Zoo Ostrava Zoo Ostrava news
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Both bearded vulture pairs kept at the zoo have bred this winter. The older pair has 1 fertile egg in incubator while it sits on a dummy egg. The younger pair has 1 chick that hatched on 6th February.
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Binturong pair has a cub born in February. The older cub born in May last year still lives with parents thus it currently increases odds to see this species active.
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Binturong pair has a cub born in February. The older cub born in May last year still lives with parents thus it currently increases odds to see this species active.
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JurassicMax
Well-Known Member
On the 16th of March a Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) was born.
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Instagram of Zoo Ostrava (20/03/2024)
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Instagram of Zoo Ostrava (20/03/2024)
Rhododendron and azalea plants are in full blossom right now. The zoo has planted 600 different cultivares of them within its areal and they make for dreamy ambiente.
Southern tree hyrax is kept off-show (again) due to ongoing reconstruction of night section of Tanganjika house. The latest 1,1 cubs were born 12.January, their father is one of original animals imported 15 years ago from Africa. Ostrava has sent its offspring hyrax to Bratislava, Gyór and Zamoscz this year. The zoo is left with 3 breeding groups with total of 7,6 animals. Total european captive population is 27 animals.
West tree hyrax is kept on-show in night section of Pavilon Evoluce. It shows one pair and twin cubs born 8.April. Another 2 groups are kept off-show and alltogether the zoo keeps 11 hyrax. Total european population is 24 animals.
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Southern tree hyrax is kept off-show (again) due to ongoing reconstruction of night section of Tanganjika house. The latest 1,1 cubs were born 12.January, their father is one of original animals imported 15 years ago from Africa. Ostrava has sent its offspring hyrax to Bratislava, Gyór and Zamoscz this year. The zoo is left with 3 breeding groups with total of 7,6 animals. Total european captive population is 27 animals.
West tree hyrax is kept on-show in night section of Pavilon Evoluce. It shows one pair and twin cubs born 8.April. Another 2 groups are kept off-show and alltogether the zoo keeps 11 hyrax. Total european population is 24 animals.
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It´s nice that the city has finally dedicated funds for this investment. I still had hope the zoo would go for tigers first. The major of the city thinks penguins are more popular and that they could attract additional audience of 100.000 for the zoo. I digress but lets wait and see.
A few details about the penguin exhibit - total construction area is 1700 m2 and this includes 200 m2 water pool for the birds with depth between 1,4 and 2,5 m as well as visitors area. Visuals still show overabundance of ugly mock-rock overall. That probably explains the budget of 5,6 mio euro.
Two years ago, the zoo mentioned it wants African penguins and Atlantic tarpons (large fish kept in separate aquarium tank in visitors area). The current article says the zoo is still unsure what penguin species would come (either African or Magellan) and will decide after discussion with EEP coordinators. That leaves decision on fish species of that tank open as well - Ostrava goes usually for geographic species purity in its themed exhibits.
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The zoo´s bred Spinecheek anemonefish (Amphiprion biaculeatus) for the first time.
It keeps 3 species of anemonefish (black and clown too) and this was the last one that resisted to be successfully bred. The zoo aquarists managed to keep alive 38 piece of fry through the pelagic stage (till 1 cm of lenght).
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It keeps 3 species of anemonefish (black and clown too) and this was the last one that resisted to be successfully bred. The zoo aquarists managed to keep alive 38 piece of fry through the pelagic stage (till 1 cm of lenght).
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The 3 hiking trails within zoo areal (Cesta stínu, vody, lesa) are closed for visitors. The only exhibits that are invisible because of it are cages of owls and eagles.
The zoo got hit by a storm in the middle of last week. Water runnoff and wind fell many trees and damaged fences, pawement and stables. The zoo is open but it still works on debriss removal and repairs.
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The zoo got hit by a storm in the middle of last week. Water runnoff and wind fell many trees and damaged fences, pawement and stables. The zoo is open but it still works on debriss removal and repairs.
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The zoo published a list of current closures / construction sites that impact visitors experience.
- bird aviaries of Tibet and China are closed for substantial repairs
- walk-through Papua aviary is closed, it gets an enlargement
- indoor visitors area of elephant house is closed for emergency floor repair
- back side of Tanganika house is still closed (it gets repurposed for warthogs, mungooses and cichlids)
Considering original opening date of warthogs was spring 2024, I hope they manage to finish and open it till year-end.
The 3 nature-hiking paths are accessible again after tree trunks felled by recent storm got removed.
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- bird aviaries of Tibet and China are closed for substantial repairs
- walk-through Papua aviary is closed, it gets an enlargement
- indoor visitors area of elephant house is closed for emergency floor repair
- back side of Tanganika house is still closed (it gets repurposed for warthogs, mungooses and cichlids)
Considering original opening date of warthogs was spring 2024, I hope they manage to finish and open it till year-end.
The 3 nature-hiking paths are accessible again after tree trunks felled by recent storm got removed.
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Raikou
Well-Known Member
Excuse me, are there still Carpathian lynxes in the zoo?
A regular visitor posted in September last year that the species is no longer kept. Annual report for 2023 has not been released yet thus I can´t say if the pair died or moved elsewhere.
Weren´t lynxes sort of flagship species for Ostrava? Thery were even in zoo logo...
Maybe, this "traditional" species will return in future? There are huge, exhibit-less forested parts of zoo - there may be ideal place for huge, natural exhibit of these felines?
Though with new paddock for another cat species being promised maybe for decade...
(does anyone know something new about tiger exhibit? or any updates on ceylonese leopards, whose exposition isn´t probably that great ?)
Maybe, this "traditional" species will return in future? There are huge, exhibit-less forested parts of zoo - there may be ideal place for huge, natural exhibit of these felines?
Though with new paddock for another cat species being promised maybe for decade...
(does anyone know something new about tiger exhibit? or any updates on ceylonese leopards, whose exposition isn´t probably that great ?)
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Yes, that was my reaction too... a slight dismay.
Ostrava zoo is (was?) rightly proud of their contribution to Carpathian lynx rewilding success in Šumava, Alps and Dinarids (west Balkan) in 1970s-80s. Almost all lynxes released at that time in Europe were captured in Slovakia, transported to Ostrava zoo for compulsory quarantine, and after export-import permit martyrium they were sent over the "Iron Border" to western and southern Europe where they were highly sought-after for reintroductions. (only Germans went their own way and released hybrid-subspecies zoo-bred lynxes in their country for reasons known only to them).
Most grattitude goes towards the former zoo´s zoologist Ludvík Kunc. His knowledge and endless enthusiasm for endangered native predators made it possible. The respect he enjoyed from professional and amateur hunters facilitated smooth catching process, he oversaw animals during their long zoo quarantine time and in case of Šumava he secured good acceptance by locals unused to beasts that returned so long after they got extinct. He spent decades doing public education, writing, painting and "lobbying" for his beloved species. He was sort of guru of local nature conservationists. When he passed away few years ago, his last will gave his village house to a NGO protecting local large predators. RIP
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Recently the 2023 annual report was published, which like always includes a complete animal census:
https://www.zoo-ostrava.cz/soubory_texty/51_21.pdf
https://www.zoo-ostrava.cz/soubory_texty/51_21.pdf