Viennese reptile enthusiast to take over Klagenfurt zoo

Martin Polaschek, a Viennese reptile enthusiast, will take over the Reptilienzoo Happ reptile zoo in Klagenfurt this autumn, ORF reported Friday. Helga Happ, who has run the zoo for almost 40 years, is retiring after five decades at the facility.

Happ, 75, has cared around the clock for about 1,000 reptiles and spiders. She said Polaschek was the right person to lead the zoo into the future because he runs a reptile zoo in Forchtenstein in Burgenland and an animal shelter in Vienna.

Polaschek’s father was Austria’s biggest reptile dealer, and Happ has known Polaschek since childhood. She said she was confident the animals would be well cared for under his leadership.

The official handover is scheduled for the end of September. Polaschek plans to modernise the facility by enlarging enclosures, replacing outdated elements, updating technology and restructuring staff. The first renovation work is planned for December.

Happ will not retire completely. She will remain a contact for authorities and the public on questions and problems involving reptiles, and will continue working as a court-appointed expert.