In September 2021, there was great sadness when Hellabrunn Zoo announced the tragic news of the sudden death of all four of its previous meerkat residents due to the unforeseeable collapse of their burrow. The collapse of the unstable burrow system, which occurred overnight, took the animals by surprise. Due to the time of the accident, the keepers were only able to recover lifeless bodies the following morning.
As a result, the meerkat enclosure near the Isar entrance of the zoo was thoroughly examined and upgraded in the past few months: the flooring design and anti-collapse protection were improved. The outdoor area was completely excavated and a better protective base was underlaid to prevent very deep burrowing. In addition, the previous sand was replaced by a new substrate mixture, which is expected to provide increased stability when the meerkats dig their network of underground tunnels.
Some zoos have already had good experiences with the substrate mixture that Hellabrunn is now using to reduce the risk of the tunnel systems collapsing. New planting in the enclosure has also been implemented to strengthen the soil with its root system, thus providing even more stability.
"We have spared no effort to create a beautiful enclosure for our new meerkats with optimal conditions. The availability of craftsmen and materials has somewhat delayed the return of the meerkats, but now the mongoose species can be seen in Hellabrunn again,” says Rasem Baban, zoological director of Hellabrunn Zoo. “The African savannah dwellers are undoubtedly a firm favourite with visitors at Hellabrunn. In their natural habitat in Africa, the animals are not considered endangered according to the IUCN list (International Union for Conservation of Nature), but in a zoo with an Africa zone they are important ambassadors for their fellow species and fit perfectly into the community among the reticulated giraffes.”