Around 130 animals died in a fire in Cologne Zoo's rainforest house in March. Now visitors can see birds and reptiles from South America in the building again.
Cologne (dpa / lnw) - Half a year after the devastating fire in Cologne Zoo, the tropical house will open to visitors again on Saturday. The renovation is largely complete, said a zoo spokesman. Some animal facilities were still being worked on, they would be completed during ongoing operations. A fire broke out in the rainforest house in mid-March. Around 130 animals were killed, mainly birds and fish, but also flying foxes.
The investigations into the cause of the fire are still ongoing, the Cologne public prosecutor's office is still waiting for an expert report. A technical defect probably triggered the fire, and there is no evidence of third-party negligence, a spokesman said. According to earlier information, the fire started in a false ceiling.
Before the fire, more than 600 animals from South Asia lived in the building. Most of them could be saved, including all amphibians and reptiles, various mammals and rare birds. The stock is now gradually being rebuilt, said the zoo spokesman. This is done, among other things, through offspring.
