Animal Park Berlin - Germany / German Democratic Republic 1970 - 20 Pfennig

Berlin Zoo The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of the German Democratic Republic publishes four multicolored special postage stamps depicting various animals from the Berlin Zoo. Animals of Tierpark Berlin In the year 1970, Tierpark Berlin (founded August 27, 1954, opened July 2, 1955) is 15 years old. For this reason, the International Association of Directors Zoological Gardens holds its 25th Annual Meeting in Berlin-Friedrichsfelde. After twice stamp series of the GDR from Tierpark Berlin were inaugurated and helped to carry his name to all over the world, now again a set of four animals is to be issued, which brings particularly rare and attractive species to the representation. Each of the selected species has a special meaning for the zoo. It goes without saying that it was not easy to choose from around 5,000 species of livestock. 20-pfennig value Mendes (Addax) Antelope, Addax nasomaculatus de Blainville One of the most important tasks of modern zoos has been around for about two decades active protection of endangered large animal species in such a way to breed them and if necessary breed offspring again in suitable protected areas of their original homeland into the liberty. It goes without saying that Tierpark Berlin, too, has taken this motto for granted from its foundation in terms of its favorable possibilities. For some years, it has now begun to take over species threatened antelope forms in the livestock of the zoo and to try their breeding. After first good results is also the magnificent Mendes, or as it is also called, Addoxantilope, which had been brought to the brink of extinction by reckless hunting, especially with jeeps in their easily accessible African drylands, into the stock of the zoo Berlin been added. Their broad hooves show that they are prepared for movement on loose soil, as it exists in the Sahara or the dry steppes between Lake Chad and the Nile area. They had to be placed under international protection without any danger of extinction. Not only in the pale coat color and in the construction of the hooves are these beautiful cloven-hoofed animals, which carry helical horns in both sexes, but at the same time adapted to the desert life; they can also for a long time give up water, so that they colonize even areas, where every life seems to have died. In captivity, they breed well. Only in front of the aggressive goats with their pointed horns one has to be careful.