The male is named Malcolm and comes from Nordens Ark. Sunna, the female, was born at Skansen Zoo in Stockholm. Both animals are just under 1.5 years old.

The new “animal hotel” was designed by Dr. Reinhard Pichler, veterinarian and zoological director, to meet the animals’ needs, and was built by the technical staff at Tierwelt Herberstein. “With a swimming pond, climbing trees, and a spacious meadow area, the enclosure also allows for the animals to be separated spatially. The new enclosure is designed for long-term breeding,” said the zoological director. The investment for the new facility totaled EUR 30,000, added Managing Director Doris Wolkner-Steinberger.

During the acclimatization phase, the animals are still kept separate from one another. “Through a passageway, they can already sniff each other out and get to know one another. While the male explores the enclosure, the female, Sunna, is already aiming high,” reports zoologist Mag. Beate Übelleitner. She has made the arrival of this new species the subject of her master’s thesis and will analyze the animals’ development over the next few months and document it in a scientific paper.

The pair has already taken visitors’ hearts by storm. In Austria, wolverines can now be admired not only at the Salzburg Zoo but also at Tierwelt Herberstein.