Geotrail

Geotrail, photo: Tomáš Adamec, Prague Zoo

Set off on the Geotrail and follow the traces of prehistoric life, uncovering the long and often arduous journey it has taken through evolution! Along the way, you’ll encounter fossils ranging from the very beginnings of life on Earth, through the age of the dinosaurs, to the rise of large mammals and early humans.

The path, which winds from the mountain ungulate enclosures towards the Gočár’s Houses in the upper part of the zoo, runs so closely along the rocky cliff face that constructing animal exhibits here is not feasible. Instead, the palaeontological Geotrail was created here in 2012 to make this area engaging for visitors.

The trail takes you back through time in nine stops, each focusing on a different prehistoric era. Every stop features a fossil or faithful replica of a representative animal species from that period, which you can examine up close. Among the highlights are the massive jaw of a giant shark with terrifying rows of serrated teeth and the skull of a sabre-toothed cat. Information boards at each stop reveal what the natural environment was like and what other creatures inhabited the Earth at the time.

The trail is complemented by the Trilobite fossil sales gallery, where visitors can purchase selected fossils or interesting minerals as a souvenir.

Photo: Tomáš Adamec, Prague Zoo