Projects aimed at stabilising populations or their reintroduction in the wild are typically very time-consuming and expensive, as they often require years or even decades of preparation and scientific support. The management of endangered species in breeding programmes is often only one aspect of these preparations.
Zoo Leipzig has been assisting in this effort for decades by keeping the gene pool of its species diverse and making animals available for release into the wild. Leipzig has already made a number of animals available for reintroduction projects, including European wildcats, little owls, European eagle owls, Scimitar-horned oryx, Przewalski's horses and white storks. As part of its commitment to protecting common hamsters in central Germany, Zoo Leipzig actively carries out reintroduction projects in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.