Deutsche Tierpark-Gesellschaft

The Deutsche Tierpark-Gesellschaft e.V. (DTG) is a German non-profit association that unites zoological gardens, animal parks and related institutions. Founded in 1976 in Delbrück, it has its registered seat in Bernburg and its office in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia. The DTG serves as an umbrella organisation and interest group for tiergärtnerische Einrichtungen (animal-park institutions) of various legal forms and ownership structures, primarily in Germany but also in neighbouring countries such as Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. As of its own reporting, the DTG has around 134 members, including 107 ordinary members, 1 provisional member, 15 supporting members, 7 honorary members and 4 associated members. Its member institutions together attract roughly 20 million visitors annually. The association is committed to the four main tasks of zoological gardens: species and nature conservation, education, science and recreation. It supports conservation breeding (ex-situ protection) as well as in-situ projects, and coordinates or backs various protection and reintroduction programmes. The DTG is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and an associated member of the Verband der Zoologischen Gärten (VdZ) and the Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz (ZGAP). It maintains regular exchange with the Deutscher Wildgehege-Verband (DWV) and other specialist associations. The association organises an annual general meeting, a thematic seminar and occupational safety seminars. Its board, as of October 2024, includes President Gert Emmrich (Tierpark Weißwasser), Vice-Presidents Ralf Slabik (Tierpark und Fossilium Bochum) and Nils Kramer (Tierpark Nordhorn), Treasurer Daniel Schäffer (Wildpark Hundshaupten), board member Marc-Philip Eckstein (Vogelpark Heiligenkirchen) and Managing Director Marie-Christine Kuypers. The DTG is actively involved in species conservation projects such as Zootier des Jahres, Citizen Conservation, Stiftung Artenschutz, Euronerz e.V. and AGESA e.V. It also engages in political advocacy for its members and provides support in education, public relations, communication and conservation-related matters.

The Deutsche Tierpark-Gesellschaft e.V. (DTG) was founded in 1976 in Delbrück, Germany, as a non-profit association. Its original purpose was to unite tiergärtnerische Einrichtungen (animal-park institutions) of various legal forms and ownership structures, primarily in Germany but also in neighbouring countries. Over the decades, the DTG grew into the largest German zoo association by membership, as noted in a 2007 article by Alois Gassner in DWV-News, which described its founding in the West and its substantial strengthening in the East after German reunification. The association established its registered seat in Bernburg and later set up its office in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia. It became a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and an associated member of the Verband der Zoologischen Gärten (VdZ) and the Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz (ZGAP). It also maintains regular exchange with the Deutscher Wildgehege-Verband (DWV) and other specialist associations. By the 2020s, the DTG represented over 130 member institutions, including zoos, animal parks and supporting organisations. It organises an annual general meeting, a thematic seminar and occupational safety seminars. The association is committed to the four main tasks of zoological gardens: species and nature conservation, education, science and recreation. It supports conservation breeding (ex-situ protection) and various in-situ protection and reintroduction projects. As of October 2024, the board consists of President Gert Emmrich (Tierpark Weißwasser), Vice-Presidents Ralf Slabik (Tierpark und Fossilium Bochum) and Nils Kramer (Tierpark Nordhorn), Treasurer Daniel Schäffer (Wildpark Hundshaupten), board member Marc-Philip Eckstein (Vogelpark Heiligenkirchen) and Managing Director Marie-Christine Kuypers. The DTG continues to support species conservation projects such as Zootier des Jahres, Citizen Conservation, Stiftung Artenschutz, Euronerz e.V. and AGESA e.V.

• 2024

  Board composition as of October 2024 includes President Gert Emmrich and Managing Director Marie-Christine Kuypers.

• 2007

  Article in DWV-News describes DTG as the largest German zoo association by membership.

• 1976

  Founded in Delbrück, Germany.

Umbrella association and interest group for zoological institutions in Germany and neighbouring countries, focused on conservation, education, science and recreation.

1. 1Deutsche Tierparkgesellschaft e.V. – Official Websitedeutsche-tierparkgesellschaft.de
2. 2Über uns – Deutsche Tierparkgesellschaft e.V.deutsche-tierparkgesellschaft.de
3. 3Deutsche Tierpark-Gesellschaft – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Deutsche Tierparkgesellschaft – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org