Prague Zoo’s director receives highest state award from Mongolia

Presenting the Order of the Polar Star – Mongolia’s highest state decoration that can be received by a foreign national – to Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo’s Director. Photo: Malvína Kahleová, Prague Zoo

Under the leadership of Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo, in cooperation with the Czech Army and a number of other organizations, has carried out a total of nine air transports of Przewalski’s horses to western Mongolia. However, it has also been supporting the long-term sustainability of their return to the wild and is now preparing a reintroduction project for eastern Mongolia.

“The awarding of the Order of the Polar Star is a great honour for both the current and past staff of Prague Zoo. They have contributed decades of hard work to rescuing the Przewalski’s horse and returning it to its original homeland,” said Miroslav Bobek. “This award comes at a time when the twenty-nine mares we transported to Gobi B by CASA aircraft not only have had over eighty foals, but also ten grandchildren and even their first great-grandchildren. Our mission in western Mongolia is accomplished, we are now turning east.”

Miroslav Bobek with Przewalski’s horses. Photo: Ojúnsajchan Ganbátar

Miroslav Bobek went on to say that Prague Zoo’s projects for biodiversity conservation would be unthinkable without the support of the zoo’s founder and the public. He pointed out that five Czech crowns from every entrance fee to the zoo goes to these projects.

Jan Vytopil, the Czech Ambassador to Ulaanbaatar, highlighted this award’s significance by stating “The award shows just how much Mongolia appreciates this Czech project for reintroducing Przewalski’s horses. The project is all the more important in a world that is facing a major decline in biodiversity everywhere.”

A Przewalski’s mare with her foal in the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area B. Photo: Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo