Hundreds of species of animals live in Prague, kingfishers, martens and foxes can be seen
Treetops in orchards, park shrubs, reeds on the banks of the Vltava, as well as crevices in the walls of prefabricated houses provide a refuge for many animal species.
Where animals can be met in Prague
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“It’s because the territory in which Prague is located is very diverse. There are rocks, a flowing non-freezing river, wetlands, valleys, many nature reserves with original natural landscapes and city parks with old mature trees. If the city did not stand here, it would be an ideal place for a national park, “says Zuzana Pokorná, head nurse of the Rescue Station of the Capital City of Prague for wildlife.
Hedgehogs live in large numbers in the gardens of family houses and in housing estates. There are thousands of them in Prague. “The hedgehog is a nocturnal animal. If you see him during the day, it means that he has a health problem, “says Zuzana Pokorná. Hundreds of them are treated annually at the rescue station. The most common problem of prickly insectivores is parasites. Fleas or ticks from internal parasites often suffer from tapeworms.
“We have a lot of hedgehogs coming to us in the fall. These are mostly debilitated young individuals who suffer from internal parasites and are therefore not sufficiently fattened. To survive the winter, young hedgehogs need to have at least 500 grams at the end of autumn, ”says the nurse.
Healthy, strong hedgehogs in Prague overwinter without any problems. They dig their winter nests in the ground under thick bushes, leaves or branches. They draw energy from fat reserves, which they secure under the skin on their backs during the autumn days.
Bats are also abundant in the metropolis. There are several of them in the crevices of prefabricated houses or in the hollows of old trees. Many of them live in Stromovka, on Petřín, but also in Prague housing estates. “The specificity of these protected nocturnal mammals is that they slow down their metabolism during the day to save energy. If they are injured and take medication, we have to heat them up just because of their metabolism for the medication to work, ”adds the nurse.
In Prague you will also meet a dormouse or a marten
A less numerous species living in the middle of the city is a rare dormouse. Its district is mainly Petrin Gardens. “The dormouse looks like a gray squirrel. They build their nests in tree cavities or in rock crevices or in buildings, such as cottages. He is active mainly at dusk, when he is looking for food. In October, it is the last chance to see him, then he winters, “says Pokorná.
Rescue station of the capital city of PragueIt receives about four thousand animals a year. Twenty percent of them are rare species. However, not every animal needs help. Half of the animals received are pups that people consider abandoned. This is not always the case. Some of them, often little deer, are just waiting for their parents. Many birds also get to the station. Their common problem is that they hit glass noise barriers, sometimes glazed high-rise buildings. When to call the rescue station
The station is open 24 hours a day. |
On the contrary, squirrels are active all year round. They live, for example, in cemeteries, in the park on Charles Square or in the city forests and parks.
Rock martens also moved to the city from the wild, they are already widespread in almost the entire territory of the metropolis. The permanent inhabitants of Prague’s forests are wild boars, weasels, but also foxes.
“We have repeatedly taken care of sick badgers. They are in the Prokop Valley. During the year, a European beaver also came to us, which fell into a concrete tank on the outskirts of Prague. After he was pulled out of it, he stayed with us for a few days, then we released him back into nature, “says Pokorná.
The jackal is one of the rare pieces of Central Bohemia and the outskirts of Prague. “Even their reproduction has been proven. They probably came to us from southern Europe, “says the nurse.
Kingfishers live on the Vltava, rare ducks on the water
Birds are one of the many species living in the capital. There are rare ducks on the Vltava, such as the diving duck with striking black-and-white feathers, the northern duck or the great guinea pig. A good hallmark of female guinea pigs is the orange feathers on their heads.
Kingfishers and three species of seagulls also live by the Vltava – the bald eagle, the gull and the gull.
Swans are also very numerous in Prague. These are on the Vltava and in many Prague ponds. “This year we adopted more than ninety swans, twenty of them were cubs. Some of them lost their mothers, some were orphaned, “says Pokorná.
The large reed warbler also has a home in the dense reedbeds of the Vltava banks.
Ponds are also inhabited by slugs, kingfishers, herons, but also rare rattlesnakes. Many water birds, raptors and other species appear in Prague with the arrival of autumn, when they migrate to warm regions. This is also the case with rare cranes. Autumn will also bring us ravens or northern populations of woodpeckers or woodpeckers.