Miroslav Bobek

Miroslav Bobek

In 1994, he initiated and for many years thereafter produced the project African Odyssey which monitored the migration of black storks from Czech Republic to their African wintering quarters by satellite telemetry. He led many of expeditions and broadcast hundreds of reports from abroad. He also played a managing role in the project New Odyssey that began in 2002. 

Later he became author and leader of the project The Revealed that originated as “a slightly different reality show” featuring gorillas in Prague Zoo in the autumn in 2005. For this project Czech Radio was awarded the “Wild Oscar” at the prestigious festival Wildscreen in Bristol and the “Seal Comenius EduMedia” in Berlin.

Late in 2009, Miroslav Bobek was selected Director of Prague Zoo and on January 1st he assumed this post. Under his leadership the Zoo broke the record of annual turnout of visitors, increased the Zoo’s financial independence, intensified successes in breeding and increased its efforts aimed at the preservation of threatened species. Prague Zoo in cooperation with the Czech Army (among others) has organized so far four air transportations of Przewalski´s Horses to Mongolia and has actively participated in the protection of Western Lowland Gorillas in Africa, the latter most notably through the project Wandering Bus.

A new facility for elephants — Elephant Valley — Hippo Pavilion and newly built Giant Salamander´s Pavilion are the most significant buildings constructed in Prague Zoo during his current tenure. The Large Cats´ Pavilion has been reconstructed, Gočár´s Cottages restored and the path called Zakázanka re-opened after decades of closure. He considers acquiring elephants from Sri Lanka for Prague Zoo to be his largest achievement.

Miroslav Bobek is an author or co-author of many articles, TV documentaries, recordings and books, including “We Help Them Survive”, “Elephants for Prague, Prague for Elephants”, “Bobky od Bobka”, “Žirafa na pondělí”, “Trojský lev”, “Zoopisník”. He is a member of the Council of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the Executive Board of International Takhi Group. In June 2014, he was elected to be the President of the Union of Czech and Slovak Zoological Gardens (UCSZOO). He was awarded the Medal of Vojtěch Náprstek and received from the President of Mongolia the Medal of Friendship.

He is married to Klára Bobková. They have a son, Kryštof, and a daughter, Markéta.