I thought i would start a thread about the lesser known collections that should have the spotlight thrown on them and i'm going to take the easy way out for the first one. This is the Sosto zoo, Nyziregahza Hungary
Wow looks good..! People have a perception of "eastern" Europe that the zoos will be poor... Guess not...
Looks a lot better than Budapest Zoo which I visited last year for the first time and found rather disappointing Jeremy - I've not been to many ex-Eastern bloc zoos but Prague certainly is world-ranking and worth a visit
Its just a generalisation (obviously wrong in some cases), based on the fact the Soviet Bloc was too interested in people, ergo animals would get a raw deal and a French friend of mine was disgusted at Moscow Zoo (5 or 10 years ago)...
Well, I have to say that part of it is true: there are still quite a few East European zoos where the husbandry is often sub-optimal. But I agree in terms of Prague and would add Dvur; and what is also noteworthy: especially the Czech zoos, but also some Polish zoos like Poznan and Warsaw, have species in their collections You'll have to find in other zoos.
Yeah, with Dvur Kralove or Poznan - Eastern Europe is definitely in world's league. Although Eastern Europe seems to be under tectonic drift - Poland was earlier called "Eastern Europe" later "Central Europe" or even "Western Europe" and "at the border of Europe". I wonder if anybody knows Askania Nova in Ukraine? Some sort of steppe national park with semi-wild native and exotic ungulates and birds. They have (had?) 100's of Przewalski horses and domesticated eland.
I remember Askaniya Nova used to feature in the Guiness Book of Records as the largest zoo in the world, although I don't think it was ever a zoo in the traditional sense. Something like 5000 acres/2000 hectare. They seemed to have mainly palearctic animals as well as a big herd of eland they were trying to acclimatize. Can someone explain Poznan old/new zoos to me please? I've looked at the website but don't understand Polish. Has the old one closed down now? Or if I'm planning a visit should I go to both?
I can help You as I visited both zoos November 2007. The tiny Old zoo is located close to the central train station. It has a quite interesting collection of reptiles & amphibians (komodo dragon, Cuban iguana, Utila iguana, an Emys breeding program...), a small monkey house (with Siamangs, Red Ruffed Lemurs...) and 1,5 bird houses as well as a small museum. The old zoo really lives up to its name and is currently renovated. The New Zoo is located a few miles away; You need to take the "Tram 6" or bus 50, but beware: it is poorly described and many people don't speak English. Just get a ticket for 20 minutes at the kiosk as there are no tickets sold in the vehicle. The New Zoo has an interesting Nocturnal house (Common Vampire bats, kowaris, Australian Water Rats...) and a Rodent house (with cururo, Eurasian hamster etc.), a butterfly exhibit (only opened in summer) and not-so-spectacular outdoor insect exhibit. It is embedded in a very park-like, quite beautiful scenery with large lakes. The zoo is gradually rebuilding, which means You have old-fashioned exhibits for carnivores (amur cat, European mink, jaguarundi, Palm Civet, White-nosed Coati ...), birds of prey (Steller's Eagle, Falkland caracara...) and pheasants as well as newer, roomier exhibits (Amur tiger, Grevy Zebra...soon: elephants). The ungulate collection is pretty interesting: Bawean deer, Philippine Spotted Deer, Thomson's gazelle, sitatunga, wood bison, Visayan warty pig... Beside to claiming to have the greatest collection of cacti worldwide ( it was impressive, nevertheless)the botanical garden also offers some sub-optimal reptile & bird enclosures as well as a dark aquarium with pretty overcrowded tanks. All in all, the trip is pretty cheap and if You need food & beverages or want to shop for souvenirs, You can go to the large mall in the inner city. Another advice: take the special train ticket Berlin-Poznan and back; all in all, it costs 40. Change the currency at the train station.
I haven't been there for ages, but: Poznan has two zoos, both open. Closing an old zoo will not happen for years. Go to both, better pick warm season. You should manage both in one full day. Old one has 5ha, is 10 min. by foot from the train station and focuses on reptiles, fish, birds, primates and some antelope, alpaca, giraffes. etc. New zoo is on the outskirts, ca 45 min by bus and has over 100 ha. It is park with several big lakes - each bigger than the whole old zoo. Pelicans and tapirs use them. There are mostly ungulates, predators, aviaries, insects, lemurs, waterfowl and night house. Giant elephant house+enclosures is being build, ready sometime next year. Many open enclosures are gigantic, e.g. giraffes have several hectares of space to use. You need several hours in good weather and good legs. Animals include: Komodo dragons, pygmy gliding possums, striped phalangers, breeding white rhinos, Yucatan spider monkeys, Bawean deer, Visayan pigs, Mishmi takin, Tibetan snowcocks etc.
Thanks Sun Wukong and Jurek, I might be in a position to visit, it's quite cheap and easy to get to Poland these days due to budget flights, if I can deal with the eco-guilt
