Animals
Three new Nile crocodiles in Hagenbeck’s tropical aquarium
Newcomer Linyanti swims in the pool in front of Mia lying on the shore. Hagenbeck Zoo has introduced newcomers to the Nile crocodiles. photo
© Jonas Walzberg/dpa
Growth in Hagenbeck’s tropical aquarium: three new Nile crocodiles have moved in. Zonja, Mia and Linyanti come from France and from now on they stir up the crocodile lake.
Three new Nile crocodiles have moved into Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg. The three females were baptized Zonja, Mia and Linyanti, as the zoo announced on Friday.
They are 29 years old, three meters long and now live on 350 square meters in the tropical aquarium. After their arrival, after initial reluctance, they explored their new home. They also met their new roommates. “I am very happy with the arrival of the new animals and the reunion. There were no disputes or power struggles,” said Zoological Director Guido Westhoff.
According to the zoo, the new Nile crocodiles come from the farm “La ferme aux crocodiles” in Europe’s largest reptile park. From Pierrelatte near Lyon in France, the animals traveled about 18 hours to Hamburg. Like the other crocodiles, they are to be trained in the tropical aquarium by Florian Ploetz, the head of the terrarium department. During the training, the animals learn, among other things, to listen to their names and to go ashore on command.
Nile crocodiles are said to be among the largest and most dangerous crocodiles in the world. They can grow up to seven meters long.