Double joy: Born two Waldrentier-Jungtiers in the Salzburg Zoo!

Double joy: Born two Waldrentier-Jungtiers in the Salzburg Zoo!

In the Salzburg Zoo, there is double happiness to report: two weeks ago, a forest rental calf saw the light of day, just three days later another young animal followed. The managing director of the Zoo, Sabine Grebner, is particularly pleased with this double youngsters, who highlights the no complications. The mother animal, the two -year -old reindeer cow Lumme, and the father Pukka, who also comes from Finland, have been living in Salzburg since December 2024.

The young animals who listen to the melodious names onni and toivo were born during a day visit. Some zoo visitors were able to experience the exciting event live when the little calves tried their first steps and stood on shaky legs under the loving eyes of their mothers. Waldentier calves, also called nest refugees, are born with almost fully functional sensory organs and an already impressively developed motor skills.

the forest - a rare contemporary

The Waldren (Rangifer Tarandus Fennicus), from which the two young animals come, is a subspecies of the reindeer and is characterized by its adaptation to the mild climate of the Taiga in Finland and Karelia. These animals are significantly larger than the nominate form of the reindeer, with a stick size of about 15 cm more and correspondingly longer legs. They are not only adaptable, but also extremely robust: Waldent animals can move up to 70 cm through snow and reach a shoulder height of 85 to 120 cm.

In nature they live in very small herds and have an interesting time of reproduction: the calves are born between May and June after a gift period of around eight months. Often it is only a calf; Twin births are more of the exception.

threat and protection of the forestry animals

Despite their adaptability, forest rates are classified as endangered according to the Red List of the World Conservation Union. In the past, they were widespread in Northern Europe, but they were considered extinct in Finland in 1913. Today's population is made up of animals that have immigrated from Russia since the 1940s, and today is an estimated 1,000 individuals in Kainuu and 1,400 in Suomenselkä

These impressive animals are under protection and the recent births in the Salzburg Zoo are decisive to ensure that they secure their existence. Even if forest rates now live again in small areas in Finland and Russia, their breeding in zoos remains of great value for the preservation of this unique subspecies.