Mornings at Hellabrunn Zoo

It‘s still quiet at the zoo when the sun appears on the horizon. But gradually the morning peace becomes enriched with a symphony of animal sounds: the early birdsong from the Isar Meadows is slowly accompanied by the chirping of flamingos, the chattering of monkeys and the roaring of lions. The morning melody at Hellabrunn Zoo also includes the jingling of food prep kitchen keys and the rhythmic hum of bicycle tyres rolling along the paths – unmistakable sounds of the start of a new workday for the animal care team.

Some animals are still asleep as the bicycles roll past the enclosures, while others eagerly await the familiar morning sounds and faces of their keepers. In the Lion House, the sound of keys and opening gates acts as a signal for Max and Benny to check which member of staff is working in the food prep kitchen. Their delicious breakfast includes two bowls containing a kilo of meat for each lion. Serving the first meal of the day also offers an opportunity to check on the animals. Are they both fit? Is there anything unusual about their behaviour?

Keeper Quirin always follows the safety procedures when moving through the various security gates. After preparing the meal according to the species diet plan and luring the two brothers to the safety partition of the Lion House, he will then carry out an enclosure check of the big cats’ habitat.

The keeper then moves from enclosure to enclosure by bike – “The checks on the animals and their surroundings are an essential part of our duties as zookeepers,” says Quirin Linseisen. “During the course of the day, we prepare many different animal enrichment elements, which are always species-appropriate. Whether they spark interest straight away or are first examined at night – that is of course up to the animals. In any case, we regularly think up new animal enrichment activities for our residents.” The daily work also includes medical behaviour training – for example with the Siberian tigers. With a safety barrier between the big cats and the keepers, Jegor and Ahimsa are trained to respond to commands to facilitate various procedures such oral health checks, blood tests, vaccinations, weighing and paw and claw examinations. Training is done using positive reinforcement (rewards-based) – the animals decide whether to train and for how long. Whether it is a lion, Pallas's cat or raccoon – every training situation is always voluntary.

Break. Time to relax. Time for coffee and a chat with colleagues. By the first break, Quirin, his team and all the other teams will have already accomplished a lot. All the enclosures will have been cleaned and the animals fed before the zoo opens. At the top of the morning to-do list of all the keepers is maintaining hygiene in the enclosures and around the enrichment elements as this is essential to health. This includes cleaning up animal waste – from rare droppings left by the sloths, to steaming piles of elephant poo and the excrement balls of the reticulated giraffes. Another important task is selecting fresh food for the animals, such as bamboo branches for the red pandas.

Back to work – and on the bike again. The Humboldt penguins are fed their favourite fish, various keeper talks and commentated feedings are held for the zoo guests, important aspects of animal management and details of upcoming feed orders are discussed. Arrangements are made to deal with any animal welfare issues to ensure the residents of Hellabrunn Zoo receive the best care. And while the animals relax or play as the day progresses, the animal care team’s bikes continue to roll busily through the zoo. Always thinking ahead to the next task and the next day. Because tomorrow it starts all over again in the morning silence – on the bike.