Gut Aiderbichl fought

Rescued tigers have to stay in Romania

Sandy, Floy, Tango, Roxy and Sonja will now find a new, permanent home in Romania. Authorities in Austria did not approve the construction of an enclosure suitable for tigers.(Bild: Gut Aiderbichl)

Gut Aiderbichl fought for a long time to bring five rescued tigers to Henndorf. However, they failed because of the authorities. Nevertheless, there is a happy ending for the big cats.

Many an animal lover in Salzburg now has to be brave: The five tigers rescued by Gut Aiderbichl from a circus will not be moving to the estate in Henndorf. The construction of the tiger enclosure, which was originally planned in Henndorf, will not take place. The authorities in Austria have not issued a permit for this. The animals will now remain in Romania, where a suitable enclosure for the big cats is currently being built on the grounds of the Liska Animal Park Zoo.

The five tigers originally belonged to the "Moscow Circus". The name was the operator's undoing, as visitors have stayed away since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as reported by the "Krone" newspaper.

"Thanks to the generous support of a long-standing Aiderbichler, we have now been given the opportunity to permanently house the animals on a large site in Romania. The plans have been approved and construction of the tiger enclosure has already begun," explains Gut Aiderbichl boss Dieter Ehrengruber.

Housing the tigers requires special safety measures. Because as cuddly as Sandy, Floy, Tango, Roxy and Sonja may look, they have an innate hunting instinct. An enclosure for the tigers must therefore offer an appropriate exercise area including climbing and hiding places as well as a secure protective fence. The authorities in Romania have now approved such a building. The enclosure for the five tigers on the grounds of the Liska Animal Park Zoo in Romania is due to be completed in the first half of 2024. The area covers several hectares of land.