At least 2 zoonerds got turned down recently when they tried to arrange a BTS tour well in advance, receiving similar answer.
The only type of paid BTS tour Plzen offers is short visit (30-60min) with either penguins, aardvarks, giraffes or rhinos.
ZOO Plzeň Plzen zoo news
- Thread starter kiang
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The only type of paid BTS tour Plzen offers is short visit (30-60min) with either penguins, aardvarks, giraffes or rhinos.
New species I saw or were mentioned during my last visit (since May):
Erckel's francolin (Pternistis erckelii) - in the Magadascar aviary near the entrance
Senegal thick-knee (Burhinus senegalensis) - in the Pygmy hippo house
Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis) - in the last aviary between camels and rhinos
Scaled pigeon (Patagioenas speciosa) - in the Rhino house
Northern Luzon giant cloud rat (Phloeomys pallidus) + Philippine porcupine (Hystrix pumila) - the night part between Rhino and Giraffe house - back on show after years
Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - in the former lizard's enclosure near the Unteground world
Philippine duck (Anas luzonica) - in the Asian garden
Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) - in the Asian garden, not seen
Lesser yellow-headed vulture (Cathartes burrovianus) - in the aviary near the Dinopark entrance (with other vultures, macaws etc.)
Venezuelan parakeet (Pyrrhura emma) - in the Amazonia house
Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) - in the Amazonia house
I also didn't see (even a sign) a few species at all, I don't know if they're just off show or died/left:
Ethiopian mountain adder (Bitis parviocula), Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), White-rumped pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii ijimae), Eastern Ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans elegans), Northern Narrow-striped boky (Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata),
White-fronted lemur (Eulemur albifrons) or White-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas carnipes)
Erckel's francolin (Pternistis erckelii) - in the Magadascar aviary near the entrance
Senegal thick-knee (Burhinus senegalensis) - in the Pygmy hippo house
Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis) - in the last aviary between camels and rhinos
Scaled pigeon (Patagioenas speciosa) - in the Rhino house
Northern Luzon giant cloud rat (Phloeomys pallidus) + Philippine porcupine (Hystrix pumila) - the night part between Rhino and Giraffe house - back on show after years
Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - in the former lizard's enclosure near the Unteground world
Philippine duck (Anas luzonica) - in the Asian garden
Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) - in the Asian garden, not seen
Lesser yellow-headed vulture (Cathartes burrovianus) - in the aviary near the Dinopark entrance (with other vultures, macaws etc.)
Venezuelan parakeet (Pyrrhura emma) - in the Amazonia house
Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) - in the Amazonia house
I also didn't see (even a sign) a few species at all, I don't know if they're just off show or died/left:
Ethiopian mountain adder (Bitis parviocula), Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), White-rumped pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii ijimae), Eastern Ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans elegans), Northern Narrow-striped boky (Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata),
White-fronted lemur (Eulemur albifrons) or White-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas carnipes)
Andreaghido
Well-Known Member
I haven't seen these species neither in july , the two malgascian mongooses are a big loss
komodoskar
Well-Known Member
According to ZTL, the Ethiopian Mountain Adders were sent to Zagreb Zoo at some point earlier this year
From a friend who visited recently the vontsira, lemurs and taipans are all still present
It's a pitty, they're gorgeous.
I was there over the weekend, so it's quite new. Due to reconstruction of one outdoor enclosure there are several changes to the lemurs (Crowned lemurs are in White fronted lemur's exhibit and in theirs are Ring-tailed lemurs), therefore vontsira is maybe off show (Narrow-striped boky died). Taipan's terarium was empty, but the sign was still there, unlike vipers, where is a sign with Aruba rattlesnake.
Raikou
Well-Known Member
Is it possible to build an elephant exhibit here?
I don´t know if that sloping terrain would be suitable for an elephant exhibit. But while I don´t know how the zoo plans to use this newest piece of land, I know it is not earmarked for elephants for sure.
To review recent past:
The zoo has received 13 ha of land (meadows just south of the current zoo, behind a public road) around year 2014, and among other animals, elehants are planned there sometime in future when the zoo manages to find funds for it somehow. Last year, the zoo received 1 ha of land directly on its western border (behind wisents), and the current 0,75 ha additional land is also on the western side.
Thema of elephants is discussed for last 15 years at Plzen, unfortunately it is just discussions. The zoo doesnt have money for such huge construction. Not to mention uncertainty the zoo could afford increased running costs caused by much larger footprint.
A short overview of the financial situation of the zoo:
The zoo is municipal - 100% owned by Plzen City. The city had 185.000 inhabitants and supports the zoo by 3,8 mio euro annually and doesnt want for that sum to increase further. The zoo has 500.000 attendance and its annual budget is 7,8 mio euro. If the zoo wants to enlarge, it must do so only if its inflated running cost is covered by increase in own income.
It´s hard to tell if arrival of elephants would attract enough additional guests to justify it. Prague zoo is just 1 hour away and has a breeding elephant herd, thus elephants would not be an unique selling point for Plzen.
Zoo Plzen also faces increasing competition by newly established animal attractions nearby. Zoo Plasy opened in 2016, has 85.000 attendance, is 18 km away and its main attraction is big cats. Farmapark U Toma opened in 2019, has already 105.000 attendance, is just 7 km away from the zoo, and specialises in domestics that people are allowed to pet and feed. And in April 2024, another new establishment Farmapark Dobřany opened, 15 km away, which combines petting zoo of domestics with some exoticts like eland antelopes or lories. Here I dont even mention another dozen of other small petting zoos and specialised exhibits (bears, tortoises, native fauna etc.) that exist within 50 km radius and also compete for guests with Plzen zoo. If you consider whole Plzensky kraj (self-governing area of 7500 km2) has just over 600.000 inhabitants, competition here is fierce.
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Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
Zoo´s paths are convoluted and hard to navigate, without clear way around. Buy a paper plan at the entrance boot (or make a pic of it for reference) - you will need it.
The zoo has an integrated dinopark (dino models for kids). It has separate entrance fee. Inside dinopark are some bird aviaries with interesting species, but no idea it´s worth the fee if you are pressed for time and might skip it.
Zoo pavilions are open till 6pm, the zoo itself closes 7pm but has revolving gate so you can leave 10-15 min later or so without problem.
The zoo is hilly and today is hot. Water fontains are signed with "a cup and a faucet"-sign on the zoo plan.
Don´t skip venomous snake exhibit and the philippine exhibit behind it. Dont skip night Africa house with all the small mammals. Entrance into the Madagascar house is from the west side. Entrance into giraffe/rhino houses is only from north side (manned wolf or leopards). Snow leopard cage can be viewed from path on its foot and also from a path on its top. Dont skip Fish Ark (single room under farm house). Don´t skip underground exhibit (sign of a bat on the plan). Don´t skip Asian garden for the many bird species. Rhino goes bathing in the outside moat late around zoo´s closing time. The amphiteater is closed with exception of falconry show time (and it´s probably cancelled due to hot weather). The greenhouse with desert plants has a few reptile tanks integrated.
EDIT: today at domestic farm "Luftnerka" is a special program, it includes exhibit of chrysantemum flowers and local apple variants. And you can taste different wines from Morava region (a wineyard has a stand there).
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Thank you very much! This is all really helpful. It’s also really good to know about the farm exhibition.
I was wondering if the aviaries in the DinoPark/the separate Akva Tera would be worth trying to get to/pay for with the limited time. I guess I’ll just have to see how the day goes.
Akva-Tera is open till 7pm, but it writes it has last admission at 6:30pm.
(Usually, many rules are flexible in Czechia if you just ask people nicely, so you might get in later).
There is a road train going directly between the zoo and Akva-Tera (50 CZK per ride, to be paid with the driver in cash). It leaves from the main zoo entrance at 5:30pm and 6:30pm and takes 15 minutes.
Akva-Tera is just a small room, I don´t know if it´s worth your time to visit it.
Thank you for all of your advice! It proved very helpful in planning our day with our shortened time, making sure we got to all of the buildings before they closed. We enjoyed a little stay in the festivities in the children’s zoo, which was very nice! We decided against the DinoPark and Akva Terra in the end due to our time constraints, but overall we had a very enjoyable day I will eventually write more about my visit in my future travel thread.
The same giant tortoise female laid another batch of 10 eggs now.
The zoo currently keeps a group of 3,3 tortoises. Of them 3,1 are adult animals that arrived in 2004 like small babies from a farm in Seychelles. And two subadult females that arrived to the zoo only in recent weeks.
Source-FB
Plzen zoo has sent ten year old male chimpanzee Jambo to Tierpark Hellabrunn in Munich.
Hellabrunn freut sich über Zuwachs: Neues Schimpansen-Männchen angekommen - Tierpark Hellabrunn
Hellabrunn freut sich über Zuwachs: Neues Schimpansen-Männchen angekommen - Tierpark Hellabrunn