Free Time > Zoological Gardens > Zlin
Zlin
- Address: Lukovska street 112, Zlin [show on the map]
- Telephone: +420 577 914 180
- Website: http://www.zoolesna.cz/
- E-mail: office@zoolesna.cz
Description
The Zlín Zoo is not built of cages, but it is a modern bio-park with spacious natural exhibition of animals. Individual exhibitions are sensitively set in a forest environment and faithfully imitate original habitats of animals. Zoo's originality is the division of the premises by respective continents. Mammals and birds live here in common exhibitions or in adjoining outlets and you, as visitors, can get acquainted with typical and best-known representative animals of Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. Today's Zoo has 48 ha of exhibition grounds and breeds around 210 species of animals. The Zoo premises are found in a scenic historical park. The park was founded 200 year ago. More than 1,140 species of decorative trees and herbs grow in the Lešna park. So from early spring to late autumn the Zoo is resplendent with the most varied colours and offers an unforgettable scenic sight. The Zoo premises are complemented with numerous lakes, ponds, running rivulets, fountains and waterfalls in exhibitions of animals. Romantic nooks of the park offer repose and a pleasant sitting.
The first exotic animals were gathered in Lešná in 1929 - 1930 as a personal delectation of the owner of the Lukov domain, Joseph Seilern. Of historical significance was the breeding of cold-blooded horses, pheasants, game and natural scientific collection of eggs of birds and hummingbirds. The original idea of a "bird's paradise" to be set up in Lešná was brought to an end by J. Seilern's death in
1939 and the following war events. The Zoo was officially opened as early as in 1948.
The Zoo collection of animals includes gorillas, African elephants, giraffes, rhinos, wallabies, lion, tigers and anteaters. Among other attractive species, there are South American sealions, addaxes, Arabian oryxes, South American lowland tapirs, ruffed lemurs, spider monkeys, maned wolves and sloths.
Among birds, the most dominating groups are runners (ostriches, emus, cassowaries and nandus), penguins, cranes (7 species), hornbills, ibises, parrots. Lower orders of vertebrates are located particularly in the chateau basement with vivaria .
Opening Hours
- January - March 8:30 - 15:30
- April - September 8:30 - 17:30
- October 8:30 - 16:30
- November - December 8:30 - 15:30