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Zoological garden
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Zoo in the west Bohemia region
was created already in 1926 in a town part Doudlevce near to the
town centre. Since 1963, it has been in the present premises of
Lochotín and in 1981 was merged with the Botanical garden. The
articulated natural premises are of 21 ha and since 1996 has been
intensively changed to a zoogeographical bio-park.
Until that time, the ZOO was not very attractive, but well known for its large collection of reptiles, keeping of ocelots, Snowy Owls, rearing of flamingos, Spotted Hyenas or Turkey Vultures. After 1996, a Generel (program) of Development was started. Thanks to this project, many of the out of date exhibits were rebuilt and animals and plants started to be evenly spread around the premises. Also an educational path called „The Development of Nature in the Quaternary Period“ with a hectare woods coop for a large group of brown bears. Gradually, rare and attractive species were brought. Most important was certainly the coming of a pair of Komodo Dragons, largest reptiles in the world, in Sep- |
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tember 1997. In total, the collection reached
the number of taxa 1 100, represented by about 6 000 animals.
23 of them in the European rescue program. A quite remarkable
is a fact that 70% species kept in ZOO Plzeň is not to be found
in any of the Czech or Slovak ZOOs. The AKVA – TERA exhibit has
been in operation since February 2001. It is a similar exhibit
like the stable aquaria in Brno ZOO. AKVA–TERA
is self – contained facility in the centre of the Plzeň town,
where visitors can admire invertebrates, fishes, amphibians and
reptiles in mixed aquariums.
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Let us notice at least a few animals and exhibits. The novelties are evident for example in presentation of monkeys, where instead of the original 5 species in one pavilion, we have over 20 species spread into about seven places. None of them knows what a bar is. Since summer 2000, our chimpanzees have had a natural open with grass, bush and trees to their disposal. The present group has already 6 animals to the original one pair. Similar „island“ opens were arranged for White-handed Gibbons, Colobus monkeys, Lion-tailed Macaque or Ring-tailed Lemurs. Similarly, large cats were gradually moved from a common pavilion to their own „aviaries“ (jaguar, panther, tiger). 800 square meters exhibit of Barbary lions is instead of a few of small cages. Our lion Vilík (Wily) came from ZOO Brno. The rest of the original pavilion of beasts was changed in a vast reconstruction to an African nocturarium „The Mysterious World of African Night“ in 2001. There can be seen Fenec foxes, bats, Yellow Mongooses, Rock Hyraxes, Garnett´s Galagos and Chama foxes along with other small mammals.
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We could go on like this
for long time. For example, a very interesting is a farmstead
of the 19th century called „Lüftnerka“ with a collection
of domestic animals and 400 pieces of agricultural tools. Plant
lovers will be delighted to view succulent green house
with over 1000 taxa of semi-desert plants of the old world, also
Chinese Alligators will be of great interest and great African
Spurred Tortoise (We have reared over 300 of them). Visitors like
to watch Northern Raccoons on trees and Nutrias in water in our
neo-tropical part, as well as a group of Humboldt Penguins. Feeding
of penguins by the keepers is an every day attraction.
Exotic birds, mammals and reptiles are placed in the oldest pavilion of the ZOO, which is called not only „Tropical Pavilion“, but also „Z“ – that is because of its shape. Visitors may rest for example in our restaurant in an African style called „Kiboko“, stylish refreshment „Siberian hut“ and in a shop „At Lemur“. In 2003, we enriched our informative system by five digital soundboards. They help the visitors to get orientated in the premises and inform them about many details from the life of animals. |
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ZOO a BZ of Plzeň town is only half a way to its final appearance, there are lots of planned steps, paths to be built, pavilions, stables, exhibits, reconstruction of being buildings, substituting of remaining iron fences with ditches and palisades, and so on. All this will be enjoyed not only by animals, which certainly feel happy and keep reproducing, but also by visitors, whose numbers grow year by year and is annually around 250 000. |
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GuideIs the first publication of its kind in ZOO
Plzeň. It is in colour on a chalk paper. It contains many beautiful
photos and a nice map of the ZOO. You will be informed about recommended
route, interesting facts about animals, information about Botanical
garden, green house and AKVA – TERA exhibit
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