Semester Abroad: Pachyderm Pro Goes to Europe

[JVM]

Glad people are enjoying these reports. Considering how much some of these places have been talked about I've had some difficulty finding new things to say. It took my some time to formulate some unique thoughts on Prague in particular, because what more needs to be said? Everyone already knows its one of the greatest zoos on the planet in every measurable aspect. I'll keep working to find unique ways to discuss these zoos beyond just saying they're excellent, amazing and awesome, but you can't blame me when so much of what I've seen is excellent, amazing and awesome.

Your write-ups always seem excellent in my view, but fwiw, I say always assume there's someone reading who hasn't heard of the zoo before! As someone who doesn't read the Europe forum as much as I'd like to, there's a lot I'm learning - or learned before, but am getting a useful refresher - through here. You also never know who is googling zoo reviews and stumbles on a given thread out of ZooChat context. I empathize more with your concerns about not being repetitious than it sounds though as you can imagine from which of us started their Europe travel thread first!

The Barbary sheep/macaque mix at both Vienna and Prague is the big one I've enjoyed seeing. That's a very dynamic combination of animals and as I'm sure you'll relate to as well, brings up fond memories of the old baboon and ibex islands at Brookfield.

That was exactly the mix that prompted the question! You know me well!

Lots of small mammals shared enclosures in Prague's African building: Malagasy jumping rats with moholi bushbabies, greater galagos with dwarf mongoose, dwarf lemurs with jerboas, etc. Can't say I've seen as much of that stateside.

Those are some very dynamic combinations - I'm always fond of terrestrial/arboreal mixes, but it's especially cool to mix small mammals as so many species are not showy and it increases the likelihood of activity - and more holding space!

Technically Zlin's small herd of Somali sheep in with the elephants is a novel mix as well, but I do wonder why they chose domestic livestock over some gazelles or an antelope. It's absolutely large enough to accommodate additional species.

Very interesting one. Having not yet seen an elephant mix in person so far I'd probably find it very cool if it were the first one I saw. It seems like at the very least Impala would be a smart pick, as Tampa and Dallas have included them in elephant mixes and American zoos are more conservative in this regard. It also doesn't look like Prague holds Impala already. Hm..

 

[Therabu]

Nice thread Pachyderm Pro! While your fellow Americans enjoy discovering European collections, it is nice to read your viewpoint and the comparisons you can draw with zoos European zoochaters have already visited, and North American institutions.

As for the Somali sheep at Zlin, I would say that they jump mess high than impalas or any gazelle. Wild ungulates would probably escape too easily with existing fencing and enhancing it "just" for impala would be costly given the size of the enclosure.

 

[pachyderm pro]

Bratislava Zoo

These first couple weeks in Europe have been packed with first class zoological experiences of all varieties. Places that I’ve spent years dreaming of visiting have been done and dusted, blowing me away with legendary exhibits, unusual species and cherished history. The zoo I visited this past weekend is not one of these places. Slovakia's capital was always on the itinerary due to its proximity to Vienna, but more than one person told me to skip the zoo. It’s been referred to as one of the most outdated major zoos in Europe, doesn't feature much I can’t see elsewhere, and is a bit of a hike from the city center (and a steep one at that). It’s certainly not somewhere I would have lost any sleep from skipping. But let’s get real for a second; there’s a decent-sized zoo in a major city that I already happen to be in… and you think I’m just not gonna check it out?

So after recalibrating expectations, Bratislava won out. My desire to pay it a visit extended beyond the fact it was nearby, but also because it’s somewhere that isn’t frequently visited by zoo enthusiasts. As a result there’s been little coverage of the progress the zoo has made in recent years which I wanted to access. And indeed things are looking up. For far too long the zoo’s brown bear was kept in a tiny pair of grottos that can only be described as deplorable – so bad that it shocks me that they can still be seen by the public. Thankfully, a long overdue extension has finally been completed which connects these grottos to a grassy hillside enclosure. It’s nothing too special, but must feel like paradise compared to what the bear had previously. There’s been other significant upgrades as well: the pygmy hippo complex has been fully rebuilt into a very nice pair of yards, a new wild boar enclosure, a highly modern set of red panda exhibits, and there’s a new Eurasian lynx enclosure that is genuinely excellent. I didn't see the lynx but it’s a real highlight.

Hoofstock generally speaking do pretty well here. Simple, functional paddocks that fulfill all the needs of their respective inhabitants. The giraffe/zebra/ostrich yard is the only outlier and feels awfully cramped considering the amount of animals inside. Everything else is at least adequate, but there’s one section of the zoo that honestly baffles me. Sable, nilgai, and lechwe have a couple smaller pens next to one another that you can’t see very well because there’s a pony pen in the foreground. Why on earth are the large antelope confined to these small unshowy pens when there’s a massive grassy field directly abutting them that's only used by domestic horses? And then there’s an even larger portion that isn't being used for anything. Surely it couldn't be that costly to put up a bigger barrier and give them all access. Maybe the rhinos as well, but their series of yards is already pretty good all things considered.

In regards to primates it's the best of times and it's the worst of times. The great ape complex is an odd beast. The house itself is an eye-catching building from the outside and a neat piece of architecture. This is also the only attempt the zoo makes at thumbing in any capacity, but it's only in the guest area while the ape spaces are sterile, though well structured. Outdoors is also largely functional and overall it's pretty good by providing plenty of climbing opportunities. There’s also a pair of monkey islands nearby that are very nice complete with large mature trees.

On the flipside, the absolute nadir of the zoo is a trio of iron cages for Buff-cheeked gibbons, ring-tailed lemurs, and a solitary Barbary macaque. Wow these are terrible. It's the kind of stuff that animal rights people imagine all zoos to be. Not far away is a series of glass-fronted cages for DeBrazza’s monkeys (plus more lemurs) that are just as horrendous, complete with equally horrendous glare on the windows. I don’t care if they sit empty for decades before being replaced, the zoo would be better off shipping out most of the primates and keeping these spaces vacant until they can afford to demolish and replace them. There's no justification for having enclosures like this in the big 2025.

Unfortunately many parts of the zoo are dull, dilapidated, and disjointed. I went several long stretches without any animals with paths that are crumbling, uneven or unpaved. Somehow I almost tripped over jagged rocks twice going down that steep unpaved trail from the rhinos to the bird valley. Many aviaries in that part of the grounds are significantly worn and even stuff that isn't all that old already feels outdated, notably the big cat complex. There are different types of zoo nerds and while I’ll always enjoy seeing a lifetick for the first time, I’m much more of an exhibit guy than a rarity hunter. It was awesome watching an active Geoffrey’s cat for the first time, but it was difficult to fully enjoy it while looking into its depressing concrete bunker of an exhibit. You can have a list of rarities that rivals Prague for all I care, but if they’re kept in enclosures like Bratislava's monkey cages then what's the point?

To end on a high note however, the very top of the zoo is where one can find some marvelous enclosures for European species: wolves, wisents, red deer, and mouflon, all in heavily forested and spacious enclosures that stretch so far back that it’s impossible to see where some of them end. Nothing here reinvents the wheel, but it isn't trying to and given the budget constraints this zoo faces, more stuff like this would go such a long way (and this does seem to be what the zoo intends to do given these recent projects). I was amused by the rather dramatic bison feeding station that reminds me of Jabba The Hutt's ship in Return of the Jedi. And one other great thing that warrants mention, the zoo treats its armadillo to a spacious outdoor enclosure that’s bigger than some meerkat exhibits I’ve seen. Very nice!

Bratislava is not a zoo that’ll blow you away in any facet. What it does well is done better elsewhere (wolves, lynx, hoofstock) and few major zoos anywhere in the west still have anything like those primate bunkers. Nothing too significant from a species hunters perspective minus a few unusual callitrichids, although I did a double-take when I looked on the online map and saw an icon for what I thought were douc langurs (were these actually held at some point?). So while I’m glad to have seen it and pleased about the direction it’s heading, unless any forthcoming changes are dramatic this isn't somewhere that demands a return visit. If you happen to be stationed in Vienna for an extended period of time however, you might as well give it a shout for a couple hours while visiting the city. As an aside, the Vienna-Bratislava ticket has remarkable value. €18 covers up to three days of train travel between the two and a free day of public transport within the cities. What a steal!

 

[Kalaw]

Another really fabulous review of a collection that, as you say, is only scarcely discussed on this forum. Very nice to know that the place is on the up. Though going forward it would be nice if you could include a little caption of what exhibit each image depicts. Unless an animal is shown in the picture, it can be very difficult to tell whose enclosure is being shown.

 

[Kudu21]

Thank you, @pachyderm pro, for these wonderful accounts of your European travels thus far! The beginning of your adventures perfectly coincided with the one-year anniversary of my own first European adventure (of which I regrettably never got around to writing any accounts of, myself ), so reading along to your accounts of Schönbrunn, Haus des Meeres, and Prague while seeing my own memories crop up on my camera roll has been a lovely nostalgic experience. I have throughly enjoyed reading your thoughts and comparing them to my own as I have been reflecting on my trip, as well. I wish you the best on your continued adventures and your upcoming semester abroad, and I will look forward to keeping up with this thread! It has certainly made me want to return to Europe ASAP

 

[TeaLovingDave]

. As a result there’s been little coverage of the progress the zoo has made in recent years which I wanted to access. And indeed things are looking up.

From all that you have said, things definitely seem to be going in the right direction - when I visited for the first (and so far only) time in 2022, it was by some margin the worst zoological collection I had ever visited in Continental Europe. It might still earn that dubious accolade were I to revisit, but by a rather more narrow margin than had previously been the case.

 

[JVM]

These first couple weeks in Europe have been packed with first class zoological experiences of all varieties. Places that I’ve spent years dreaming of visiting have been done and dusted, blowing me away with legendary exhibits, unusual species and cherished history. The zoo I visited this past weekend is not one of these places. Slovakia's capital was always on the itinerary due to its proximity to Vienna, but more than one person told me to skip the zoo. It’s been referred to as one of the most outdated major zoos in Europe, doesn't feature much I can’t see elsewhere, and is a bit of a hike from the city center (and a steep one at that). It’s certainly not somewhere I would have lost any sleep from skipping. But let’s get real for a second; there’s a decent-sized zoo in a major city that I already happen to be in… and you think I’m just not gonna check it out

I love when trip threads include these sorts of places. It breaks things up a bit to learn about somewhere a little more unexpected, and it can bring a little balance. After all, it's easy to feel rose-colored glasses towards a country's zoos if we only visit the greatest they offer, and it can be a reminder to appreciate what makes those great facilities above the rest.

On the flipside, the absolute nadir of the zoo is a trio of iron cages for Buff-cheeked gibbons, ring-tailed lemurs, and a solitary Barbary macaque. Wow these are terrible. It's the kind of stuff that animal rights people imagine all zoos to be. Not far away is a series of glass-fronted cages for DeBrazza’s monkeys (plus more lemurs) that are just as horrendous, complete with equally horrendous glare on the windows. I don’t care if they sit empty for decades before being replaced, the zoo would be better off shipping out most of the primates and keeping these spaces vacant until they can afford to demolish and replace them. There's no justification for having enclosures like this in the big 2025.

When I saw the first, further shot I mistook it as one of the three cages, rather than the structure that contains all three, and for a moment thought it looked slightly adequate if unattractive... then I scrolled down to see it was a structure with all three exhibits and well undersized after all. Yikes. Very deserving of criticism and reminiscent of roadsides here -- as you say, what animal rights people imagine all zoos to be. Hopefully the zoo's next priority to replace!

I was amused by the rather dramatic bison feeding station that reminds me of Jabba The Hutt's ship in Return of the Jedi.

I would love to see bison feeding from a Sail Barge!

Nothing too significant from a species hunters perspective minus a few unusual callitrichids, although I did a double-take when I looked on the online map and saw an icon for what I thought were douc langurs (were these actually held at some point?).

Which callitrichids? Looks like a no on the douc langurs from what I can tell online.

Another really fabulous review of a collection that, as you say, is only scarcely discussed on this forum. Very nice to know that the place is on the up. Though going forward it would be nice if you could include a little caption of what exhibit each image depicts. Unless an animal is shown in the picture, it can be very difficult to tell whose enclosure is being shown.

I was going to ask this in my previous post but thought maybe it was just silly old me -- this would be helpful!

 

[pachyderm pro]

Though going forward it would be nice if you could include a little caption of what exhibit each image depicts. Unless an animal is shown in the picture, it can be very difficult to tell whose enclosure is being shown.

I can make that happen.

When I saw the first, further shot I mistook it as one of the three cages, rather than the structure that contains all three, and for a moment thought it looked slightly adequate if unattractive... then I scrolled down to see it was a structure with all three exhibits and well undersized after all. Yikes. Very deserving of criticism and reminiscent of roadsides here -- as you say, what animal rights people imagine all zoos to be. Hopefully the zoo's next priority to replace!

You were right the first time. The top photo is the macaque cage and the bottom one is for gibbons. The lemur cage is located on the opposite side of the holding building. Regardless, it's still woefully inadequate and the optics of still having cages like these are terrible. Perhaps this is further indication I should take the advice of @Kalaw and start labeling the photos.

Which callitrichids? Looks like a no on the douc langurs from what I can tell online

Red-handed tamarin, silvery marmoset and pygmy marmoset. All nice surprises.

 

[Jana]

Red-handed tamarin, silvery marmoset and pygmy marmoset. All nice surprises.

Red-handed tamarins and pygmy marmosets are among the most popular callitrichid species in private hands in Czechia/Slovakia.

From species hunter perspective, Bratislava has mostly standard bird collection, however were collared falconets (Microhierax caerulescens) not on show?

 

[CGSwans]

Red-handed tamarins and pygmy marmosets are among the most popular callitrichid species in private hands in Czechia/Slovakia.

From species hunter perspective, Bratislava has mostly standard bird collection, however were collared falconets (Microhierax caerulescens) not on show?

… are there lots of callitrichids in private hands there?

 

[Jana]

… are there lots of callitrichids in private hands there?

Not really, our authorities clamped down on monkeys kept by private individuals in recent years, by implementing special licences and annual controls of all approved facilities. So while there are breeders, their numbers seem moderate and in decline.

Luckily, hand-reared callitrichids have never got in fashion here (unlike large parrots), thus even before licences were implemented, most in private hands were kept in family groups, and tame pets were/are a rarity.

 

[pachyderm pro]

From species hunter perspective, Bratislava has mostly standard bird collection, however were collared falconets (Microhierax caerulescens) not on show?

They were on-show and very cool to see. Didn't realize there were just three holders of these guys in Europe. I'm not as well versed as what constitutes as rare when it comes to some birds so any inquires are appreciated.

 

[remar]

It seems like a fair review of Bratislava, that i can completely relate to. Probably one of the problems at Bratislava is, that a bunch of the "newer" exhibits (apes, cats) often dosen't look really new.

when I visited for the first (and so far only) time in 2022, it was by some margin the worst zoological collection I had ever visited in Continental Europe.

Out of interest, since worst is similar to best kind of subjective, can you explain what you mean with worst. Only exhibit wise, or something else too?

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Out of interest, since worst is similar to best kind of subjective, can you explain what you mean with worst. Only exhibit wise, or something else too?

A blend of the number of actively-bad exhibits, the level of general neglect and decay visible in those "good" exhibits which were present, and the number of visibly unwell or stereotypic animals.

Strangely enough, however, Bratislava has always been one of the *best* zoological collections in Europe when it comes to the quality of their published annual reports, being of similar quality to those formerly published by the two Berlin collections and currently published by Dvur Kralove, and only marginally lower quality than those currently published by Plzen.

 

[JVM]

I can make that happen.

You were right the first time. The top photo is the macaque cage and the bottom one is for gibbons. The lemur cage is located on the opposite side of the holding building. Regardless, it's still woefully inadequate and the optics of still having cages like these are terrible. Perhaps this is further indication I should take the advice of @Kalaw and start labeling the photos.

Appreciated in advance!

Red-handed tamarin, silvery marmoset and pygmy marmoset. All nice surprises.

Great little species, all of which I've only seen on my Europe trip. Pygmy marmoset are one of my favorites and I was very pleased to have two chances to see them on my UK trip - a real shame they lack holders here.

 

[CMP]

From all that you have said, things definitely seem to be going in the right direction - when I visited for the first (and so far only) time in 2022, it was by some margin the worst zoological collection I had ever visited in Continental Europe. It might still earn that dubious accolade were I to revisit, but by a rather more narrow margin than had previously been the case.

Either you only visit good zoos on continental Europe, or the US is that far behind with regards to exhibit size and husbandry- even the 'worst' enclosures seem to have natural substrates and structures for climbing and hiding (except the gibbon one, that's pretty awful even if the cage might allow for brachiation), a 'luxury' not even afforded at all zoos stateside. I've definitely seen worse.

Great little species, all of which I've only seen on my Europe trip. Pygmy marmoset are one of my favorites and I was very pleased to have two chances to see them on my UK trip - a real shame they lack holders here.

I was about to comment how we do have pygmy marmoset, and at a good number of collections, until I checked ZTL and saw the number of North American holders had dwindled to just 7.

 

[pachyderm pro]

Ostrava Zoo

Back to Czechia for a zoo that nearly missed the cut for this trip. Being somewhat unfamiliar with the zoo minus a few key details, I briefly doubted if it would be worth a visit especially considering the city of Ostrava is thoroughly uninteresting despite being the third most populated in the country. I was also getting over a cold so while the idea of having a lazy weekend sounded enticing, I purchased some train tickets on a whim and next thing you know I was three hours North. This is one of the latest notable zoos within day tripping distance of Vienna so it would've felt wrong to leave it out. Suffice to say giving this one a swerve would’ve been a big mistake.

The zoo is spread out through a large densely forested site and I think I may have missed a few things as a result. A handful of raptor aviaries here or perhaps some (mostly empty for the season) primate islands, but nothing of significance. I also intentionally passed on the train ride through a series of field enclosures which can’t be seen otherwise and didn't have time for the botanical elements either. I’ve reached that point in my zoo visiting career where I’m content missing a few things, whereas not long ago I was a completionist through and through. Honestly it is a little sad that my drive to experience everything has faded and some species don’t get me excited like they used to. However, to say Ostrava didn't leave me thrilled couldn't be further from the truth.

Right out the gate it becomes evident that the zoo has a heavy focus on Asian species (though no tigers oddly enough). Past a few heavily themed domestic yards is an absolutely lovely aviary complex for Chinese and Tibetan birds. Wonderful first impression, though it was even better to linger here shortly before closing without any other visitors and simply be surrounded by the bird calls. There are also some open-topped enclosures for cranes and waterfowl within a zen garden nearby, along with a sprawling series of yards for Asian deer that felt like it went on forever.

Chinese/Tibetan Aviaries

One of two Walkthrough Chinese/Tibetan Aviaries

Before going any further, let me get the disappointments out of the way. I was left rather bewildered by the Indian carnivore pavilion which can only be described as a questionable investment. At its core this is a highly outdated feline house that received a renovation at some point that focused more on cosmetics than improving the quality of life for its inhabitants. Now the whole thing is a themed pavilion with mockrock, bamboo bars, and tall plantings around the outdoor enclosures. Ultimately it’s just window dressing for what is still a series of pitiful cages far too small both indoors and out. Would it not have made more sense to spare the thematics and wait until funds were available to build new enclosures from scratch? Surely it’ll have to go sometime soon and hopefully then the lioness and leopards (including two adorable cubs) can get enclosures that do them justice. At least the male lion made it out of the trenches with a more suitable enclosure nearby.

Female Lion Exhibit

Indoor Sri Lankan Leopard Exhibit (one of several)

Around that central part of the zoo are a few other relics of the past like some worn down cages for smaller cats that leave a lot to be desired. The Pallas’ cat and caracal ones were better; the fishing cat and rusty spotted cat ones not so much. The elephant house wasn’t terrible, but very old school and nowhere near large enough to accommodate the current herd. Particularly the bull yard (home to a highly impressive specimen) is only a third of an acre and indoors is the smallest I’ve seen that still exists. Disappointing, though there was a cool moment where one of the females began trumpeting with excitement as a truck full of browse pulled up the building. She must've sensed the vibrations before it came into view.

Asian Elephant Exhibit (cow yard)

The last real eyesore is the monkey house which appears to be in the process of being dismantled as new enclosures are constructed elsewhere. Only a few lemurs and a lone diana monkey are still found in those hideous cages, as well as mandrills who also have access to a retrofitted monkey pit which likely dates back to the same period, but definitely was upgraded at some point. Everyone else has moved on to greener pastures and this is where things pick up significantly. The lion-tailed macaques only recently moved up into the new Wanderu complex which is sublime. I’ve been loving this design philosophy of simply fencing in natural landscapes and mature vegetation to create amazing spaces. Directly next door is the gibbon/hog deer exhibit which is the antithesis of this philosophy; a manicured lawn surrounded by temple thematics and mockrock, with bulky concrete trees scattered throughout. Not exactly my style, but the inhabitants didn't care. Mama gibbon was wrestling with her baby over a branch while the male scaled the height of the one mature tree in the enclosure.

Mandrill Exhibit

Lion-tailed Macaque Exhibit

White-cheeked Gibbon and Hog Deer Exhibit

A real defining feature of the zoo is the number of themed pavilions. Some of them are pretty small with only one room of displays, such as the Amazon house. Others are far more elaborate and complete with an outdoor exhibit as an anchor, such as the Tanganyika house in which there are three rooms: a wetlands hall with hippos, crocs and fish, a nocturnal hall with various odd mammals and herps, and a hall with a series of caves for mongoose and porcupines. It was the Papua house that left the biggest impression however, a region seldom given attention in zoos that's made into something special here. It's essentially a small building attached to a large walkthrough aviary with only a handful of vivariums, but each of which are perfectly crated for their inhabitants (lizards and fish basically). Loved it!

Crocodile Monitor Exhibit in Papua House

Indoor Hippo Pool in Tanganyika House

Amazon House

My favorite of the themed pavilions however is known as the House of Evolution. Located at the very top of the zoo across from a pair of vast savannas, it’s essentially an African rainforest house with primates and various smaller creatures to tell the story of evolution. A large chimpanzee troop with several active youngsters were delightful to watch in their dayroom. The diana monkey enclosure is something else however, a colossal wooded space with massive trees. Of course the monkeys all decided to stay indoors, but the image of them jumping between the very top of those trees is an exciting one. In any other zoo this would be the greatest monkey enclosure offered, yet somehow it’s overshadowed by something even greater.

Outdoor Diana Monkey Exhibit

Outdoor Chimpanzee Exhibit

Won't you shake a poor chimp's hand

Finally I get to gush about Ostrava’s magnum opus – Chitwan! This was the sole enclosure that convinced me that the zoo was worthy of a visit. Simply put, it’s a multi-acre slice of forest home to a powerful mix of Asiatic black bears and Hanuman langurs. That summary alone sounds like a pie-in-the-sky fantasy concept, yet somehow it works perfectly while being every bit as amazing as one could hope. Two rare and striking species in a completely natural environment with top notch viewing. It is the epitome of what makes an iconic zoo exhibit down to the finest detail and simultaneously the best tropical bear and best monkey exhibit I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately neither species were really out and about when I arrived, just a couple langurs lounging in the doorways of their holding building. As amazing as this exhibit was by itself, it was disappointing the inhabitants decided not to be very showy…

Until they did.

I turned around to leave, took one last glance three seconds later, and it was pure chaos. My jaw literally dropped as langurs started flying out of the building like doves out of magician's top hat, tumbling over one another in a frenzy until over 30 of them were in view. Meanwhile a colossal, absolute chunker of a bear emerges from its den, meandering through the monkey mania unphased. Turns out a keeper was just out of view tossing some food prompting the langurs to start scurrying for fruit while the bear picked apart a rabbit carcass. I spent a half hour taking in this remarkable scene and struggled to pull myself away. Such brilliance cannot be put into words so I’ll just call this the single greatest enclosure I’ve seen in Europe so far and end it there.

Asiatic Black Bear & Hanuman Langur Feeding

Asiatic Black Bear & Hanuman Langur Exhibit

I greatly underestimated Ostrava on all fronts. I knew the zoo was well regarded and had some first class elements, but the whole atmosphere was far more pleasant than I expected. One of the greatest zoos I’ve seen for primates (minus what remains of the monkey house) and the number of unique pavilions was a treat. Zlin is the natural comparison as the other rapidly developing eastern Czech zoo and I’m going back and forth on which one wins out for me personally. Ostrava has a higher high, but way lower lows that cannot be ignored. Based on the zoo’s trajectory however, those dodgier bits will probably be all gone within a decade so I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one in the years to come.

 

[Jana]

Mussings on comparison of these two zoos:

Zlin and Ostrava started the 1990s in broadly similar situation - second-tier local zoos littered with outdated animal enclosures (heavy metal cages and concrete stables). Both could and did take advantage of very nice spacious natural areals.

Only difference was that Zlin started with less existing concrete animal houses, thus it was easier (cheaper) to demolish them. It aggressively downsized collection to a viable minimum. It was connected with heavy critique of locals who complained about quick dissappearance of key popular species in Zlin around year 2000.

Ostrava decided to protect its legacy of larger collection and its rebirth was way slower than of Zlin and is still marred with atrocities like the old monkey house.

Zlin gained an edge and is currently considered by general population to be the nicest (best for animals) among Czech zoos and surpases Ostrava in attendance. Ostrava on the other hand has larger potential for future growth because of its location on edge of Silesian agglomeration and it´s also way less "fair-weather-attraction" than Zlin. Maybe it would be wise if Ostrava would hasten demolition of its ugliest parts even if it would mean temporary collection reduction.

 

[merlin]

I'm currently on a train to Ostrava, so I could not help myself but to make some things clear

Right out the gate it becomes evident that the zoo has a heavy focus on Asian species (though no tigers oddly enough).

The zoo kept Amur tigers until several years ago. They used to occupy a small ugly cage and the zoo didn't have the money to create a new exhibit for them. But there are plans on creating a new big natural enlosure for them, similiar to Chitwan, but a little smaller - and without the monkeys.
But from what I know, the zoo's priority now is to make a new exhibit for leopards, but that will also take some more time.
And of course, the lions would also deserve a new exhibit and the zoo is well aware of that...

Around that central part of the zoo are a few other relics of the past like some worn down cages for smaller cats that leave a lot to be desired. The Pallas’ cat and caracal ones were better; the fishing cat and rusty spotted cat ones not so much.

The fishing cats will be moved to a former clouded leopard exhibit, which was empty during your visit. It is the cage next to the one with caracals.

The last real eyesore is the monkey house which appears to be in the process of being dismantled as new enclosures are constructed elsewhere. Only a few lemurs and a lone diana monkey are still found in those hideous cages, as well as mandrills who also have access to a retrofitted monkey pit which likely dates back to the same period, but definitely was upgraded at some point. Everyone else has moved on to greener pastures and this is where things pick up significantly.

You forgot to mention Hamlyn's monkeys, which you probably did not see because of the construction. The mandrill exhibit used to hold chimps in the past...

Such brilliance cannot be put into words so I’ll just call this the single greatest enclosure I’ve seen in Europe so far and end it there

Understandable! Chitwan is the best exhibit in Czechia in my opinion.

Ostrava has a higher high, but way lower lows that cannot be ignored.

It really is a zoo of contrasts... Which is also amazing, because you can clearly see they are trying their best.

 

[HOMIN96]

is thoroughly uninteresting despite being the third most populated in the country.

Now that is just either lazy research or not fitting to your interests

Such brilliance cannot be put into words

And imagine if you'd seen them in treetops

But from what I know, the zoo's priority now is to make a new exhibit for leopards

And penguins, and amphibians, and mandrills,...at this point return of tigers seems like a sound of very distant future...