technical, scheduling or financial terms, which is why the collaboration has now been terminated. As a result of these circumstances, completion of the project, which forms one of the next stages of the “Development Plan 2050” (c.f. project report in EAP 1/2022), will be delayed.

The so-called “Ara Hub” remains on schedule and is set to open as planned next spring. This unit will in future house the indoor facilities of the Pantanal Aviary and will be used for the breeding of various endangered bird species. The Ara Hub is also intended to be available for research activities.

The opening of the Pantanal Aviary, which is being developed on a total area of around 11,000 square metres and will rise to a height of 35 metres at its highest point, had been planned for spring 2028. The zoo stated that it is endeavouring to resume the steel construction work as quickly as possible with a new implementation partner. How the opening date will shift as a result of this delay cannot yet be determined at the present time. More than 15 endangered animal species, including the giant anteater, lowland tapir, hyacinth macaw, red-tailed amazon and sun conure, will live together within the aviary. The aviary is intended to combine all four core tasks of a modern zoo – species and nature conservation, research and education – in a single facility. ■