“I am very pleased that, following yesterday’s announcements from the federal government, we can expect the Tierwelt Herberstein and the Wilder Berg Mautern to reopen in mid-May. This would allow the people of Styria to visit these two popular destinations again starting then. Along with the reopening of restaurants and bars, this would be another step toward reviving local tourism,” said State Tourism Minister Barbara Eibinger-Miedl. “The teams at both zoos have done everything possible in recent weeks to ensure they are fully prepared for the reopening under strict safety precautions.”

Tierwelt Herberstein plans to be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting May 15. “We’re really looking forward to getting back up and running,” said Tierwelt director Doris Wolkner-Steinberger. Protecting public health is the top priority, so the necessary measures will be incorporated into the visitor guidelines. “We are prepared to implement all federal guidelines,” said Wolkner-Steinberger.
To continue avoiding crowds, there will be no guided feeding sessions. Special programs and group tours will also be suspended until further notice. At Herberstein Garden Castle, access to certain areas is planned, but no guided tours will take place there either.

Tierwelt Herberstein , covers an area of 46 hectares, 23 of which are dedicated to animal enclosures. The outdoor areas are therefore similar to spacious parks, and visitors are spread out along the walking paths. The paths are wide enough to allow visitors to pass one another easily while maintaining social distancing.

In recent weeks, a great many baby animals have been born; the new arrivals are already visible in the wolverine enclosure and among the bison herd. During the park’s closure, the lion family was also successfully introduced to one another—Dad Caesar met Spartacus, Maximus, and Tiberius.