MAJESTIC EAGLES - zoobrno.cz 3_17_webAJ.pdf · should be not only wide but also very high. This is why few zoos can afford ... Although it is the genuine eagles that are best known

MAJESTIC EAGLES

the magazin for friends of the Brno ZooNo. 3

September 2017

2

Content

www.facebook.com/ZooBrno

s

04 Sea EaglesKings of the Firmament

12 Children’s suburban campHolidays at the Zoo

06 Eagles in South MoraviaTwo Eagle Species in South Moravia

14 Centre for Ecological Education Summer at Hlídka

08 InterviewIn Czechia, the area most suitablefor eagles

15 Centre for Ecological Education Water – the Foundation of Life

10 Another new expositionLions Return to Brno!

18

1609 Short messagesDinosaurs in Brno

Little change, but significantThe Old Steel Barriers Disappear from the Camel Exhibit

Traditional events for the publicThe Meeting of Adoptive Parents and Sponsors as an „African Day“

September 2017No. 3/17, volume XIXpublisher four times per yearMK ČR E 17723

Editor:Brno Zoo and Environmental Education Centre, semi-budgetary organizationU Zoologické zahrady 46, 635 00 Brno,Czech RepublicIČ: 00101451tel.: +420 546 432 311fax: +420 546 210 000e-mail: [email protected]

Publisher:Moravian Museum Zelný trh 6, 659 37 BrnoCzech RepublicIČO: 00094862

Editor’s office addresZoo Brno a stanice zájmových činností, p. o.redakce ZooreportuU Zoologické zahrady 46, 635 00 Brno,Czech Republictel.: +420 546 432 370fax: +420 546 210 000e-mail: [email protected]

Editorial board:Ing. et Mgr. Lenka Bochníčková, Mgr. JanaGalová (children’s supplement), Bc. JanaHadová, MVDr. Martin Hovorka, Ph.D. (chairmanof editorial board), doc. MVDr. Jiří Klimeš, CSc.,RNDr. Bohumil Král, CSc. (specialist reader),Ing. Miroslava Piškulová, Bc. Eduard Stuchlík(editor manager), doc. Ing. Josef Suchomel,Ph.D., Mgr. Michal Vaňáč.

Emendation:Rosalind Miranda

Distribution:400 pcs in the English version1,600 pcs in the Czech version

The author of non-attributed texts and photos is:Bc. Eduard Stuchlík

First page:Steller’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) Photo by Eduard Stuchlík

UNSALEABLE

the magazin for friends of the Brno Zoo

3www.zoobrno.cz ZooReport

Editorial s

Dear readers,

Our bald eagles (a mother-daughterpair; the daughter was born in our zooin April 2015) inhabit a specially desig-ned aviary that extends upwards toa height of 15 metres and covered bya circular ring with a diameter of 30meters. The aviary of Steller’s sea eaglesis inhabited by a couple who have givenbirth to seven fledglings. Their aviaryis smaller, located in the former quarryabove the polar bears’ enclosure. Wewant to extend it by crossing over to theadjacent area. Once extended, the flightpath of Steller’s sea eagles will also offervisitors a view of the polar bears.

The Brno Zoo has been involved inthe Steller’s Sea Eagle Rescue Pro-gramme, which is part of the award-winning EARAZA programme laun-ched in 2004 for genetic profiling ofapproximately 200 Steller’s sea eagles.With the help of the Czech companyGenservis, our zoo has established a ge-netic bank for this species. As a success-ful breeder of Steller’s sea eagles, we alsowant to build a repatriation centre forthese birds in the Udyl Lake Reserve inthe Russian Far East (near the mouth ofAmur to the Gulf of Sakhalin) – this isthe area of of the original occurrence ofthe species. Young offspring in humancare can be released from the stationinto the wild to strengthen the wildlifepopulation there. Towards the end of lastyear, the Brno Zoo launched a collectiondrive for the construction of this centre.

In addition to the reports on birds ofprey, this Zooreport carries updates onrecent events and our plans for the fu-ture. We are excited to tell you aboutthe opening of a new lion expositionand how the big cats have adapted tothe new environment. Another articletalks about the children who spenta part of their summer holidays at theZoo and at the Environmental Educa-tion Centre Hlídka. Again, we organi-zed a Meeting of Adoptive Parents andSponsors. This is always held on thelast Saturday of August to remind thepublic about the opening of our zoo –an event that goes as far back as 30th

August 1953. In other news, we have

EDITORIAL

done away with the old fencing in theexposition of camels. This small stephas changed things for the better, andbrought the area into full view of thezoo-train. We have also begun to re-construct the entire southwest slope ofthe Mniší hora, which also had an oldfenced area. This neglected part of thezoo will now turn into an attractive se-tting for the Himalayan exposition.You can read more about it on the lastpage.

Bc. Eduard Stuchlík,Chief Editor of Zooreport

The theme of this edition of Zoore-port is eagles, the majestic birds ofprey with a wing span of about twometres. The aviaries for these birdsshould be not only wide but also veryhigh. This is why few zoos can affordto hold many species or individualmembers of these birds. Our zoo ishome to bald eagles and Steller’s seaeagles.

Steller’s sea eagle.

Sea Eagles

All eagles belong to the Accipitridae fa-mily, which currently has 248 confir-med species. These include vultures,kites, harriers, hawks and sparrow-hawks, buzzards, and several groups ofeagles. We very roughly divide the ea-gles into so-called genuine eagles (be-longing to the genus Aquila, such as thegolden eagle or the eastern imperialeagle), monkey-eating eagles (harpyeagles and their relatives), and fish ea-gles (genus Haliaeetus and Ichthyop-haga). Although it is the genuine eaglesthat are best known to the public, theyare not the largest.

Four species compete for the title ofthe largest eagle in the world: the harpyeagle (Harpia harpyja) from SouthAmerica; the crowned eagle (Stephano-aetus coronatus) and the martial eagle(Polemaetus bellicosus), both fromAfrica; and the Steller’s sea eagle (Hali-aeetus pelagicus) from the Far East. Thewingspan of these four species rangesfrom about 180 to 220 cm. The mostrobust are the harpy eagles and theSteller’s sea eagles, the females of whichcan weigh up to 9 kg. In both cases,they are birds of prey armed with mas-sive beaks and long, strong, curvedclaws. Harpy eagles specialize in hun-ting monkeys and sloths, so they needvery strong claws. In the forest, theynest on the tallest trees, giving a persononly a very small chance of seeing themthrough the dense growth.

Kings of theFirmamentThey are among the largest birds ofprey, and they have floated inthe firmament for hundreds of thou-sands of years. These kings are con-nected to the history of Brno Zoo.We are talking about the so-calledsea eagles, representatives ofwhich are kept in our zoo.

s

In the genus Haliaeetus, we includeseven species besides the Steller’s seaeagle: the white-tailed eagle (H. albi-cilla), the bald eagle (H. leucocephalus),the African fish eagle (H. vocifer), thewhite-bellied sea eagle (H. leucogaster),the Pallas’s fish eagle (H. leucoryphus),the Madagascan fish eagle (H. vociferoi-des), and the Sanford’s fish eagle (H.sanfordi). Except for the North Ameri-can bald eagle, these are species of theold world. The white-tailed eagle, thebald eagle, the Steller’s sea eagle, and thePallas´s fish eagle are found in a mode-rate belt. The first three of these havevery strong, large, bright yellow beaks.The only species of this genus that na-turally visits the territory of the CzechRepublic is the white-tailed eagle. Thisis our biggest bird of prey, and it has thestatus of a critically endangered species

here. Nevertheless, its population hasincreased significantly in recent years,and today it is one of the most often ob-served eagles in our country.

Fish eagles are unmistakable because,unlike genuine eagles, their tail is nothalf-round, but wedge-shaped. Not sur-prisingly, the main food for fish eagles isfish. In the wild, these predators usuallystay near large water reservoirs. Theirclaws must be, as with harpy eagles, ex-tremely sharp: Grabbing a slippery fishis as difficult as holding onto a convul-sing ape. Fish eagles are used to fishingdirectly in the water, but they are alsoabundantly nourished by the carcassesof fish and other vertebrates near water.They usually swoop down on their prey,but sometimes also hunt while walkingin the shallows. It is common for themto steal prey from other animals, inclu-

4

A bald eagle in the aviary of the Brno Zoo.


Sea Eagles

www.zoobrno.cz ZooReport

s

An adult Steller's sea eagle with the young in the aviary of the Brno Zoo.

5

ding members of their own species(which is called kleptoparasitism).

Some species of sea eagles live asa permanent pair, but the Madagascanfish eagle female may have more mates(polyandry). Sea eagles build mightynests in tall trees. The females lay oneor two eggs (some species up to three),which incubate on average for 35 to 45days. The survival rate for the young isdependent on the nutrition available inthe territory, and the amount of foodthat the parents bring to the nest. Ifthere is not enough food, the olderfledgling seizes all of the food that isdelivered, and the younger one is effec-tively sentenced to death. If food isabundant, couples of some species (e.g.,the African fish eagle) will nest onlya few hundred meters apart.

Species that live in temperate clima-tes move southward in winter. Often,

more than a hundred eagles can beseen in the wintering grounds. Forexample, on the Japanese island ofHokkaido, taking photos of the winte-ring Steller's sea eagles is a popular tou-rist attraction. In areas where the win-tering grounds of Steller's sea eaglesoverlap with those of the white-tailedeagle, both species can be seen at thesame time. Despite their attractiveness,these two species are not the mostthreatened. The Madagascan fish eagleis the most endangered: It is the largestpredator in Madagascar, where its po-pulation does not exceed 120 pairs, andit is ranked as critically endangered inthe International Red Book. In the“vulnerable” category are the Steller'ssea eagle, the Pallas's fish eagle, and theSanford's fish eagle. The white-tailedeagle is in the little-affected category.

Zoos mostly breed bald eagles (thereare 439 individuals currently registeredin 207 zoos), Steller’s sea eagles, andwhite-tailed eagles, which are includedin the studbooks of the European As-sociation of Zoos and Aquariums(EEP/ESB EAZA). Their breeding ismanaged by coordinators. Of the re-maining species, there is a small popu-lation of African fish eagles in zoos (51individuals in 22 zoos, including Euro-pean ones); white-bellied sea eagles arerare (a total of 10 zoos with 26 indivi-duals, of which only Zoo Beauval and

Zoo Schmiding are in Europe), and soare Pallas’s fish eagles (kept only by theDeutsche Greifenwarte at GuttenbergCastle near Stuttgart).

Brno Zoo currently has two speciesof sea eagles – the bald eagle and theSteller’s sea eagle. Two bald eagle fe-males (one born in Frankfurt in 1988,and her daughter, born in Brno in2015) share space in a large aviarybuilt in 2014. Before its completion,between 2001 and 2008, our zoo kepta single male bald eagle, who thenwent to the Jihlava Zoo. Until 2007,our zoo also had a white-tailed eagle,a 16-year-old female which was thenmoved to the Rescue Station in Raj-hrad, where she lives today.

The history of breeding Steller’s seaeagles in our zoo has been more pro-ductive. The male came to us in 1999,the female in 2007. The couple, whohave lived together since then, hadseven youngsters that have been re-housed in various zoos in Europe.Since the breeding of the Steller's seaeagles has been successful, our zoo in-itiated negotiations for entry intoa program for the protection of thisspecies in the wild in 2015. Last year,a public collection was published onthis topic.

RNDr. Petr Suvorov, Ph.D.,Birds Breeding Curator

6

Sea Eagles in South Moravia


The floodplain landscape at the confluenceof the Morava and Dyje rivers, which isnow part of the important bird area ofSoutok-Tvrdonicko and the adjoiningparts of South Moravia, can now boast ofthe permanent occurrence of two eaglespecies. The larger white-tailed eagle (Ha-liaeetus albicilla), which lives near water, ischaracterized in adulthood by a typicallarge yellow beak and a white wedge tail;while the smaller eastern imperial eagle(Aquila heliaca), which has a forest-step-pes habitat, is unmistakable because of thedistinctive white spots on its back. Thewhite-tailed eagle inhabits almost all ofEurasia, and the eastern imperial eagle’srange extends from Central Asia and Tur-key across southern Russia to southeasternEurope, with South Moravia being the eas-ternmost part of its territory.

The white-tailed eagle, whose nestingsites in South Moravia were destroyed inthe 1920s, returned in 1984. Although itsnumbers grew gradually, further nestingwas observed only in 2004. In the Soutok-Tvrdnicko Bird Reserve in the southeastcorner of Moravia (between the Dyje andMorava rivers), around six pairs nested in

2006, mostly in the old floodplain forestsnear watercourses and reservoirs. White-tailed eagle nests can be found in mixedor pine forests outside river beds, too. InSouth Moravia, this species nests mostlyon oaks or poplars, and occasionally onpine, ash, or spruce trees. Nests are usu-ally located at a height of 20–30 m, rarelylower. In only one case was the nest builtas low as 12 m above the ground. In somecases, an artificial nest or nests of otherbird species – white storks, black storks,or even black kites – are used.

Southern Moravia is an important win-tering area for the white-tailed eagle,especially at the water reservoirs of NovéMlýny. Ornithologists have been monito-ring the local wintering population since1982. By 1992, according to their estima-tion, there were 7 to 20 white-tailed eagleswho wintered there, with a gradual in-crease in numbers the following years. Forexample, between 1997 and 2000, therewere about 44 to 60 individuals; and bet-ween 2006 and 2008, about 40 to 84. Ea-gles are enticed there by, among otherthings, there being enough food in theform of fish and birds. For instance, at the

central reservoir at Nové Mlýny, winte-ring eagles consume greylag geese thathad been shot or injured. In the southernpart of Moravia, the eagles look for phea-santries, where they feed on wounded orkilled pheasants, as well as eating the en-trails and carcasses of game (deer, fallowdeer, and mouflon). They also feed on thecarcasses of animals that had been killedon the roads. Additionally, they oftenhunt for common voles if they are abun-dant, such as at Soutok, where there aremany common voles due to the large pro-portion of untreated soil.

Whilst the white-tailed eagle nowadaysnests in many places in our country(from South Bohemia through theCzech-Moravian Highlands to SouthMoravia) and their numbers are growingcomfortably (116 nesting pairs werecounted in 2016), the South Moravianoccurrence of the eastern imperial eaglewithin the Czech Republic is unique. Or-nithologists, therefore, pay much moreattention to the eastern imperial eaglethan to its bigger cousin.

In southern Moravia, the first confir-med nesting of the eastern imperialeagle was in 1998, but unconfirmed re-ports speak of nesting as early as in the1920s. At present, these eagles inhabit atotal area of 3,700 km2 in the districts ofBřeclav, Hodonín, the eastern partof Znojmo, and the southeastern halfof Brno-venkov. By 2013, eastern impe-rial eagles attempted to nest 37 times in

s

Two Eagle SpeciesNest in South Moravia


Sea Eagles in South Moravia

South Moravia, with 26 successful pairshatching 48 offspring. Most nesting sitesare located in the Břeclav district, espe-cially in the bird area of Soutok-Tvrdo-nicko, where one to three pairs nest eachyear. Besides nesting pairs, this site isalso important for unpaired individualsand young birds. Each year, 10 or 11 eas-tern imperial eagles appear at Soutok,especially during the winter. In someplaces, there are also some white-tailedeagles.

Failure to breed could be caused bynatural factors (e.g., strong wind, coldweather, predation of offspring) orhuman interference (e.g., forestry, tou-rists, fishermen). In some cases, failure wasprevented by the artificial reinforcement ofnests that would otherwise have collapsed.At Soutok-Tvrdonicko, the nests of eas-tern imperial eagles are built at a heightof 17 to 34 m, predominantly on 100- to150-year-old oaks and 30- to 60-year-old poplars, and less often on pine andwillow trees. Most nests are used by ea-gles for only one season, and each yearthey build new nests. In the 15 years ofthe survey, of 32 nests, only 4 were usedfor two seasons, with none used for lon-ger. The size of the nesting area for onecouple fluctuates considerably in SouthMoravia, from 8 to 1,222 hectares, withan average of 341 hectares. The eaglesoften move to the Austrian and Slovakside of the border, where they have builtother nests. In our country, nesting be-gins in March and April. When a couplefor some reason lose their nest, they willbuild a new one; in two cases here, a se-cond nesting was recorded. The birds siton the eggs at the end of April until thebeginning of May, and they only producea single fledgling.

All the fledglings have been ringed.From the 42 juveniles born in South Mo-ravia in the years 1998 to 2013, their pa-rents successfully raised 39, and three ofthem provided international feedback(twice from Slovakia, once from Austria).In addition, there are also three feedbackreports about birds observed in theCzech Republic which had been ringedabroad. Of these, a 19-year-old femalewas the most interesting because she had

s

An young eastern imperial eagle. Photo by Petr Macháček

A white-tailed eagle with the young on the nest.Photo by Libor Dostál

Znojmo and Hodonín areas, and repea-ted observations of juvenile couples, whohave no nests, have been made in the areasouth to southeast of Brno, as well as atPavlovské vrchy and the Milovický forest.This gives hope for the further growth ofthis eagle’s population in the near futureand its spread to other places in Moravia.

Doc. Ing. Josef Suchomel, Ph.D.,Mendel University in BrnoReferences:Bělka T., 2017. Orel mořský (Haliaeetus

albicilla). Zpravodaj SOVDS, 17: 7–8. Bělka T., Horal D., 2009. The White-tailed

Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Czech Re-public. Denisia, 27: 65–77.

Horal D., 2014. Status of the eastern impe-rial eagle (Aquila heliaca) in the Czech Repu-blic – 2013 update, ringing results and newfindings. Slovak Raptor Journal, 8 (1): 41–46.

Horal D., 2011. Eastern Imperial Eagle(Aquila heliaca) in the Czech Republic. ActaZoologica Bulgarica, Suppl. 3: 55-59.

Horal D., Matušík H., Palička M., Škorpí-ková V., 2017. Orel královský (Aquila he-liaca). Zpravodaj SOVDS, 17: 9–10.

Macháček P., 2017. Červený seznamptáků. In: Suchomel J., Lusk S., Macháček P.,Šebela M., 2017. Červená kniha ohroženýchdruhů obratlovců lužních lesů Biosférické re-zervace Dolní Morava. Lesnická práce, Kos-telec nad Černými lesy, 216 str.

7

been ringed as a juvenile in Eastern Slo-vakia, and was found 336 km away fromher native nest.

Data from 2016 shows the successfulnesting of six couples of eastern imperialeagles. Of these, there were two couplesat the traditional nesting area in the Sou-tok-Tvrdonicko Bird Reserve which havebeen consistently nesting for many years.Last year they raised, respectively, twoand three fledglings. A fledgling was alsosuccessfully produced by a pair nearBřeclav, and two youngsters were raisedby another pair on the border of the Břec-lav and Brno-venkov districts. A new ne-sting couple which started their nest con-struction in 2015 near Lednice’s pondsalso raised two youngsters. The female ofthis pair was only two years old, a uniquephenomenon because the nesting of sucha young female had not previously beenobserved. (It is common for the female tobreed at the age of 5 or 6.) One pair alsonested in the White Carpathians and rai-sed two fledglings.

In total, eastern imperial eagles raised12 youngsters in South Moravia in 2016.Other unsuccessful attempts for youngbirds to nest have been observed in the

8

Interview


Where do birds of prey live and whatrole do they play in the ecosystem?

Birds of prey live in tropical, subtropi-cal, mild, and subpolar (boreal) climaticzones. They are adapted to hunt for liveprey, but they also feed on carrion. Theyare at the top of the food chain and aretherefore crucial to maintaining biologi-cal balance. The best conditions for themto thrive are provided by tropical forests,because these areas produce the most or-ganic matter, and offer raptors many spe-cies of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammalsas prey.

How many birds of prey inhabit thecountryside in the Czech Republic?

The fauna of the Czech Republic cur-rently includes around forty species of

birds of prey. The numbers of some specieshave stagnated, while those of others havereduced or increased slightly. Among themost numerous are the common buzzard,common kestrel, Eurasian sparrowhawk,and northern goshawk, several thousandpairs of each of which can be seen here.

In the past, the birds of prey weremore numerous in our country andtheir clash with humans is generallyknown. Can you provide some insightsinto this relationship?

The numbers of birds of prey in Wes-tern and Central Europe, including in theCzech Republic, declined drastically inthe years 1870–1970, by about 90%. Thecause was intense hunting, which waslater exacerbated by intensive farming in

the fields and forests. People have percei-ved birds of prey as malicious beasts (al-though most predatory birds in theCzech Republic mainly hunt rodents).A breakthrough occurred at the begin-ning of the 1970s, when those birds ofprey that were still alive received legalprotection, and less harmful chemicalswere used in agriculture. More recentprotective measures include the con-struction of barriers for high-voltagelines. Prejudice towards birds of prey per-sists among some groups, and cases of il-legal hunting and dumping of bait conta-minated with banned substances(carbofuran) have been encountered.These are criminal acts that will, hope-fully, end eventually. Since the turningpoint in the 1970s, the total number ofbirds of prey in the Czech Republic hasrisen slightly – but it is unlikely that theirformer numbers will ever be reachedagain. Human settlements and roadshave been become widespread, and mostmodern agriculture is impossible withoutthe use of chemicals.

The only place in the Czech Republicwhere the eastern imperial eagle breedsis in the floodplain forests at the conflu-ence of the rivers Morava and Dyje. Theeastern imperial eagle has spread fromSlovakia and Hungary, where it hasflourished after the introduction ofprotective measures. Is the spread ofthis species westward related to the spe-cial significance of Soutok (Confluence)for birds of prey?

The environment in the Soutok area isthe most appropriate in the Czech Repu-blic for eagles. The floodplain is coveredby fertile plains that produce the highestshare of biomass in our country. It offerseagles a variety of prey, and they can in-habit a varied mosaic of biotopes. Ina landscape without any intensive large-scale farming, small fields and meadowsare often surrounded by forests and wet-lands. Since the regulation of the lowerstream of the Morava River, artificialflooding has been practiced in the flood-plain forest. Thus, even though peoplehave occupied the region for centuries,nature has remained intact there.

s

The Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology, and Beekeeping at the Facultyof Agronomy of Mendel University in Brno is led by Dr. Ing. Josef Suchomel, Ph.D.In addition to authoring many articles and studies that have appeared in the spe-cialised media, he has also published books. For example, he was the editor of theRed Book of Threatened Species of the Biosphere Reserve Dolní Morava, whichwas published this year. Dr. Suchomel is also a member of the editorial board ofthe ZooReport magazine. Although his focus is mammalian ecology (among varioustopics, he is interested in the influence of birds of prey on the vole population), hewas pleased to be able to answer a few questions about birds of prey.

Soutok is the Best Biotopefor Our Birds of Prey

Dr. Ing. Josef Suchomel, Ph.D. at the IguazuWaterfalls. Photo by Marta Heroldová

9

Short Messages


s

Starting this summer, three models of dinosaurs adorn the surroundings of the last station of the zoo train.

A couple of cinnamon teals on a pond in the beavers’ exhibit. The colourful spot in the plumage of a male cinnamon tealis called a “mirror”.

Dinosaurs in BrnoStarting this summer, models of threeherbivorous dinosaurs adorn the finaldestination of the zoo train. In their hey-day, Triceratops grew up to 3 meters highand up to 9 meters long, and had threehorns on its head. Styracosaurus, whichwas up to 5.5 meters long, had a largehorn over its nostrils and a few spines atthe end of its head. It was a predecessor ofthe tricorn dinosaurs. Lastly, Stegosaurushad a row of flat plates protruding fromits head, back, and tail. It grew to a lengthof up to 9 meters. Dinosaurs appeared onour planet at the beginning of the Meso-zoic Era, and became extinct at the end ofthat period, after about 134 million years.

Animated models of other “revived”creatures that will move and make diffe-rent sounds will gradually fill the areawhere the yaks and buffaloes are displa-yed. This will be a fundamental part ofthe exhibition regarding the evolution oflife, which will present organisms that be-came extinct not only in the MesozoicEra but also in later geological periods.Predecessors of today’s mammals such asthe giant beaver Castoroides.

Teals Float on the LakeTwo pairs of cinnamon teals (Spatulacyanoptera) were added to our collectionof water birds at the end of last year.These small ducks can be observed byour zoo visitors on the lake’s surface inthe beavers’ display.

The cinnamon teal inhabits the westcoast of both North and South America.It is a small water bird, the size of a pi-geon. Weighing up to 450 g, it does notreach even half the weight of a mallard.

The male has beautiful feathers of a darkmahogany colour, and deep red eyes. Itsdark body contrasts with light blue wingsand a green “mirror,” which is what a co-lourful spot in its plumage is called. Thefemale is a modest brown. Cinnamonteals inhabit shallow waters which haveabundant floating aquatic plants in whichthey can seek food, which consists of theplants, their seeds, and zooplankton.These small Anseriformes are seasonallymonogamous, usually forming pairs intheir wintering areas, where they also en-counter other species of ducks withwhich they form large flocks. In the ne-sting season, the female lays 4–16 whiteeggs in a small hole near water with denseplant material. She sits on the eggs wi-thout the help of the male. He does, ho-wever, remain with the female until aboutthe third week of incubation. The femalealso takes sole care of ducklings, whichare olive-brown. The highest recorded

age of this species in nature is 12years.The North American populationsare migratory.

Although the cinnamon teal is notglobally threatened because it has sucha large habitat, some populations havebeen destroyed as a result of intensivehunting. For example, the Spatula c.borreroi population in the ColombianAndes was killed off in the 1950s. Thegreatest current risk to populations inthe wild is loss of habitat (shallow wet-lands).

Not many zoos keep cinnamon teals,although they do often have otherAmerican duck species. A large popu-lation is maintained by the WetlandCentre in Slimbridge, UK. In the CzechRepublic, only Plzeň and Jihlava zooshouse this species, apart from our zoo.

RNDr. Petr Suvorov, Ph.D.,Birds Breeding Curator

10

Another new exhibit


The main view of the lions’ enclosure isshaped like a native hut from the Kalahariarea. It is equipped with a glazed viewinto the enclosure and a monitor that re-cords the most interesting moments ofthe life of our lions. On the walkway,which winds around the edge of the enc-losure, visitors will find a total of threeobservation points and several informa-tion boards. The surrounding terrain islandscaped as a transition between thebush and the savannah.

These animals are displayed in an elon-gated rectangular space with an area ofapproximately 2,000 square meters. Theviewing walkway is adjacent to only onelong side. Its fencing is 5½ meters high,and its steel columns are enclosed in a fle-xible stainless mesh that cushions anyimpact with the animal. In two places,a glass window has been inserted in themesh through which visitors can look.

From a third place, visitors can watch theevents in the enclosure directly throughthe mesh, though they can approach it nocloser than about one meter.

After being transferred to Brno Zoo,the lioness Kivu was initially suspiciousof people. Her quarters are in a buildingwith three boxes for animals and a roomin back for animal technicians. On thefirst day there, she moved nervously fromone box to another, and ate only the foodgiven to her during the night. The nextday, she did eat her complete food ration.However, Kivu soon began to show inte-rest in the various “toys” provided in herbox, and played with them enthusiasti-cally. We also provided olfactory sensati-ons such as fresh lavender, which shechewed with interest and then slept on.We believe that this aromatic medicinalherb will enrich her life and make it moreenjoyable. She played with peacock fea-

thers as well, and with two tubes anda box made of cardboard which was pac-ked with wood fibre mixed with lavender.This helped in the effective dispersal ofthe herb’s smell. The week that the lionessspent alone in Brno passed quickly.

During the long journey from GdanskZoo, Lolek was quiet, and received waterand meat. In the box in which we placedhim in Brno, he immediately started to eat.The next day, he saw his partner throughthe bars. He was somewhat surprised byher presence. He roared and assumeda defensive position. The four-year-old fe-male looked at the two-year-old male withinterest. Kivu left her quarters and went tothe yard for the first time on 20 July. Atthat time, Lolek was taught to walkthrough interconnected boxes, quicklyunderstanding what he was expected todo. However, the lioness refused to returnto her box that night, and slept outside.

s

From the end of August this year, visitors to Brno Zoo have been able tosee two Katanga lions, Kivu and Lolek, in their new exhibit. Kivu was bornon 12 October 2012 at Lisbon’s zoo, and we brought her to Brno fromthe Ústí nad Labem Zoo on 11 July 2017. Lolek was born in Gdansk Zooon 14 July 2015, and he has been in Brno since 18 July 2017. Both lionsadapted rapidly to their new home.

Lions Return to Brno!

The lioness Kivu is looking at the visitors with asmuch curiosity as they are evincing toward her.

11

Another new exhibit


The lions, still kept separately, weregiven a ball to play with a few days later.Lolek was immediately interested in thenew object, and Kivu watched over thebars as he played. We started filling thecardboard tubes with llama wool. Kivutried to taste it, but Lolek only transferredthe tubes from place to place. Lolek enjo-yed his first walk in the yard on 27 July.

Changes in the male’s behaviour to-ward the female and signs of oestrus inKivu were observed on 30 July. The firstdirect contact between the two took placeon 1 August. It was silent, harmonious,and without fights. “Contacts were initia-ted by Kivu, who was completely calmabout Lolek,” is the comment in the bree-ding diary. In the very first moments that

s

Even after the end of oestrus, Kivu and Lolekoften stayed together.

The sculpture of a lion and a plane that has landed in the bush make the lions’immediate surroundings even more attractive.

they spent together in the yard, signs ofmating were observed, and this changedto actual copulation after about half anhour. During the day, mating was repea-ted several times. The lions spent thenight together. Repeated and occasionalmating was subsequently observed overthe next two weeks or so. The first domi-nation (ritualised copulation) of Kivuover Lolek was observed during joint playon 7 August. Play usually looks like ma-ting when the male is on the female’sback. During the mating season, thelions’ appetite for food lessened. Howe-ver, their appetite returned and their foodconsumption stabilized at its peak inmid-August. The lions are now fed threetimes a week with meat, especially beef,and sometimes goat or sheep. Althoughthe couple’s behaviour has been harmo-nious from the beginning, we separatethe male and female during feeding, justto be sure. Kivu and Lolek went togetherto the large enclosure for the first time on23 August. Initially, they familiarizedthemselves with the new terrain quietly.After about an hour, they both returnedto their quarters, after which they wentback to the exposition, where they stayeduntil evening.

At the opening ceremony for the publicon 26 August, a crowd of visitors surroun-ded their enclosure. The lions remainedcalm, and continued with their games.When these big cats began to play withthe large boxes, the crowd held its breath.At the viewing places, the lions came upto the glass to view the people with curio-sity; on the other side of the glass stoodequally curious and enthusiastic visitors.It was an epic moment: Lions had retur-ned to Brno after fourteen years!

The main view of the lions’ enclosure (in the background of theimage) is shaped like a native hut from the Kalahari area.

12

Children's suburban camp


I can understand their feelings. WhenI first became a camp leader in 2015,I was totally excited to be face-to-facewith animals whose beauty and persona-lity I had admired all of my life. The ex-perience is unforgettable. It may happenthat the child forgets some knowledgegained in the zoo during the holiday stay,but I believe that the first authentic en-counter with a favourite animal willnever be forgotten. At that moment,the child does not perceive the animal asjust a fascinating individual, but sees in-stead everything about it along with thewhole of nature, and begins to realize andlove the connections.

At the zoo’s administrative building,there is a clubhouse, a cinema, and hygienicfacilities for children. There were about 30children participating each week in the pro-

gramme, which was directed and managedby two part-time workers who acted as au-xiliary educators guiding the children.Most of the 10 members of the camp staffwere students from Brno universities, andeach group was always accompanied by atleast one internal zoo worker on walksaround the zoological garden.

On the first day of the camp, the chil-dren became acquainted with all the pro-gram staff as well as with the several ani-mals that live in the administrativebuilding. In the clubhouse, besides anaquarium full of fish, children also sawa vivarium where Maty and Okurka live.These are terrestrial gastropods from cen-tral Africa’s forests, and they can grow toa length of up to 20 cm. The children alsomet the ferret Žofka and the talking par-rot Eda, who are both kept in the office of

the educational workers of the zoo. (Edaalso has a spacious outdoor summer cagenear the administrative building.) Gettingacquainted with Maty, Okurka, Žofka,and Eda can be described as the first les-son in handling a pet, and taught the chil-dren that creatures living in human careare definitely not toys.

The following days brought many expe-riences. Specifically, I should mentioncontact feeding of the reticulated giraffes,ring-tailed lemurs, South American tapirs,and guanacos. The children also watchedthe chimpanzees and tigers being fed. Allthis would not have been possible withoutthe active participation of our great zoo-keepers, who were glad to answer everyquestion, add some of their rich experien-ces, and expand upon some of the animals’personalities. We found distinctive beha-viour being displayed primarily with ourclosest relatives, the chimpanzees. Theywere given a bottle, the lid of which theywere able to unscrew so that they coulddrink up all of the contents. However, thefemale, Mary, does not like getting fruit inher drink. To counter this, she pulls off thepackaging strip of the PET bottle, wrinklesit, and pushes it inside the bottle in orderto keep the fruit separate inside. She thenbites a small hole in the bottom of thebottle through which the fruit cannot pass.

s

Every Monday during the summer holidays, a week-long suburban camp forchildren began at Brno Zoo. Parents would bring their children one hour beforeopening time, and a breathless expectation could be seen in the youngsters’eyes. The children knew that they were not to expect a normal zoo visit, butsomething completely new. Sure enough, by the time the adults came back at5 p.m. to take them home, the children had extraordinary experiences to share.

Holidays at the ZooA group of children from the suburban camp is accompanied by two zoo educators (internal zoo staff) and two part-time auxiliary educators.

Photo by Jana Galová

13

Children's suburban camp


s

Children from the suburban camp had the privilegeof feeding selected animals, such as the giraffes.

Photo by Jana Galová

Parrot Eda cannot fly because he suffered a spinal cord injury in his youth. (His mother carelesslystood on him during feeding time.) In the zoo, this blue-and-yellow macaw is one of the most po-pular animals, and children from the suburban camp, who were allowed into his outdoor cage fora while, love him, too. Photo by Jana Galová

It takes her a little longer to quench herthirst with the thin stream thus produced,but she then has it just the way she likes it.

Some of the zookeepers were able tocapture the children’s curiosity in diffe-rent ways from the means we used. Butwe didn't give up! In each exhibition,we always gave a small guided tour to letthe children know all about that particu-lar animal, what environment it comesfrom, and what its main characteristicsare.

The suburban camp program is sophis-ticated, and tries to be as diverse as po-ssible. It mainly takes into account the factthat if the children were to do the samething all day long, even feeding the ani-mals, it would soon be boring. That is whythe development of manual skills is inclu-ded in the program, along with differentplaytime activities and an after-lunch rest.During the two holiday months, the basicprogram was the same, but each week wasin fact different, because the zoo educa-tors’ different personalities left a signifi-cant mark. Some tours were more play-oriented, some more cognitive, somemore creative. They were not solely influ-enced by the personality of the leaders;the content of the week was also adaptedto the temperament of the children. Andthat’s what was so incredibly entertainingfor me – the creativity. We did not repress,we developed. For example, we cut a par-rot shape out of paper – wings, head, andbeak – and assembled a collage of our fa-vourite, Eda. Older children picked wildflowers from the forest that the zoo is builtin, and, just before they left for home,created corsages for their mothers orgrandmothers. With children who weremore focused on zookeeping, we prepareda new terrarium for Maty and Okurka.

Free moments were filled with groupgames and additional information aboutthe animals. Each zoo educator had fa-vourite animals that we especially likedto present to the children. For me, theyare the polar bears (Cora, Norinka, andUmca) and the Komodo dragon (Roto-tom). My colleague, Adélka, loves chim-panzee Fáben and his two girlfriends,Gina and Mary. Another colleague,Nikča, loves the Kamchatka brown bear,Medunek. Our talks at individual exhibi-

tions did not only include species biologyand its environmental demands, but alsotouched on related topics. At the polarbears, we often get questions about thedifficulty of their rearing, and about cli-mate change. At the pig-nosed turtle, wetalk about poaching and about the pollu-tion of the oceans, and we tell the young-sters about the Kura Kura project.

The final assessment of the camp wasmostly oral. We asked the kids if they hadliked the week in the zoo, whether theywould come back to visit us again, and

whether they had enjoyed the camp. Theloud “YES!” shook all of Bystrc and wasso loud that we were afraid that the damat Brno reservoir might break. At the endof the week, we said a happy goodbye.These are moments when children arenot embarrassed by their tears. And so-metimes neither are the leaders.

Marek Sláma,A student of the Science Faculty andthe head of the tour of the children’ssuburban camp at Zoo Brno

14

Centre for Ecological Education


On Mondays, when each camp began, thechildren made buttons with their names toput on their clothes. Information about therunning of the centre followed, as well asgames during which the children got toknow each other. Before lunch, they visitedŠpilberk Castle for an exposition devoted tothe popular bedtime story about “Krysák.”In the afternoon, each child decoratedhis/her Camp Atlas of Animals. This is a 10-page booklet which has the name of thechild on the title page, the respective club(each camp week, the children were dividedinto three clubs), and the date of the stay atHlídka. On the other side of the page, thechildren put a picture of an exotic animal,underneath which they had pre-printed co-lumns to fill in: weight, dimensions, food,habitat, and interesting facts. During theirholiday stay, the children tried to find thenecessary information to complete the co-lumns and write it all in. They had the op-portunity to do this because on Tuesdaysand Wednesdays, a bus took them for thewhole day to Brno Zoo, and on Thursdaysthey were taken to Zlín Zoo. However, theyoung scholars did not only have to conductresearch on their zoo days. They also relaxedwith active games, or on obstacles in therope centre, or when riding ponies. Accom-panied by educators and zookeepers, theyalso went to exhibition facilities which areoutside the zoo’s normal visitor areas, andfed some selected animals by hand.

Recording the zoological data in the atlaswas part of the camp game. Whenever cam-pers correctly added information to theiratlases, they would receive a fragment of apicture. With these, they attempted to com-plete the picture of an animal unknown tocurrent science. Some children may havebeen able to guess what would finally

emerge, but the real size and shape of themysterious creature would only be revealedon Friday afternoon after a long, intensequest, and in a secret place.

On Friday afternoon was the culminationof the camp experience. On a path leadingthrough Špilberk Park, 11 tasks awaitedthem. For example, they had to name 10songs about animals. After the childrencompleted all of the tasks, the trail eventuallyled them to the underground corridor thatonce connected the Hlídka building with

Špilberk Castle. Finally, armed with torches,they discovered the animal that is unknownto current science, which is known as the“masakari landfill.” For this significant dis-covery, the young zoologists were rewardedwith a souvenir of a plush animal or a pil-low, which they proudly took home as a me-mory of their week at the Hlídka camp.

Mgr. Monika Chudárková,Lecturer of the Environmental EducationCentre Hlídka

Holiday stays for children havebeen organized by Brno Zoo sincethe end of the last century. Afterthe zoo opened the Hlídka Centrefor Ecological Education in the parkunder Špilberk Castle in 2015, pa-rents have been registering theirchildren for a suburban camp heldthere.

Summerat Hlídka

s

The most exciting holiday experience was a meeting with the South American tapir right in itsrun at Brno Zoo. This forest perissodactyla is kept by some people in South America as a do-mestic animal, and in Brno Zoo it can be fed and caressed by the children attending the campheld at Hlídka, and also by those on tours that take place in the zoo.

The head of the mysterious animal, “masakari landfill,” which is discovered in the cellars of theHlídka building. (It is actually a dummy made by the Centre’s staff.).

15

Centre for Ecological Education


s

The staff of the Environmental Education Centre Hlídka has planned – at approxi-mately monthly intervals for this entire year – a series of entertaining educationalevents for the general public entitled “Nature in the City.” The cycle went withoutinterruption through the hot summer in the pleasant environment of the Brno Zoolog cabins that recreate a replica of the estate of a Kamchatka bear hunter. Theevent that was celebrated on August 12th was “Water – the Foundation of Life”.

Water – the Foundation of Life

A collage depicting a marine aquarium was produced by the children of visitors to the zoo on August 12th,2017 at the “Water – the Foundation of Life” event organized by the Environmental Education Centre Hlídka..

If a metal clip is placed carefully on the water surface, it does not sink, but floats. It is caused by thetension in the surface layer of water molecules. The experiment was part of the “Water – the Foun-dation of Life” educational event.

The main part of the program wasa “quest path.” At the lower part of thezoo we installed 10 panels. On them, vi-sitors to the zoo found questions aboutorganisms living in freshwater and salt-water environments. Preschool childrenwould have the question read by a parentor other accompanying adult, and couldthen respond by choosing from severalpictures. Some questions related to fami-liar fairy tales: For instance, when thequiz asked, “Who broke the flax for pantswith pockets for a small groundhog?” thechildren could choose the correct answerfrom the given pictures of heron, stork,crayfish, frog, warbler, or wagtail. Otherquestions were more demanding. Forexample, the youngsters had to choosethe two images that represented specieswho live only in the sea from six photosof different fish and Chondrichthyes.

Some quiz questions for the olderschoolchildren were more difficult, thoughothers were easy. They were roughly gearedto the educational abilities of fourth- to se-venth-grade elementary school pupils, sowe were very pleased to find that therewere a lot of skilled first-year pupils whocould answer most of the questions. A quizis, of course, also beneficial for those whoseknowledge base is a little less advanced.The lecturers of the Hlídka Centre discus-sed their answers with everyone who tookthe quiz, and, if they had failed, explainedthe errors. Often, they responded to addi-tional questions not only from the childrenbut also from inquisitive parents.

The quiz trail had a special two-partadd-on program. The natural creativity ofthe younger children was satisfied by ha-ving them colour the cutout of a fish ac-cording to their own fantasies, and as-semble it into a three-dimensional shape.These colourful fish and other aquaticanimals were painted, cut out by the chil-dren, and glued to a panel to createa large paper collage that represented themarine aquarium.

The great interest of both children andadults was enhanced by the explanation

of a mechanism for controlling water po-llution in rivers and seas. If a metal paperclip is carefully placed on the surface ofwater in a bowl, it does not sink to thebottom, but rather floats on the surface.This is a consequence of the tension inthe surface layer of the water molecules.

It shows that the surface tension of wateris crucial to the life of small aquatic orga-nisms. However, if a small amount of de-greaser is added to the water, the surfacetension disappears, and the paper clipsinks. This led to a discussion about theeffects of surfactants and the consequen-ces of water pollution by other substan-ces.

The presentation showed the poten-tial extent of our devastation of nature,and we were pleased by the interest ofthe visitors in preserving clean waterand in knowing about the risks thatthreaten it.

Mgr. Monika Chudárková,Lecturer of the Environmental Educa-tion Centre Hlídka

Little change, but significant


The background to this is that the oldbarn was dismantled this March. In itsplace, the zoo had a narrow, shallowtrench, roughly 100 meters long, excava-ted and tiled with concrete. It eventu-ally was given a brown plastic finish sothat it did not stand out from the naturalenvironment. Between the new ditch andthe visitor trail, our gardeners set upa two-meter-wide “no man’s land” ofgrass and low shrubs. The animals andpeople thus do not mingle, althoughthere is no optical barrier between them.

Oh, Those Pacers…Even a smaller barrier would keep thecamels from escaping. Camels are pa-cers: When they walk, they lift bothleftlimbs at the same time, then both right

limbs; and the trench – 40 cm deep and60 cm wide – is an insurmountable ob-stacle for them. (However, there is onenecessity: The rectangular edges of theditch must remain sharp.) The absenceof a fence at the Brno camel exhibitioncertainly does not mean that visitors canfeel free to enter the enclosure. Al-though camels are domestic animals,they are only used to their zookeeper.A stranger could be injured.

Pacing allows animals with long limbsto move in a specific environment. It evol-ved in all members of the Tylopoda subor-der – camels, llamas, and vicuñas. (Howe-ver, llamas and vicuñas, who live inrugged mountain terrain in the wild, areable to overcome obstacles, so we have tobuild fences for them in the zoo.) Otherpacers include giraffes. Even animals that

can jump, such as maned wolves, someti-mes pace in this way. And horses can bespecially trained to walk in this way, too.

“Desert-Ships” in Brno Bactrian camels lived in wooden cor-rals located at the bottom of the zoosince the 1950s. After the constructionof a veterinary clinic in the early1970s, the camels and other ungulateswere moved to a higher site in thesaddle between two peaks of the Mnišímountain, where they were enclosedby a “modern” fence of horizontalmetal pipes. It was long-lived, butit was not aesthetically pleasing –especially with the camels in the expo-sed site near the top zoo train station.In addition, the trail led visitors nearthe pipes, which were almost halfa meter wide and could be hazardouson both sides: On the inside of theenclosure, a normally good-natureddomestic animal can become aggres-sive at times (e.g., during rutting); onthe outside, a non-thinking human

s

Many of our zoo visitors are astonished (especially since spring 2017) whenthey do not see a fence while passing the Bactrian camels. Yet, these mightydesert-ships, although separated from the visitors by seemingly nothing, re-main with their youngsters and do not wander out from their own area. “Isit enough to keep them in?” people wonder when they see only a shallowgroove in the ground where before there had been an unsightly high-risesteel-pipe barrier. “When the camel runs, can’t it jump over it?” one visitorasked.

The Old Steel BarriersDisappear from the Camel Exhibit

16

Bactrian camels – female Majda (left) and maleDred – with their baby born in March 2017.

Little change, but significant


s

Narrated camel feeding had been carried out directly at the metal barrier in the past. With a bree-der present (a breeder on the left is feeding the camel), the situation was under control.

17

In place of the barrier of steel pipes, there isnow a green belt with a shallow trench hiddenbehind it.

could offer the animal unsuitable foodwhich might damage its digestive pro-cess. The sign “Do Not Feed the Ani-mals” which we placed on the barrierwas necessary, but some may have“overlooked” it.

Brno Zoo currently has five adult Bac-trian camels, one male and four females.Fatima II was born at Ostrava Zoo in2006, and Majda was born at BratislavaZoo in 2003. The other two females arefrom our zoo, Sulika born in 1992, and

Bella in 2014. Each of our female camelshave this year produced a viable calf. Bellagave birth for the first time; the other twohad already reared two or three calves inpast years. The male, Dred, comes fromLodz Zoo, where he was born in 2012. Hecame to Brno as a two year old.

Wild Camels are Still AlivePeople have kept Bactrian camels fortheir hair and milk or as a means oftransport for more than 5,000 years. Atpresent, there are approximately 1.5million of these animals in the world.They can weigh up to half a ton, andarefound in Asia Minor, Central Asia,southern Siberia, northern China, andMongolia. This area almost coincideswith the original area of the species be-fore their domestication, and many ofits inhospitable areas had been settledby people just because they had domes-ticated camels. Only about 1,000 wildBactrian camels still survive. Theselive in the Gobi and Taklamakan de-serts on the Chinese-Mongolian bor-der. It is a critically endangered popu-lation because domesticated camelscompete with the wild ones and some-times interbreed with them. In addi-tion, people still hunt wild camels.

The Himalayas are NextOur zoo intends to continue removingmetal railings, replacing them with animpressive but inconspicuous barrierfor the other ungulates that are locatedbetween the Bactrian camel exhibitionand the Children’s Zoo. This is wherethe natural Himalayan exhibitionwill be started next year. It will includemodified enclosures of red pandas andtakins. Besides these wild species, therewill also be domesticated animals fromthe Himalayan plateaus and the Hima-layan foothills. As reported on the fol-lowing page, the animals and the visi-tors of the Himalayan exhibition will beseparated by inconspicuous trenches orlow stone walls similar to those built byTibetan yak breeders, amongst others.

18

Traditional events for the public


s

Attractive jewels were presented during theAfrican-style show.

After the official opening of the Meeting ofAdoptive Parents and Sponsors, the Brno ZooDirector, MVDr. Martin Hovorka, Ph.D., (in themiddle) presented the director of SPP Brno(second from the right, with his son) a certifi-cate of adoption for a Katanga lion. On theright is the mayor of Brno, Ing. Petr Vokřál.Also pictured (from the left) are: the actressKlára Melíšková (recipient of the Czech LionAward), and Nikol Švantnerová (Miss CzechRepublic 2015).

The Meeting of Adoptive Parents and Sponsors Became an “African Day”The meeting of Brno Zoo’s adoptive parents and sponsors took place this yearin our zoo on 26 August. We also opened a new lion enclosure on this occasion.However, the meeting was unusual for another reason. We planned it – with ge-nerous financial support from the SPP Brno gas company – in African style.

can dancers. There followed a fashionshow in which African jewellery anddresses or costumes of fabrics with co-lourful African patterns were presentedby the models. The crowd then relaxedwhile listening to the African harp or thekora. And a magician performed, as well.

Many other exciting events were held onthat special day. A drumming workshop forchildren and adults was held around thestage, and visitors could get their hair brai-ded. African coffee and crêpes were served.

In the Exotarium Pavilion, African je-wellery, fashion accessories, souvenirs,

and culinary specialties were for sale, andpeople could see an exhibition of Africanmasks and wooden sculptures. In a crea-tive workshop, visitors could make a bea-ded bracelet or a mask.

In the area just outside the Beringia ex-hibition complex, rescue workers de-monstrated fire fighting techniques.

In the buffalo area of the Native Ame-rican village, adoptive parents roastedsausages while their children rode on po-nies. There was also a pony ring at theChildren’s Zoo.

There were moderated feedings at theexhibitions of the tigers, sea lions, polarbears, chimpanzees, tapirs, and giraffes.

The zoo was also open to regular vi-sitors, although adoptive parents andsponsors enjoyed free admission.

The Denbaya Group, which specialise in Africandrums and dancing.

The celebrations were officially launchedby the Director of Brno Zoo, MVDr.Martin Hovorka, Ph.D., at 3 pm, and thedirector of SPP Brno was then givena certificate of adoption for one of the Ka-tanga lions. Before this, actors from theBrno National Theatre presented thestory of “Wilful Grandpa,” the Denbayagroup staged a performance with Africandrums and dances, and Kamila Kroupováoffered everyone a protein bomb – friedinsects! After the official opening cere-mony, the drums ushered in some Afri-

Future


s

The stone fences for the cattle are adjacent to the houses of the mountain village, the upperright Buddhist monastery. Visualization: AND studio

View from a mountain village on a vulpe aviary(according tothe design of the new Himalayasexhibition). Visualization: AND studio

The territory of the future exhibition lieson a slope between the two peaks of MnišíMountain. To the east, it is bounded bythe main visitor path; to the north, by therange of the Bactrian camels and the Chil-dren’s Zoo; and to the south and west bythe walkway leading from the main patharound the elks and to the Children’s Zoo.In thisincompletely utilized area, thereare currently ranges for Grévy’s zebras, ki-angs, Siberian wapitis, and takins, whichwill be rebuilt.

The route will begin with a turnoff fromthe main path at the red panda exhibit.Behind the entrance gate, we will be ableto see the aviary of Galliformes birds andthe range for Tibetan macaques. The woo-ded part of the exhibitionwill be replacedby a pastureland with low vegetation, afterpassing through which the visitor will ar-rive in a village ofstone houses surroun-ded by livestock stables. Behind the vil-lage, the path will wind and rise. (Beware:At one of the turns, hidden behind a seriesof prayer mills, the manul is lurking!)The traveller will then find himself on an

of a traditional Tibetan burial site, wherethe bodies of deceased relatives were left forthe vultures. After leaving the aviary, thepath once again will sink into the woodsand onto a suspended footbridge which willcross over the snow leopard enclosure.Their prey, bharals, will be feeding in theadjoining enclosure. The Himalayan Trekwill end in the kingdom of the snow leo-pard, from whence one can visit the Chil-dren’s Zoo and, in future, board a cable car.

On an area of approximately three hec-tares, this new set of landscapes willmimic the Dolpo culture and nature. Thisregion lies high in the mountains of wes-tern Nepal and forms part of the edge ofthe Tibetan Plateau. It is surrounded bya mountain range dominated by Dhaulá-giri (8,172 m above sea level), and is spar-sely populated by Tibetan farmers who, ataltitudes from 3,800 to 4,180 meters, cul-tivate fields of barley, buckwheat, millet,and mustard. The Dolpo people livea semi-nomadic life, migrating with theiryaks, goats, and sheep to high summerpastures from their villages at the treeline.Nature is intact in Dolpo, with many spe-cies of rare wildlife.

19

The Himalayan Trek Will End in the Kingdomof the Snow LeopardBrno Zoo intends to begin construction of a Himalayan exhibition next year inorder to host both wild and domestic animals from both the alpine steppeand the wooded foothills of the largest mountain range of our planet. This newarea will incorporate village homes, stone walls, chapels, and other traditionalfeatures such as candlesticks and prayer mills. At the highest point of the exhi-bition there will be a Buddhist monastery. The main mission of the HimalayanTrek is to show the effect of isolation on the emergence of different forms of life:Such a high mountain range can be seen as a sort of island in the clouds wherelife evolved without being significantly influenced by the rest of the world.

open plain with takins and kiangs fee-ding on the grass. A stop at the monastery,which stands at the top of the Himalayanscene, can then be made, from which onecan meditate and take in the view abovethe pasture.

When visitors return to the village,they will be able to watch a flock of vulturesin the nearby aviary. The path will thenpassthrough the aviary to see a reconstruction

Documents

MAJESTIC EAGLES - zoobrno.cz 3_17_webAJ.pdf · should be not only wide but also very high. This is why few zoos can afford ... Although it is the genuine eagles that are best known