Prague Zoo Celebrated 65 Years of the Stud Book for the Przewalski’s Horse and Baptised Capybaras

The main celebration of Prague Zoo’s 93rd anniversary since its opening was held in front of the Gobi exhibition - from right: moderator Jan Kovařík, Prague Zoo’s director Miroslav Bobek, deputy mayor Jana Komrsková, Mayor of Prague Bohuslav Svoboda, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Czech Republic Bakyt Dyussenbayev and the Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic Gansukh Khashkhan Damdin with his interpreter. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Miroslav Bobek said, “The Przewalski’s horse is absolutely one of the iconic animals for Prague Zoo and, in turn, Prague Zoo is a crucial institution for the Przewalski’s that has significantly contributed to saving what is the last wild horse on the planet. Today we are looking back at the hard work of our predecessors, but we’re also looking to the future, as next year there will be a transport of more horses to the Golden Steppe in Kazakhstan. Likewise, we’re preparing a new reintroduction programme in eastern Mongolia.”

During the anniversary celebration, Prague Zoo went back to the 1950s. Visitors took photos in a period photo corner, could have 50’s hair styles and took part in a boogie-woogie workshop. They could also taste refreshments from the era distributed by ladies dressed as pin-ups.

The Mayor of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda, said, “Today there are many reasons to congratulate Prague Zoo. There’s the anniversary of its opening, the fact that its director, Mr. Miroslav Bobek, is christening his next book. What’s more, it is 65 years since the first stud book for the Przewalski’s horse. This species largely owes its survival to both Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. Thank you to all those who pushed for this, are pushing for it and will push for this. As the old proverb says: ‘Only rain and wind can saddle wild horses’.

Since 2011, Prague Zoo has been organising the transport of the last wild horses to Mongolia. This year it transported them to Kazakhstan. This first Kazakhstan transport has been mapped in a new photographic exhibition at the Education Centre, which also opened today. The funding for returning Przewalski’s horses to the wild largely comes from the We Help Them Survive account.

Jana Komrsková, Deputy Mayor for the Environment said, “Every single visitor to Prague Zoo contributes to reintroducing the Przewalski’s horses to the Asian steppes and to other biodiversity conservation projects. CZK 8 from every ticket goes to the We Help Them Survive account. I therefore exhort everyone who has not yet had time to come and see the amazing baby gorillas, the little orangutan or the pangolins and wombats to do so and help Prague Zoo fulfil its mission.”

One of the subjects covered in a new book published on the day is the return of the wild horses. Breakfast with Her Excellency was penned by Prague Zoo’s director, Miroslav Bobek. Its godparents are the British Ambassador, Matt Field, who wrote the book’s foreword, and the President of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Eva Zažímalová.

The godparents of Breakfast with Her Excellency, the new book by Prague Zoo’s director Miroslav Bobek - British Ambassador Matt Field and the President of the Czech Academy of Sciences Eva Zažímalová – launched it in the style of Jane Goodall, i.e. by symbolically rubbing the book’s cover with a drop of champagne so as not to damage it. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Blažena, Božena and Kvído - the stars of the last item on the day’s programme were christened thus. The three baby capybaras were born here in July to a male, Kapík, and a female, Bara. Their godfather, influencer Jiří Král, who arrived at the christening with three of his own offspring, said, “I gave the little capybaras wonderful Czech names. One day, when they go to another zoo, they will be great representatives of our country. I wish Kvída, Božena and Blažena good health, that is the most important thing.”

Influencer Jiří Král introducing his godchildren - capybara triplets Blažena, Božena and Kvído. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

This year is especially important for Prague Zoo thanks to the birth of exceptional new additions. Prague’s “baby boom” began with Mobi, the first gorilla born in the Dja Reserve and the granddaughter of the famous Moji. In April, a second gorilla was born, later named Gaia by the famous primatologist Jane Goodall. In May, a rare baby Sumatran orangutan, Harapan, was born, followed in July by Europe’s second baby pangolin female, Connie, and a baby giraffe. Other new features include the Mongolian Gobi exhibit, a modern enclosure for the Indian crested porcupine, a virtual reality stand and the new Madagascan fossas.