Offspring from Darmstadt released into nature near Hergershausen – cooperation with HGON and the regional council
Darmstadt/Hergershausen. Two barn owls hatched at the Vivarium Zoo in Darmstadt were successfully released into the wild in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district in July 2025. The young birds, bred at the Darmstadt Zoo, were introduced to a natural nest near Hergershausen – a proven method for strengthening the population of this highly endangered bird species
The release into the wild was carried out in cooperation with the Hessian Society for Ornithology and Nature Conservation (HGON) and the Darmstadt Regional Council, Department for Agriculture, Fisheries and International Species Conservation. The Vivarium Zoo is thus actively contributing to regional species conservation in southern Hesse .
A 90 percent decline – Zoo Vivarium has been committed for decades
Barn owls are considered a particularly endangered species in Hesse . Their population has declined by around 90 percent in this century alone . The Vivarium Zoo has been breeding the birds for many years and regularly provides them for reintroduction programs.
Since 1982, a total of 53 barn owlsthat hatched at the Vivarium Zoo have been released into the wild:
- 42 of them in southern Hesse
- 8 in the Westerwald
- 3 in the Aachen area
The two young animals, which hatched in May 2025, are now increasing the wildlife population right on Darmstadt's doorstep.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/dk)
