“Over the past few days, we’ve been working intensively on a prevention plan for the reopening so that all guests can visit the zoo with peace of mind,” says Tierwelt Managing Director Doris Wolkner-Steinberger. Spanning 46 hectares, the entire visit takes place outdoors in the fresh air. Although all animal houses remain closed, the exotic animals can be seen in their outdoor enclosures. Only the bird aviary is closed for the winter.

Aside from the COVID regulations, there’s also news from the world of zoology: the population on the South American continent has grown. At the end of November, a baby sloth was born during the lockdown. The youngest resident is still rarely seen; the so-called “lockdown baby” spends its time sleeping on its mother’s belly. In contrast, the young animals born in 2020—who have now grown into teenagers—are making frequent appearances.

Speaking of 2020: With over 257,000 visitors, a new attendance record was set during the 8 months the museum was open. The proportion of visitors from Styria rose to 83%. “Our visitor origin statistics thus show a 20% increase in guests from Styria,” says Managing Director Doris Wolkner-Steinberger, who hopes this trend will continue in the new year, which is themed “A Trip Around the World—in Just One Day.”

Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from February 8 to 14, 2021. Through March 17: Open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

You can find our prevention plan here.