Dresden (dpa / sn) - A new home for great apes and other animals from Southeast Asia: The Dresden Zoo celebrated the topping-out ceremony for the new building of the orangutan house this Monday. According to the zoo, the house is the largest construction project in the zoo's 160-year history. In addition to the orangutans, giant tortoises, among other things, should also be housed there.
Despite the difficult conditions, the zoo is optimistic about opening the house to visitors in November 2023, said zoo director Karl-Heinz Ukena.
Total costs of 20 million euros are estimated for the house, 1.5 million euros in donations were reportedly collected for it. The zoo is currently struggling with the rising construction costs, as Ukena said at the topping-out ceremony. "Of course we are looking to see where sensible cost savings are possible. However, the construction project has already been efficiently planned and we will not save at the expense of the animals or the companies involved in the construction," he said.
