I think Dvur now has 2,1,1. Old male born in Prague (who spent many years in Israel), the pair from Howletts and the new cub. Female born in Olomouc should still live in Olomouc, with an imported male from Syria.
Nice snake species has bred for the first time - Great Lakes Bush Viper (Atheris nitschei), source. 3 babies were born late last year. The adult animals came 6 years ago and live in a show tank in the Vodní Světy pavilion. The tank is climatized to be suitable for these cold-loving mildly-venomous snakes from mountains of Central Africa. The fresh babies are fed by little frogs (that are bred specifically to be snake food), adult animals eat usual little rodents. Dvur keeps a small but interesting collection of venomous African snakes, both famous mamba or cobras but also very unusual small species like this. In other news, I can´t wait to see the new walk-though Greater flamingo aviary, it should be ready in early spring.
@Jana Thank you for this great news. I totally agree. When I visited Dvur in 2016 I was in love with this exposition.
A lot of bad news from Dvůr Králové. Jessi, the oldest black rhino, died at the age of 36. She was no longer able to get up and was euthanized. She was born in Dvůr Králové nad Labem in 1984. She was by far the oldest member of the court breeding. She became an absolute record holder in the number of bred pups, of which she gave birth to eight. Such was the female rhinoceros Jessi. Safari Park Dvůr Králové has lost it now. Zoologists had to fall asleep. (google translates) Safari park ztratil neobyčejnou samici nosorožce Jessi. Byla rekordmankou Unfortunately, one of her daughters also died in the african reserve after a fight with an elephant, she was a ten year old female Jasmína. As a result of protracted health problems, the male of the giant Tortoise Jednička also died. At approximately 60 years old, he was one of the oldest inhabitants of the safari park and at the same time he was one of the animals that also came to the safari park in the era of Josef Vágner. (google translates)
Jednička (aka The First One), a male Aldabra giant tortoise. Imported with a group of other tortoises by Dvur in 1974. In 1996, all giant tortoises kept at Dvur were moved to Prague zoo where a brand new tortoise pavilion was built and all giant tortoises from CZ zoos were collected to form a big group there, with hope of breeding. Unfortunatelly, they never bred at Prague. Dvur built a new tortoise enclosure and 2,1 giant tortoises returned from Prague in 2014, among them Jednička. RIP
How are the giant tortoise yards in Dvur and Prague? Recently some Asian zoo reported that giant tortoises need to climb sloping ground and reach up to get food to be physically fit.
I think the real issue is lack of a structured social and bigger herd and an enclosed greenhouse. I do hope the new exhibit at Ouwehand's Zoo in Rhenen may be the way of the future.
The safari park is hiring a rhino keeper and a bird keeper, jobs starting in February. The rhino department seems like the more interesting of the two at first. But with zoo extension almost solely dedicated to birds (flamingos, pelicans, different storks, diverse smaller water birds, vultures, birds of pray, penguins and more) that will be built and opened in steps 2021-2022, bird department has exciting times ahead. Lots of transfers, introductions, new protocols, steep learning curve. People can send CVs direct to respective curators. BTW the bird curator seems like friendly and passionate guy. Caught my interest already while being docent at Prague zoo during his university days. A leader of Czech ringing and research program for grey goose. Very active birdwatcher.
@Jana I don't remember hearing about this extension in Dvur. Can you give details ; maybe documents and links ? Thanks in advance
I am yet to see any plans/ maps of this new area apart from flamingo aviary, so no documents to link. Over years I have read bits and pieces in various interviews, so my info might be outdated or plainly wrong. It is 2 hectares of land near the director villa. The zoo bought a bancrupt metal factory and demolished almost all houses to get this land many years ago, but lacked funds to build there anything. The new area is called "Jihozápadní Afrika" and should focus on animals living near/in water in deserts of Namibia/SAR. Fisrt exhibit is an aviary for Greater flamingos, spoonbills. Almost finished, should open ca April 2021, together with new restaurant. Around the bird wintering house, aviaries shuld be built. An aviary for pink-backed pelicans, saddle-billed storks, egrets, yellow-billed storks and waterfowl. An aviary for southern-bald ibis and batelleur. Aviary for vultures (species?). Aviary for eagle (if available Verreaux's eagle or African fish eagle). African penguin pool. Exhibit for hyenas, original planning was for brown hyenas but those seem unrealistic now. Exhibit for hyraxes. Pen for antelopes. The director mentioned otters once but unsure if still valid plan. Crocodiles mentioned long time ago, most probably invalid. Sea lions were canned due to lack of funds. The current flamingo aviary and house will be demolished and the area turned into French styled garden without any animals. The former factory building turned into off-show wintering bird house will stay as it is, not available to visitors - you can see it here, that red flat hall and some pics from inside.
Thank you @Jana for all the details. Very interesting developpments for Dvur ! Would love to come back to see them.
According to an Instagram post a male aardvark was born on Valentine's day. Could someone who does speak Czech confirm this? Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLl0Kc8DlJo/
Pygmy hippo cow Malaya (6) did indeed give birth before the end of this winter, late last month a heathy baby boy was born.
Zoo Dvur now holds 3.3 pygmy hippo. In fact both breeding females, Tanquey and Malaya have given birth to a male calf each in the last 5 months! Link: Dvě za půl roku. Safari park se raduje z dalšího mláděte hrošíka liberijského : Safari park
0,1 Tana (41) - born in Dvur Kralove. post-reproductive 1,0 Valda (17) - came last year from Rotterdam 0,1 Tanquey (16) - born in Dvur Kralove, daughter of Tana 0,1 Malaya (6) - born in Gaiapark 1,0 ? - parents Tanquey and Valda 1,0 ? - parents Malaya and Valda
So they have 1 breeding male (Valda), 2 breeding females (Tanquey and Malaya) that gave birth to a male each and the elderly Tana (41) right? So wouldn't this mean that they have 3.3 pygmy hippos?
