Zoo Wroclaw Wroclaw zoo news 2021

After renovation Bird House has three mixed-species aviaries (the biggest one for South America species and two for Southeast Asia & Australia) and twelve single-species aviaries. List of species: Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Crested Wood Patridge, Nicobar Pigeon, Mindanao Bleeding-heart, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Sumatran Laughing Thrush, Sunbittern, Chaco Chachalaca, Ringed Teal, Brazilian and Turquoise Tanagers, Green Aracari, Palawan and Black Hornbills, Galah, Vinaceaus Amazon, Swift Parrot, Blue-throated Macaw and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. More species will be added.
 
I was there for two days last week, it has been my 106th zoo, and I have been impressed by this institution and by its staff (the director is a rare person in the world of zoos, expert, ambitious and charismatic). It is easily in the top 5 European zoos (maybe in the top 3 after the realization of the future enclosures...) with a fantastic overall collection (it's a great place also for reptile and amphibians lovers...), a good average level of the enclosures and some really awesome ones.
There are also some nice extra features that can be appreciated by experts and which are rare in European zoos...(look at the Martes flavigula's enclosure...).

The pair of bear cuscus is still off-show and it will stay there for the medium-term at least. The specimens are wonderful and they are settling well, there is good hope that they can breed and the off-show facility is still good.

I have been able to see also the hammerheaed bats, they are always at the top of their enclosure in the Afrikarium, and it is possible that their number will grow.

The new bird house is elegant, really well done, I have appreciated it.

One of the few weaknesses is the lack of small cats (apart from the manul, hosted in a very nice exhibit), but it is just my opinion as the small cats are one of my main focuses.

The collection will be improved over the next 2-3 years and Wroclaw will be home of other superb species; the future is bright for this institution.
 
Had a very pleasant day at Wroclaw zoo yesterday and want to mention few changes, since my last visit in 2019. Everything is fully open, so if you have any Covid-19 concerns, better skip the Weekends.

The Hartebeest is still outside and greets you on the main entrance!

The Africarium, didn't change much, but to observe group of six Manatees with 2 calves and the new Hammarhead Bats is a great experience.

The Desert House is full of interesting small mammals - Arabian spiny mouse, Fat-tailed gerbil, Etruscan Shrew, Long-eared hedgehog etc.

There are free-flying Madagascar flying foxes at Madagascar House, but The boky -boky left the collection unfortunately. The White-tailed anstangi was also missing and not signed. I am not sure is it just off-show or left the collection already.

Exacting new residents living in the Rhino House: two young brothers Rusty-spotted cats. If you can't see them, look at the surrounding trees. I missed the species in Prague and Frankfurt, but now only two felines left in Europe for me. Hope to see them soon :)

The list of the new babies in the house is very impressive:

2 adorable Snow Leopards cubs
Indian Rhino
2 Banteng calves
Reticulated giraffe
Lots more hoofstock offspring, like Scimitar-horned Oryxes, Sitatungas, Barasinga, Creatan goat, Golden Takin etc.
The two Sumatran Tiger cubs, been introduced to the father resantly and this luckily worked out well.

The new Bird House is open and welcoming the first guests. The interior design has a classic "Vienna" touch and I strongly believe, this place will be a very popular Zoochat destination in the future. The Twelve-wired bird of paradise is already a good enough reason for that!

It is not a news that the Director is leaving soon to chase his childhood dream and work with Critically Endangered primates in Vietnam. Let's only hope that the future Leader will have at least half of the Radosław Ratajszczak's passion :)
 
Last edited:
This year 3 Chapman's zebras (Equus quagga chapmani) were born! A male was born on the 21th of July, another was born on the 25th of July (not sure about the gender) and on the 10th of October the third foal was born.

On the 10th of August a Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) was born.

Mid July 3 meerkats were born.

In May atleast 2 Black-necked swans (Cygnus melancoryphus) hatched.

Sources:
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (14/10/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVAoAVYICJK/
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (02/08/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSESgb5IhqH/
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (19/08/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSwQLE0Ib5S/
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (24/07/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRsvbCWIy62/
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (12/05/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/COxxvmArs1H/
 
Former zoo director, Antoni Gucwiński, died aged 89. He is still famous in Poland because of the zoo TV series 'Z kamerą wśród zwierząt' he ran with his wife for several decades. He retired in 2006.

Interestingly, later the zoo produced a new TV series Zoo Story, which closely mirrors the format of zoo TV series common in e.g. German zoos. But it failed to reach anywhere near the popularity of the Gucwińskis' shows.
 
In April female Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) Zuri was send to a zoo in Italy, she was born in Zoo Wroclaw 17-06-2019.

On the 12th of June a male Siberian pallas' cat (Otocolobus manul manul) arrived from The Nordic Ark.

Source:
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (09/04/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNcCnljIo8P/
Instagram of Zoo Wroclaw (26/07/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRym8HkIa9L/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top