The Košice Zoo ( sk, Zoologická záhrada Košice) is a
zoo in
Košice
Košice ( , ; german: Kaschau ; hu, Kassa ; pl, Коszyce) is the largest city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary. With a population of app ...
,
Slovakia in the borough of
Kavečany
Kavečany ( hu, Kavocsán) is a borough (city ward) of Košice, Slovakia. The borough is situated 6 km northwest of Košice, at an altitude of roughly above sea level, in the Košice I district. Kavečany retains a rural character, with a pop ...
. It covers and is the largest zoo in Slovakia and the third largest in Europe. Visitors are allowed in only about one third of the site. Another area outside the visitors area is preserved as the Carpathian Biom, with many wild Slovak species of fauna and flora, including the Imperial Eagle, Black Storc, and Raven. The zoo hosts about 250,000 visitors each year. Inside the zoo is a large Slovak "Jurassic Park" and many educational trails.
History
Construction of the zoo started in 1979. It opened to the public in 1985 with 23 species and an area of . A petting zoo opened for children in 2000.
Animals
As of 1 January 2020 the zoo housed the second largest animal collectin in Slovakia.
Species bred in the zoo include:
Cuban Boa,
Humboldt Penguin,
Toco toucan,
Silvery-checked hornbill, Himalaya Monal pheasants, European Brown Bear (
Guinness Book recorded 5 cubs born and reared in one litter in 2002), Przewalski wild horse (3 animals released to wilderness in Mongolia), Blasboock, Kafue red lechwe, Siberian ibex, Alpine Chamois, European Bison, Hutsul horse (protected horse form of Carpathians).
Animals are mostly from Europe and Asia, though the zoo keeps some non-Eurasian species. The zoo has about 1200 animals in 280 species including the brown bear,
lynx
A lynx is a type of wild cat.
Lynx may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Lynx (constellation)
* Lynx (Chinese astronomy)
* Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory
Places Canada
* Lynx, Ontar ...
,
emu
The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...
,
parrots,
tamarins,
turtles,
tortoises,
zebras,
camel
A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...
s,
ibexs,
horses,
antelope
The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.
Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...
s,
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
s,
tigers,
european bison.
Breeding programs
The zoo breeds the
hucul horse, birthing 92 foals. The zoo returns some of its animals to the gene pool of the species beginning in 1996. The zoo includes an off-visitor area for horses to roam.
Other breeding efforts at the zoo include
brown bears (a litter of 5 born in 2002 is in the
Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
),
s,
lynx
A lynx is a type of wild cat.
Lynx may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Lynx (constellation)
* Lynx (Chinese astronomy)
* Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory
Places Canada
* Lynx, Ontar ...
,
Przewalski's horses,
Shetland ponies
The Shetland pony is a Scottish breed of pony originating in the Shetland Isles in the north of Scotland. It may stand up to at the withers. It has a heavy coat and short legs, is strong for its size, and is used for riding, driving, and ...
,
Chapman's zebras,
Siberian wapiti
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...
,
Capybara
The capybaraAlso called capivara (in Brazil), capiguara (in Bolivia), chigüire, chigüiro, or fercho (in Colombia and Venezuela), carpincho (in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) and ronsoco (in Peru). or greater capybara (''Hydrochoerus hydro ...
s, and
emu
The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...
s.
Notes
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kosice Zoo
Zoos in Slovakia
Tourist attractions in Košice
Buildings and structures in Košice
Zoos established in 1979