Five shovels stood at the ready on Friday morning as Munich’s Mayor Christine Strobl officially opened the ceremony. Munich’s Hellabrunn Zoo marked the start of construction of Mühlendorf with a groundbreaking ceremony. Our CEO Kieran Stanley made a special trip to the Bavarian state capital for the event and described our Mühlendorf concept in his greeting remarks as a “place of discovery and encounter”.
A 23,200-sqm village-like immersive landscape will begin to take shape next year. It will provide a new home for threatened domesticated species such as Werdenfels cattle, Bavarian Landrace geese, Girgentana goats and Sulmtaler chickens and will forge a thematic link between domestic and global biodiversity.A zoo school, located on the new site in its own building, as well as numerous stations will stimulate the research interests of both young and older visitors alike.
“Its familiar appearance, its authenticity, and primary educational objectives showcased in a variety of ways are what distinguish the project,” says Kieran Stanley. “I’m extremely pleased how my team and I were able to translate the critical subject of biodiversity into a storyline and built reality with the Mühlendorf concept.” Zoo Director Rasem Baban is also delighted that the zoo “is breaking new ground with Mühlendorf and creating both a unique way of experiencing nature as well as a one-of-a-kind educational centre”.
