More often than expected

Thefts at the zoo: exotic prey on four legs

Alpine Zoo Director André Stadler knows that animal thefts are not the rule, but they are not utopian either: "I've been in the business for 20 years and always remember individual cases."

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Animal thefts in zoos are not as rare as you might think. The problem is also known in Tyrol's zoos, but fortunately has never become acute. Incidentally, the perpetrators don't go about it the way you might imagine . . . 

It is a somewhat different kind of crime thriller that has kept the German city of Leipzig on tenterhooks in recent weeks. Bearded monkey "Ruma" had disappeared from her enclosure overnight. Stolen by burglars! She reappeared shortly afterwards.

"Ruma" is now safely back in her enclosure. But it is not impossible that something like this could happen again. "It's an exceptional case, but very rare and valuable animals are stolen all the time," explains Marion Mayr from the rarity zoo in Ebbs. "But I think these are professionals who sell the animals on the black market."

At the rarity zoo, every animal has so far remained in its place - just like at Innsbruck Alpine Zoo. There, zoo director André Stadler knows that animal theft is not the rule, but not utopian either: "I've been in the business for 20 years and always remember individual cases."

(Bild: Zettler Alfred/Alfred Zettler)

Incidentally, you shouldn't think of animal theft as a zoo visitor simply grabbing a kangaroo, otter or penguin and smuggling it outside in their rucksack. "I don't think anyone steals animals during the day. It's more likely to happen at night with a break-in," explains Stadler. Appropriate security measures are also in place at the Alpine Zoo. Of course, he won't reveal exactly what they are.

Species-appropriate keeping hardly possible for private individuals
The animal inhabitants of the Alpine Zoo and the Rarities Zoo are not specially insured against theft. Nor do they measure the value of an animal in monetary terms. "These are endangered species that are only exchanged between zoos. There is rarely any money involved," explains Marion Mayr. Rather, it is science, species conservation and environmental education that suffer from theft. "Above all, however, the damage would also be great for the animal, because it can hardly be kept in a species-appropriate manner by private individuals outside a zoo," explains Stadler.

We keep getting requests to give animals away because someone wants to keep them privately.

Marion Mayr, Raritätenzoo Ebbs

Marion Mayr also sees this danger. "We keep getting requests to give animals away because someone wants to keep them privately. We have to turn them down because it's not possible to keep them privately in a species-appropriate way."

Even if they are temptingly fluffy - it's better to leave (ant) bears, ibex and co. where they are.