Was there recently (after more than ten years) and it isn t THAT bad as you may expect - well, from point of view of laic visitor who don´t know much about animal husbandry (and who didn´t see of-show areas like monkey indoors or giraffe and (former) rhino stables) Spoiler: xmoose´s impressions a little wall of text Areal as a whole (or most parts of it) made a "used" impression of me - not in a good sense. Rust, cracks and holev in pavement here and there... also, lots of concrete. I guess this is one of main reason of this zoos not good reputation among common visitors? It looks a bit gloomy for me (these long time ago abandoned concrete mini-paddocks next to deer paddock, huh), but I guess animals don´t care much if their fence is a bit battered - but it may suggests also lack of funding which IS real problem... There are also some new exhibits (I mean built or refurbished in last decade or so), they seemed nice or ok at least for me. Also, those older big exhibits of hoofstock in upper part of zoo seemed ok for me - enough space, some trees - of course, I didn´t see stables, which are likely less ok. Then there are those more... controversial parts... Carnivore house - I guess that lion, snow leopard, tiger and malay bear paddocks are ok? Manchurian leopards paddock seem really small to me (yeah, watch gallery, even if its little less baren now ). Outdoor is probably ok in terms of space, but I am not sure, if its ideal for this subspecies (glassfronted, south-oriented exhibit). Maybe it would be possible to made some more natural, bigger exhibit in some colder part of zoo? Elephant paddock. I can´t say I like outdoor exhibit but guess its ok. Indoor could be ok also - but yeah, too small. Keep only one elephant is... well. And for more than one is this place insufficient. I can imagine as elephant house would be refurbished for orangutans, as new director suggests - if there would be enough money for it, of course. So yeah, orangutans - not AS terrible as I was expecting but still bad. One of things which should be changed asap. But again, money... Which bring as to monkeys. This exhibit is really ugly, but I guess that outdoor paddocks aren´t that bad especially for some "climbing" species - gibbons, guenons... only if there would be more space for them. Get rid of some species and make more space for others and while not ideal, it could work maybe? But again, I don´t now how looks indoor or in how bad shape is that building as a whole... And what I am saying doesn´t apply for mandrils. Their paddock is really, really bad and I hope they get better one asap. Well, there isn´t big chance on it, is it? Surprisingly, what seemed worst to me, weren´t orangs or monkeys or elephants what really buffled me were owls. Living in small, glass fronted aviaries (next to wolverine) - especially two snow owls - with at least four younglings, that was, really, really bad. Damn, I guess that there are no money for new elephant or orangutan house (these may be challenges for facilities in better condition than Ústí) - but how costly and difficult is to build few sufficient owl aviaries? Is really Ústí doing THAT bad? Heck, they were able to build meercat exhibit quite recently, new owl paddock can´t be much more difficult...
I do hope the watussi cattle is just a temporary solution and that before long more interesting African species will co inhabit the space with the ostrich.
In March atleast 2 Masked lapwings (Vanellus miles) hatched, a zoo first breeding for Zoo Usti. In March a female snow leopard (Panthera uncia) arrived from Dresden where she was born in 2019. Atleast 1 Black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata variegata) was born in April. On the 21st of June a Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) was born. Sources: Instagram of Zoo Ústí nad Labem (12/03/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMUC47lFSgA/ Instagram of Zoo Ústí nad Labem (16/03/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMerSfelIrU/ Instagram of Zoo Ústí nad Labem (24/04/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/COCsScSlSmj/ Instagram of Zoo Ústí nad Labem (23/06/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQdpgVcFzyk/
The last zoo's elephant, female Delhi, will move this year to Elephant Haven in France. She will join 54 years old Ghandi in the 28 hectares facility located mid/south-west of France. The elephant building will be redone to welcome bornean orangutans and other endangered asian species. The zoo said that it will not be the end of elephants at Usti as they planned to build a new facility in its long terme master plan if it arrives to acquire more land. Slonice Delhi se bude stěhovat ještě letos. Ve Francii najde parťačku
I do hope they finally turned the corner and the new director will be Able to push through those nice S.E. Asia area and more ....
She declare that aim... but as you say, we can just hope... Btw I am not sure about that plan, there should be orangutans and tapirs in elephant house... isn´t it quite small for both? Priority is now probably monkey areal (there was planned already new outdoor enclosure for mandrills, under former (temporal?) director... are there any news about this? mandrill paddock seem to me really, really bad, while exhibits of other monkeys, visitor visible parts of it, seems not that bad to me...) Also hope there will be new aviaries for owls (theyr small, glass-fronted cages seemed to me almost as bad, as orangutan "aquarium"... and to build some sufficient aviary for owl couldn´t be as difficult as new orangutan paddock...)
By the way I was playing a bit with idea how I would imagine possible future developement of Ústí, if you are interested, heres couple of ideas... work more with enviroment, huge part of zoo is on quite sloppy hillside, partly forested - so more natural paddock for mountainous and cold-resistant species - something in style already existing wolverine or white-lipped deer enclosure (just try to be little more - visitor-friendly?) or Pilsen bear paddock. While such concept wouldn´t be probably THAT attractive as elephants or great apes, it would be also cheaper - and snow leopards (their current exhibit seems ok to me, but something bigger, more natural could be even better), bears or siberian tigers could be quite attractive to (when speaking about carnivores, what about dholes? at now, no czech zoo keep them), add some walk-through aviary or even walk-through exhibit with macaques... Also, more birds (since Ústí was originally bird-park/reservation) - aviaries for owls somewhere around Dwarf castle could be nice? (but maybe difficult to implement - castle is cultural monument, I think) But there is at least one huge problems (aside of some visitors and possibly politicians who probably want "their" orangs and elephants, even if in some terribly, tiny cages) - neighbouring zoos go more or less with similar concept (Chomutov is mostly forest/park with palearctic species while small Děčín focus also mostly on less demanding and cold resilient species. And Liberec, while also displaying "classical ABCs" as lions, giraffes or chimps is planning also more natural area with siberian tigers or bears... So in the end, you can see why new directors plans are quite different. Lets hope at least part of them succesfully materialize...
Usti Zoo does have a lot of space at back up hill. So, possibilities for bigger exhibits. The tapir and orang utan may mix. Do so at other zoos too Even new elephant exhibit plan may work along with what you suggest in Palearctic fauna species cold resistant.
@Kifaru Bwana well, truth is that director in her concept from last year also mention some "mountain areas" (central Asian hoofstock, geladas, at least), but main focus is still on monkey (obviously) and cat house and orangutans and elephants
Recently a male Defassa waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa) arrived from a zoo in Italy Source: Instagram of Zoo Ústí nad Labem (19/05/2022) Login • Instagram
Recently a male Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) arrived from Zoo Prague. Source: Instagram of Zoo Ústí nad Labem (20/06/2022) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBCitKv0FY/
DELHI, ÚSTECKÁ SAMICE SLONA INDICKÉHO, BYLA ÚSPĚŠNĚ PŘEVEZENA DO FRANCIE Delhi, zoo's only elephant has been successfully relocated to a sanctuary in France. There she joins the elderly cow Gandhi. In the future, the zoo plans to build a new facility for elephants, specifically for young bulls.
A Czech zoo-first breeding at Usti Nad Labem : a Blue-throated macaw hatched at the zoo : Article ( in Czech ) : V ZOO ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM SE POPRVÉ V HISTORII VYLÍHL KRITICKY OHROŽENÝ DRUH PAPOUŠKA ARA KANINDA
Zoo presented its new generel. The closest to realiasation is probably new exhibit for gibbons (chief zoologist mentioned it could be, optimistically, finished in next year summer), in next three years, elephant house should be refurbished for tapirs and will be build Kukang Café (with lori exhibit). Til 2027 is planned new africa monkeys (mandrill) exposition, return of orangutans and new aye-aye exhibits. For more distant future, there is planned return of elephants or asian rhinos exhibit. There should be also new or enlarged parking lots, by low as well as upper entrance.
