Construction in the Plzen Zoo continues for the African and Asian exhibits which feature the animals and plants typical to the African savannah and jungle and Asian grasslands / prairies.

Giraffe Pavillion

The foundation and main pillars of the new giraffe pavillion are up and give an idea of the size that the new structure will be.

Farm News

Newborns at the farm include a goat kid and 7 piglets.

The El Condor fiftyheller coin event – competition and event for donating the state fiftyheller coins in favor of the American Black Vulture aviary was announced on 1st September.
We need about 200 000 pc of them. First works on future condor´s exhibit (reconstruction of old wooden building) were made during year 2008.

At the same time, an execution of African and Asian exhibits are taking place, which will bring giraffes, rhinos and other new animals in 14 new buildings in 2010.

Throughout the year, several hatch or new arrival were named by celebrities of cultural, political, and social life. Examples: four South American Coatis by Osmany Laffita, three Nilgai Antelopes by the J.

· On Monday, 22nd December, a foundation-stone of the African and Asian exhibits, additionally supported by the European Union, were festively unveiled and dabbed by the guests. Mgr.

· Organizing the “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – concepts and documents we should know”. The conference was organized by the Plzen City Zoological and Botanical gardens and the IRIS association in co-operation with the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, Plzen Regional Authority departments of education, youths, and physical training, Plzen City Magistrate, and Czech Environmental Inspectorate – Plzen Regional Inspectorate.

Recently, the small cages for the small predators [ the smaller wild cats and foxes etc.] located to the left of the main entrance were dismantled and removed. The wooden stables for the antelopes and the Asian Bird Sanctuary [ the large screened dome situated half way up the hill to the leopards] were also taken down.

A unique exhibit, the Czech River, with fish, Otter, and even real pond have been in service for visitors since 29th September in the afternoon. Here, you can see Carps, Jackfish, Trout, Grass-snakes, Crayfish, and dozens of other animals as well as old-fashioned water management artifacts (tools…) in the fishpond cultivation exhibit.

Sponsors meeting in the EAZA campaigns spirit (18.9.) – 300 participants.

The Plzen Zoo has received a grant from the Regional Operational Program of the NUTS II Southwest Cohesive Region – the field of support for the Development of tourism industry infrastructure and will be able to carry out their general in the region of Africa and Asia.

In May and June there was lots of news happening in the world of animals:

- Bands were placed on the wild storks that have their large nest on the top of the chimney behind the gift shop building.

The first snow leopards came to Plzen from Tierpark in Berlin in the beginning of November 2004. Named Makan and Nanschan, the brothers were born in May. Makan later [2007] left to the Usti Zoo and Nanschan got a girlfriend, Jamila. She was born in Koln (Germany) April 25 / 2005. Young ones, male and female were born May 8 / 2008.

Zoo Plzen intitialize a summer touristic competetion "Prazdninova stafeta" (Holiday's Relay). The competition is for children and youngs under 18. Competitors have to visit during the holiday 12 from 46 chosen touristic destinations and document those visits by stamp in their competetion sheet or by a photo.

· The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the Czech Republic, the Plzen City Zoological and Botanical gardens, and Matice Cech, Moravy a Slezska have conducted Marek Audy’s photo exhibition, the “Crystal Eyes Cave”. The vernissage took place on 23rd April at 16.

A lecture series starts in the new year, once a month in the Jonas Theatre in Mestanska beseda - city Centre on 7.5. at 6 pm. About madagascarian snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs etc.

Construction of The African Pavilion of Ungulates [ ie. Zebras, Antelopes, ostriches and some birds ] started in 2007 was completed. It won first prize in Sports and Recreation Construction.

It particularly comprises of a new pavilion with twenty exhibits, terrarium, and aquariums. These are inhabited by species from the south of the USA and north of Mexico, the Sonora desert environment.

Workers at the Plzen Zoo and Botanical Gardens thank you for a good and prosperous 2007 and wish you lots of health and luck in the New Year! Looking forward to seeing you in 2008.

On 10/ 12/ 07 , 3 recently arrived Siamese Crocodiles from the Zurich Zoo were checked. 2 years old and 1 metre in length, they can be seen in the Tropical Pavillion.

Traditional Advent Wreath workshops at 2 pm at the farmhouse in the north end of the zoo above the tiger exhibit ,up the hill.

28 /11/07 New Tiger for Plzen

Wednesday evening after 9 pm a new male tiger was brought into the Tiger building from Rhenen in the Netherlands. The 8 year old father will be gradually introduced to his new surroundings in Plzen where he will hopefully mate with Tsamara, who produced 2 tigers, Bella and Berry with Mauglis---who is now in the Prague Zoo---in 2005.

29 /10/07 3 New Pavillions opening

Before the end of the year, 3 new pavillions should open on the zoo grounds.
10 /19 /07 The Madagascar Pavillion opened featuring lemurs and lizards.

31 /10/07 Today marked the total of 389,500 visitors to the Plzen Zoo this year and hopefully by the end of the year we will have reached 400,000. We are the 4th most visited Zoo in the Czech Republic.

The Zoo Gardens and IRIS are planning other activites.

Throughout the Easter long weekend there were almost 11,000 visitors to the Zoo [10,808], the most, 4,290, who came on Sunday.
Popular attractions included : the Farm Program, the Birds of Prey Demonstrations, the Train and Animal Rides and Animal Feedings with Commentary.

This issue features:
--Madagascar preservation
--Birds of Prey ,Falconry is a 4,000 year old sport
--Winter can be green too
--Bison in the jungle
--Leopard Chameleon poster
.

From today, the Zoo Hours are 8 00 to 19 00. (the off season hours are extended from 18 00 to 19 00) The last admission / entry is 18 00.

The Succulent greenhouse is open 6 days / week, closed Mondays

The Birds of Prey demonstrations return at 11 00 and 15 30 Tuesdays to Sundays

Weekends starting 31.3.

Every year will feature new additions to this attraction , one of which this year will be the life-size model of the predator and meateater, GIGANTASAUR .Bones recently found in Argentina, South America of this 12 meter long dinosaur have provided more information about this little known 100 million year old creature.

Josephina was the first camel to be born in Plzen March 1 ,1997 in the Lochotine area of the city. This was the first successful camel breeding since the program started in the 1950`s.

A new female Snow Leopard was taken from quarantine to the Plzen Zoo. Her name is Jamila and the beginning of May this year marks her 2nd birthday. She is 1 year younger than our male snow leopard Nanschan.

Last November 25, 2006, after a 6 year pause, Dominika gave birth to 4 Manned Wolf young, 1 of which later died. The remaining 2 males and 1 female are doing great. This is the fifth litter of this endangered species born here at the Plzen Zoo and the names all start with the 5th letter of the alphabet, 'E', Emil, Eda and Ericka.

Directors Introduction
Dear friends
The year of 2006 went by very fast and I am pleased to look back at it.
Perhaps the most important event of the year was the Pilsen ZOO’s 80th anniversary.

Zoo and Botanical Gardens of Plzen step by step recap of 2006

It was the 80th anniversary of the zoo and gardens and was very successful.

--Breeding Program - a series of newborns, some for the first time in Plzen.

Friday morning, August 11, Mauglis the tiger was transferred from the Plzen Zoo to his new, and probably final home , the Prague Zoo.
Waiting for him there is a young female, "Marilei", sister of our Tsamara here at the Plzen Zoo.

Even in the Plzen Zoo during the holidays work is being completed on animal wards, especially in trying to make  new families and family orders.
Female South American deer , pudu south  Antifona finally received her partner.

27/5/6 A special Childrens`s weekend at the zoo. Kids will be able to use air filled jumps in a competition, watch an antelope`s baptism and see penguins fed. Starting at 1 pm.

Come and help celebrate the first birthday of our 2 female tiger cubs, Bella and Berry from the Calgary, Canada- born mother Tamara and father Mowgli from the Kaunas Zoo. A ladies choir from Pretice, a small town south of Plzen, will sing songs for the tigers.

Small mammals

Marsupialia
Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) were successful in reproduction again, they live in collective exposition with Brush-tailed rat kangaroos (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) and Common brush-tail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula).

Date: 21.1.2005-31.12. 2005
Place: AKVA TERA, Palackého street (třída) no. 5

You will see more than 100 Tarantula species and more will join them during the year.

Every day from 14 00 to 14 30 you can learn about tarantula breeding.

Come and see the mysterious world of big spiders!

Open daily from 10 00 to 19 00.

A new exposition for Amur Tigers was finished in 2003, the first inhabitant, the male Mauglis from ZOO Olomouc, came short time before its opening.
It took us nearly a year to get all necessary permits for a female.

New or adapted exhibits

The Rocky Exhibit of Snow Leopards
The rocky exhibit of Snow Leopards was finished during the last year. Snow Leopards can climb a tree trunk to the upper terrace in the natural rock.

On 12th June, after more than two years of preparations, a unique Japanese garden was opened in Pilsen as a result of cooperation between the City of Pilsen and the Japanese Garden Association.

The first novely of 2003, which really affected the life of the ZOO, was the opening of a stylish refreshment facility „Siberian Hut“ (Sibiřský srub) on 4th March. Two terraces, decorated in a style of a hunters´hut offer a resting point and view to the tigers´exhibit and towards the southly situated exhibit of ungulates.

Cold-blooded animals
(Invertebrates,fish,amphibians,reptiles)

In 2003 we started to realize new project of regular exhibitions with separate animal groups.Most of our animals came from our background but we wanted to present their variety,so we also asked private breeders for help.