Some time ago, my family and I took in two tomcats who were no longer quite young. We made a new experience: In contrast to previous cats, with whom we were allowed to share our lives, both refused the so-called wet food, they consistently left solid parts and at best happily slapped away the liquid. We then found out: These cats are obviously socialized differently – they prefer dry food. For a bit of variety on the menu, I occasionally buy the animals “cat soup” (also a kind of wet food, but it almost exclusively has liquid to slop away). Although I always feel a bit silly buying such a chi-chi cat product. But who cares, I bow to the preferences of our cats. And now I don’t have to think too much about it.
It’s completely different with Martin Schmolinga. The trained animal keeper has what is probably the most complicated job at Hellabrunn Zoo: he is the head feeder and makes sure that thousands of animals get their meals here twice a day. And with around 800 animal species and a budget of almost one million euros, there is a lot to consider, as my colleague Philipp Crone found out when visiting the zoo’s canteen kitchen (SZ Plus).
Feed master Schmolinga has to keep the enormous logistics of orders, storage and preparation under control. And always dealing with new challenges: with delivery problems caused by the corona pandemic, for example, or the – actually positive – fact that chick killing has not been allowed in Germany since January. And then, above all, every animal needs the right food for it: the polar bear’s diet is different from that of the marmot. And what does the monkey with stomach problems get? Incidentally, anteaters and whelk pigs have proven to be particularly picky eaters. Even the zoo animals don’t eat everything that is put in front of them.
It’s almost a bit like the house cats – except that the zoo residents can’t hop on their provider’s desk when they think it’s time for dinner after all.
THE DAY IN MUNICH
One station becomes two Because the number of patients is increasing because of Omikron, the Munich clinics have to put in a lot of effort in order to be able to continue treating Covid and noncovid patients separately. Once again, the staff is particularly challenged.
Decayed body of woman found – suspect arrested A woman was found dead in the basement of a house Thursday night. The police are assuming a homicide – the suspect is a 75-year-old made of hair.
Only in Munich is there a Hofbräuhaus The brewery is taking a beer from Dresden to court that it believes violates its trademark rights. The Saxons can also refer to a centuries-old tradition.
Police want to send security guards on patrol in the west of Munich In the future, volunteers will patrol one of the safest spots in the city. Aubing’s local politicians are not very convinced of the police plan.
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