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Zookeeper Aneta Kratochvílová. Photo: Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

173 out of 365 days without visitors! In its entire history, Prague Zoo has never been closed for so long. A new photo publication, prepared by Miroslav Bobek, Petr Hamerník and the team, captures the period from the beginning of March 2020 to the end of February 2021, when Prague Zoo had to lock its gates for almost half of...

Brazilian merganser, photo: Zooparque Itatiba

Even a single electricity generator can increase the chances of a critically endangered species’ survival. This is not some theoretical example, but a cold, hard fact. Last year, we financed just such a generator at Brazil’s Itatiba Zoo.

Kamba. Photo: Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo

When I arrived at the visitor area of the gorilla pavilion last Sunday, Kamba had just gotten to her feet, she took a few steps forward, picked up a fresh twig, and started nibbling on it. A weight fell from my shoulders. It meant that she was much better than she had been in the previous days.

Except for Richard, the results were negative in the other gorillas (with the exception of Ajabu, whose results are not yet available). Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

As we reported on Thursday (February 25th, 2021), testing performed on fecal samples showed that three animals were positive for COVID-19. These were the Asian lions, Jamvan and Suchi, and the male gorilla, Richard. Their symptoms were mild, manifested in the lions with a cold, respiratory coughing; in Richard’s case it...

Richard is COVID positive, his symptoms are very mild. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Today animal testing using fecal samples showed that the Asian lions Jamvan and Suchi and Richard, the male gorilla, are positive. So far, their symptoms are very mild, the lions seem to have a bit of a cough and a cold, whilst Richard has lost his appetite and is tired.

The Asia Minor spiny mouse in the background area of the Prague Zoo. Although we probably cannot consider it to be a separate species, it is a very interesting animal with a significant Czech legacy. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The Silifke castle, no matter how ancient, did not particularly attract me; I had seen several similar castles on the southern coast of Turkey in the previous days. So, while my fellow travellers started to climb the hill toward the ruins, I drank a can of lemonade at a kiosk, then walked to the road and started...

Crucian carp. Photo: Rostislav Štefánek

The former mill race at Prague Zoo has been emptied for some time and it is now being limed. The aim is to get it ready to be stocked with some native fish, primarily crucian carp. Nowadays, this seemingly ordinary, but in many respects extraordinary fish, is one of the critically endangered species in our country. The project,...

The Pesquet’s parrot in Rákos’ House. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

It looks as if it were wrapped in a black cloak lined with red silk. Added to which it has sharply cut features and a bald head. A real avian Dracula.

In the second half of 2020, Prague Zoo was closed due to COVID from October 2 to December 2, and then again from December 18. Even during the short opening in December, the Indonesian Jungle was out of bounds to the public, therefore any time it was possible I popped over to take photos of little Kawi which we shared on social networks. Photo: Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo

We received more than four thousand proposals through an online form, hundreds more in discussions on social networks and emails. And one name really caught our attention – Terry, in honour of the writer Terry Pratchett (1948–2015), the author of Discworld.

Shot from a video taken on a Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G mobile phone. Photo: Samsung Electronics Czech and Slovak

From one small video shot at the start of the spring closing, the Zoo Shorts project has rapidly developed into something that keeps the zoo open for its visitors, well at least virtually. Keepers took short videos on their phones capturing their wards and giving a behind the...