A small zoo became a top zoo. It breeds giant ants and rare polar bears

Over the decades, the Hluboká Zoo, which is one of the oldest zoological gardens in the Czech Republic, has undergone a huge transformation. Today, zoologists keep more than three hundred species of animals here on an area of six hectares, from the largest ant to rare polar bears.

“Visitors here will now see over two thousand animals, mainly from the regions of the temperate zone of Europe and Asia. Smaller exotic exhibits are also built, which represent the fauna of Australia, Africa and South America,” said Roman Kössl, deputy director of the Hluboká nad Vltavou Zoo.

Extinction threatened

When the prince opened the zoo at the time, it was only supposed to be an addition to the forestry and hunting museum in the neighboring hunting castle. After World War II, she fought several times for survival.

The family of peccaries has grown by two cubs in the Jihlava Zoo

Homemade

“As Schwarzenberg property, it was nationalized. In the course of the next 25 years, the management of the zoo was gradually replaced by several managers who were unable to ensure its professional management. The last operator in this period, the Agricultural Museum Prague, was not interested in the activities or maintenance of the zoo. The zoo began to decline strongly, and the then superior body of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information recommended its cancellation,” said Kössl about the history.

Even though the zoo was small at the time and kept only a few animals, people visited it. And that kept her alive. In 1971, the South Bohemian Regional National Committee took over the administration of the zoo, and a year later the Zoologická zahrada Ohrada contribution organization was established.

“Czechoslovakian fauna was bred in the zoo and slowly began to develop, becoming such a small zoo on an area of one and a half hectares,” added Kössl.

Photo: Zoo Hluboká nad Vltavou

Brown bear

After the demise of the regional national committees in 1990, the District Office in České Budějovice became the founder of the zoo. A year later, it became a founding member of the Union of Czech and Slovak Zoos, and since 1997 it has been a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“At that time, a significant part of the exhibits was modernized. In the enclosures, the existing grids or mesh were replaced with glass, there was also an expansion of the waterfowl ponds on the banks of the Munické pond, and the zoo acquired another three hectares of land,” said Roman Kössl.

In 2003, the South Bohemian Region took over the Hlubock Zoo for the second time in its history and became its founder, which it is to this day. Millions of crowns were invested in the zoo, all exhibits were modernized and additional land was purchased. Today, Hlubock Zoo is one of the most visited places in the South Bohemian Region.