“I am very pleased that, following yesterday’s announcements from the federal government, we can expect Tierwelt Herberstein and Wilder Berg Mautern to reopen in mid-May. This would allow the people of Styria to visit these two popular destinations again starting at that time. Along with the reopening of restaurants, this would be another step toward reviving local tourism,” said Provincial Tourism Minister Barbara Eibinger-Miedl. “The teams at both wildlife parks have done everything they can in recent weeks to be fully prepared for the reopening, in accordance with 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 visitors’ health is the top priority, so 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.

Herberstein Wildlife Park 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 each other 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.