Dvůr Králové Safari Park: A slice of Africa in Czechia
The Safari Park in Dvůr Králové nad Labem is home to a wide variety of African animals, including lions, giraffes, hyenas, and many species of antelope. But the park is more than just a place to see animals. It also plays an important role in protecting endangered species, with many animals raised here in the hope that they’ll one day return to the wild.
Located in the town of Dvůr Králové on the upper Labe River in eastern Bohemia, the Safari Park proudly calls itself “Africa in the heart of Europe.” And for good reason, says the park’s spokesperson Michal Šťastný:
“There are hundreds of species and forms. I tend to avoid giving exact numbers because scientists differ in how they categorize species and subspecies, so the count varies. But in terms of scale, it’s one of the largest collections of African animals anywhere. We’re talking about more than 2,500 individual animals across various species.”
How one man’s vision shaped the park
The Dvůr Králové Zoo began as a small regional institution in 1946. It wasn’t until 1965, when Josef Vágner was appointed director, that the groundwork for today’s world-renowned breeding programs was laid — programs that still operate on the basis of his pioneering efforts.
“He managed to convince representatives of the state to allow him to travel to Africa on missions to capture wild animals and bring them back to then-Czechoslovakia. It wasn't unusual at that time. People like Gerald Durrell were doing similar things, capturing animals from the wild and bringing them to zoos.
“Often, this was a commercial activity, with people selling animals to institutions. But Mr. Vágner had a different approach. He meticulously selected animals that were strong and capable of adapting to captivity, and thanks to that, the vast majority survived the journey, by boat or by airplane, and made of what even today is a very important piece of European breeding programmes in terms of both genetics and numbers.”
“Our main goal is conservation. We want to protect these species in captivity as long as necessary, and ideally, reintroduce them back into the wild."
Between 1967 and 1975, Vágner led nine major expeditions to Africa and Asia, bringing back nearly 2,000 animals. His vision was to offer them a life in captivity that mimicked the wild as closely as possible.
“Under Vágner’s leadership, Dvůr Králové provided conditions tailored to each species’ needs: large groups for social animals, smaller groups or solitude for those that prefer isolation.
“His team succeeded in breeding most of these species. Elephants, admittedly, were too complex to reproduce in captivity, but otherwise they achieved what many thought was impossible.”
The animals he brought back laid the foundation for what remains today a vital part of European breeding programs, both in terms of genetic value and numbers. Vágner also believed that space and habitat mattered. He replaced cages with moats, enlarged enclosures, and built modern pavilions.
But his greatest ambition was to create an actual safari—something that would mirror the landscapes he had seen in Africa. That dream came true in 1989. Since then, visitors have been able to explore the Safari Park by vehicle, observing animals in large open spaces.
Up close to lions and zebras
Along a five-kilometre route, guests can see herds of zebras, antelopes with their young, and flocks of pelicans on the ponds. A major highlight is the Lion Safari, the only one of its kind in Central Europe. As the tractor train approaches, a safety mesh is lowered over the cars, allowing visitors to watch the lions from just a few meters away.
Covering more than a hectare, it’s the largest lion habitat in any Czech zoo. Today, however, the park’s goal isn’t to house as many species as possible. The focus has shifted to maintaining smaller but genetically diverse populations that can thrive over time, as Mr. Šťastný explains:
“The groups of animals tend to be smaller than they used to be before. For example, during Wagner’s time, we had more than 50 giraffes. We could still accommodate that today, but we prefer to have smaller groups that are genetically diverse to maintain a population that will be sustainable for as long as possible.
“We are not here to impress anyone with numbers. We want to protect these species in captivity as long as necessary and ideally, reintroduce them back into the wild. And we’ve done that. We’ve returned over 150 large mammals -like sable antelopes, roan antelopes, two types of rhinos, and various bird species -back to Africa.”
At the heart of rhino rescue
Rhinos are at the core of Dvůr Králové’s conservation efforts. The zoo has successfully reintroduced eastern black rhinos to Tanzania and Rwanda, where they’ve already begun reproducing. One of its most ambitious ongoing efforts is the BioRescue project, a collaboration with scientists from Japan, Germany, Italy, and Czechia that aims to save the northern white rhino from extinction.
“We’re now at the final step: getting a surrogate southern white rhino to carry a pregnancy. We already have 35 embryos, created in vitro using the semen of long-deceased males and eggs from Fatu, the last offspring of the northern white rhino, born here in Dvůr Králové in 2000.
“Our zoo is the only institution in the world that has ever successfully bred northern white rhinos. So in many ways, Dvůr Králové is the heart of this effort. But it wouldn’t be possible without our incredible partners - scientists who have become friends through years of collaboration.”
“Our zoo is the only institution in the world that has ever successfully bred northern white rhinos. So in many ways, Dvůr Králové is the heart of this effort.”
Lions, elephants, and secretary birds
But the zoo’s conservation efforts extend far beyond rhinos. It also helps track lions and elephants in Africa using GPS collars to study their migration patterns and detect potential threats. Working with local communities, the team aims to reduce conflict between people and wildlife.
“We try to teach them how to live with the wildlife. Just like people here in the Czech Republic might be uneasy with bears, it’s the same with lions or elephants in Africa. So we focus not only on reintroducing animals but also on making their habitats safe. There would be no sense to breed babies from many species and bring them somewhere that is not safe.”
Another huge success is the breeding of secretary birds - striking African birds of prey with long legs, known for their snake-hunting abilities. These birds, rare in captivity and notoriously difficult to breed, have flourished at Dvůr Králové.
“Our bird-keeping team has created such ideal conditions that we now have frequent successful hatchings. In most cases, the female raises the chick herself. But when that’s not possible, our team steps in using a puppet shaped like a bird’s head to feed the chick. This is done to prevent the chick from imprinting on humans, which would be harmful to its long-term survival and integration into its species.”
Europe’s only zoo with all four hyena species
Dvůr Králové is also the only zoo outside Africa to house all four species of hyena: the spotted, striped, and brown hyenas, as well as the elusive aardwolf. One of the zoo’s most recent achievements is the successful breeding of aardwolves, also known as civet hyenas.
“Aardwolves are highly specialized animals that primarily eat termites. They’re very picky eaters and not very common in captivity. They're not the most visually exciting animal -sleepy during the day and not very active - so not every zoo wants them.
“But because we focus on African fauna, we embrace these unique and often overlooked species. Three years ago, we partnered with a breeding centre in South Africa and brought aardwolves to the Czech Republic. Along with Zlín Zoo, we began figuring out how to keep and eventually breed them.”
The last time this species reproduced in a European collection was over 30 years ago, but within a year, a female gave birth to three cubs and five more, earlier this year.
“We’re now building a safety population in captivity to ensure the species' survival in case of threats in the wild. It’s not just about displaying them to the public. It’s also about collecting new scientific information. These animals are still relatively unknown to science, and we are learning so much from observing and caring for them.”
Bringing the zoo to life after dark
While the zoo’s main goal is to protect endangered African species, attracting visitors is just as important. To enhance the experience, the park recently introduced night opening hours, allowing guests to see animals in a whole new light.
“Though the gates close at 6 pm, animal houses stay open until 10 or even 10:30 pm. That gives visitors a rare chance to observe nocturnal behaviour, which is completely different from what you’d see during the day. Our visitors are incredibly respectful, which allows us to offer these special experiences. A zoo is only as good as its visitors, and we are lucky to have great ones.”
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