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New Bobcat for Essehof Zoo

A new Bobcat compact loader is keeping things tidy at the Essehof Zoo in Lower Saxony in Germany. The Bobcat machine was chosen by the zoo owner, Gregor Wilhelm, for its compact dimensions, the high hydraulic performance and the excellent lifting forces, as well as the large portfolio of available attachments, that make Bobcat compact loaders like this, the perfect machines for use in zoos.

With its 300 animals and 40 different species living on a 10-hectare outdoor area, the Essehof Zoo is a real favourite with the public in Lower Saxony. Gregor Wilhelm is from the second generation of his family to run the zoo, and he is personally responsible for its development, maintenance and operations. Commenting on the new Bobcat A770 compact loader and its range of Bobcat attachments, he said, “When looking for a successor for our 6.5-tonne wheel loader, the important criteria for me were that it should be as compact a vehicle as possible, with high lifting power and good hydraulic performance. The machine also had to have as low a ground pressure as possible so that the pavements and other surfaces at the zoo are not damaged.

“Our dealer, Müller Maschinen GmbH, provided us with a Bobcat A770 and a wide range of attachments for two weeks,” Gregor continued. During this time, the advantages compared to the old wheel loader quickly became obvious: the Bobcat loader protects the ground and the roads/pavements and the lifting force also turned out to be excellent. “We also build structures using large boulders on the site. Some weigh up to 3-tonne. Lifting these is no problem for the Bobcat. I was also very enthusiastic about the Bobcat dumping hopper attachment. Thanks to its low height, it can easily be filled by hand up to 2.5 cubic metres. So we kept it here,” Mr Wilhelm explained.

In addition to the dumping hopper, backhoe, mower and pallet fork attachments, one of the latest Bobcat attachments is also used in the zoo: the Bobcat pressure washer. The pressure washer attachment with its 800-litre water tank, in combination with the new Bobcat compact loader, can reach all places on the 10 hectare area that have to be cleaned regularly. "Even in inaccessible parts of the park, we can use the attachment to reach and clean these areas," Gregor said. "Thanks to the integrated cleaning gun with a 20m long hose, benches, roofs, bridges and equipment can be cleaned easily. In contrast to conventional high-pressure cleaners, water hoses and power cables do not have to be dragged back and forth. The engine and hydraulic power of the Bobcat A770 provides the attachment with all the energy it needs to perform outstandingly anywhere in the park.”

The new A770 works alongside an S70 (the smallest compact loader model from Bobcat), which has been part of the Essehof fleet for years. “The little Bobcat is mainly used for work in the stables. Thanks to its small dimensions, it can go anywhere,” said Mr Wilhelm. The zoo was already familiar with the Bobcat brand before the new equipment purchase, because Mr Wilhelm’s father also bought his machines from Müller Maschinen. “My father always obtained his machines from the Ahrens family at Müller Maschinen. I was able to gain my first experience with skid-steer loaders at the age of 12 on a classic Bobcat 310 we had then,” Mr Wilhelm said.

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