Berlin Zoos Call for Emergency Aid After Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak

Despite no infections detected in Berlin's animals, closures due to the outbreak in Brandenburg have led to significant financial losses.

The Berlin Zoo and Tierpark remain closed following a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in nearby Brandenburg, despite all tests on their animals returning negative results.
Tests conducted on 55 animals, including species like bison and giraffes, showed no signs of the highly contagious disease.
The outbreak in Brandenburg, the first in Germany in over 35 years, was traced to a water buffalo herd in Hönow, within the monitoring zone surrounding the Berlin facilities.
The closures have caused substantial financial losses, prompting the zoos' support association to call for immediate federal and state assistance to offset the economic impact.
Zoo officials are developing plans to reopen safely, but no timeline has been announced for resuming operations.