Visit Nature’s Creatures

This time we’ll not be enticing you to visit a zoo or aquarium with exotic species of animals, but to visit some domestic and forest species. There are several places in Prague where nature lovers can go with children and learn something new about nature and what were once common domestic animals.

Most of these places can be visited during outdoor walks even in these peculiar times, when our movement is partially restricted.  Nevertheless at each of the places we’ll visit do respect the ban on feeding the animals, since even a well-intentioned treat can do them great harm!

THE JUNGLE

We will start with something a little exotic, a visit to the JUNGLE. The place has been somewhat overlooked and thus less known to the public – the Prague Forest Centre. This eco-centre in the north-eastern part of Prague, in Kbely, is freely accessible, so animals can also be viewed by the visiting public (not just organized school groups). At present, you can see Ouessant sheep, stunted Dutch Goats, Pigeons, Rabbits, Coypus and Silky Hens. Future plans include expanding the city farm, with the inclusion of other livestock species.

Open: the lower part of the complex (where the city farm and the Lumber trail are located) is open to the public from 7:00 to 15:30 Mon-Fri, and between April to October including Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00 hours.

Access: by bus no. 375 Mladějovská stop or by train from Masarykovo station (direction Čakovice), getting off at Praha-Kbely and continuing along the forest park.
https://lhmp.cz/ekologicka-vychova/ekocentrum-prales

Przewalski’s horses

The almost twenty-hectare plain at Prague’s Dívčí hrady became the new home to Przewalski’s horses. These animals can be watched from three viewpoints with barrier-free access. One of them is raised, and thus not only provides a unique view of the horses themselves, but also of the Prague panorama.

Access: 1 km walk from Radlická underground, or a slightly longer walk above the Hlubočepy plates from the Prokopské Valley and from the Prague-Hlubočepy train station.
https://www.zoopraha.cz/en/about-zoo/news/12812-przewalski-s-horses-are-romping-across-divci-hrady

Zookoutky [Minizoos]

In the past, almost every forester’s abode used to have a small fenced area or enclosure where injured animals the forester cared for, were recovering. The Prague forestry company Lesy hl. m. Prahy continues to honour this tradition and runs a total of four mini-zoos in Prague’s woodlands. Here, animals that cannot return to the wild due to a permanent health issue or other handicap can find a suitable home. The Zookoutky are thus almost an ideal place to take a close-up look at our nature’s native creatures, as well as animals that have been introduced and made our country their home.

Hostivař Wilderness Garden
In the grounds here you will find a large enclosure for a small herd of distinctive white Fallow-Deer, a pair of Moufflon, a small Apiary and a pond for Swans, Swan Geese, Muscovy and Mandarin Ducks. A scenic boardwalk winds around the water’s edge and passes through the center of the minizoo.

Access: lesopark Hostivař, bus 181, 182 stop at K Obecním hájovnám and continue on foot about 700m along the street of the same name.
https://lhmp.cz/zachranna-stanice/lesni-zookoutky/divoka-zahrada-hostivar

Zookoutek Malá Chuchle
A freely accessible area near the forester’s house in Chuchle grove. The minizoo houses, among others, a European deer, a Wild boar, a Lynx, a Common Fox and an Eagle Owl. New arrivals in our neck of the woods are represented by, e.g. the Raccoon Dog, the Coypu or the American Mink. During the year there are also educational events for the general public.

Access: bus no. 129, 241, 244, 314, 318 stop Malá Chuchle. At the church in V Lázních street you can join to the yellow hiking trail, which passes directly through the zoo.
https://lhmp.cz/zachranna-stanice/lesni-zookoutky/zookoutek-mala-chuchle

Zookoutek Kunratice
European Fallow-Deer have quite a sanctuary in this small zoo. You can watch them over the fence, unless they’ve just opted to keep away from prying eyes in the more remote part of the enclosure.

Access: the zoo is located in Kunratický les woodland, just where the green and yellow hiking trails cross, you can reach it by walking from different directions, either from Chodov underground station, Z Kunratice about 1.5 km from Kunratická škola stop, or by bus. no. 193, 203. You can also follow the yellow trail from Roztyly underground station, a somewhat longer route.
https://lhmp.cz/zachranna-stanice/lesni-zookoutky/zookoutek-kunratice

Zookoutek Kamýk
In the newly renovated zoo in Kamýk live two types of goats, West African Dwarf Goats and Valois Goats, which are conspicuous by their colouring – their bodies are half black and half white. Diamond Pheasants can be seen in the aviary. Visitors can see the animals through the wire-mesh ‘windows’ in the enclosure fencing.

Access: by bus no. 189, 197 - stop Lhotecký les and on foot along the green hiking trail that runs through the entire Kamýcký les woodland.
https://lhmp.cz/zachranna-stanice/lesni-zookoutky/zookoutek-kamyk/

Toulcův dvůr

A farm, barns surrounded by an extensive natural area including alluvial forest. The farm is home to many domestic animals, the representatives of the original Czech breeds - hens, rabbits, geese, goats, sheep, smaller-size cows and Hucul horses.

Open: daily from 10:00 to 18:00. The animals are in the paddocks depending on the weather.

Access: by bus no. 177 Toulcův dvůr stop
https://www.toulcuvdvur.cz/

Natural history station

You don’t always have to go to the outskirts of Prague, to get to woodland and greenery. Even in the city centre you can find a pleasant space where you can pet Ponies and the West African Dwarf Goat or look at outdoor enclosures and aviaries (with Kangaroos, Parrots and more). The grounds also include an ecologically-oriented nature trail, a geological exhibit and a herb garden. Once the restrictions in connection with the epidemic are lifted, you will also be able to visit the terrariums, where you can see Crocodiles, Caymans, Iguanas or aquarium fish and other tropical animals.

Open: Mon-Thu from 8:00 to 16:00, Fri from 8:00 to 14:00. The main building (including toilets)

Access: tram 9, 20, 12, 15 stop Arbesovo náměstí or walk from Anděl underground
https://www.ddmpraha.cz/stanice-prirodovedců

And a little bonus, without any guarantee that you will get to see it :-)

There are some animals running completely free in the grounds of Krč hospital. If you’re lucky, you can meet herds of these forest animals (Mouflons), ranging completely free in outer reaches of Krčský les woodlands, but often passing quite close to buildings, among parked cars, almost within reach… 

You can also come across grazing herds of Sheep, Goats and Cattle from spring to autumn in protected areas on the territory of the capital. The grazing zones in any particular locality are always delineated, with public walkways and paths in their vicinity without restrictions. The only proviso is for dog owners to keep their dogs on a leash. The herds move around predetermined locations, including the Prokopské and Šárecké valleys, the Troja basin,  and further afield in Šeberov, Lipence and in the Čimické údolí valley.