Overview

• The Grüne Jugend Augsburg calls for an immediate halt to breeding and new admissions, a detailed plan by 2028, and a conversion of the site into a conservation education center by 2040.
• Environment chief Reiner Erben, who chairs the zoo’s supervisory board, affirms continuing the zoo’s current development and cites more than €2.2 million invested in field conservation and strong education outcomes.
• The Augsburger Grüne party and council faction distance themselves from the youth wing’s demand and reiterate support for preserving and further developing the zoo.
• CSU and SPD city politicians publicly back the institution, highlighting its role in international conservation programs and community education; online reactions range widely, with ÖDP criticizing the proposal as impractical and V-Partei³ offering support.
• A leadership transition is confirmed, with longtime director Barbara Jantschke departing and Philipp Wagner set to take over in spring 2026, as the zoo notes roughly 700,000 visitors in 2023.