The Prague Zoo also beckons to visit during the winter
Although some might think that parrots only search for higher currents, there is also a parrot that does not mind the cold in the Rákos pavilion’s outdoor exhibit.
“Nestor kea inhabits the highlands of New Zealand and is even the only typical alpine species, as it stays in positions above 1,000 meters above sea level and has even been recorded at a height of up to 2,400 meters above sea level, which is 800 higher than the peak of Sněžka, “ says bird curator Antonín Vaidl. “Our winters are pretty mild for it and you can watch it outside all year round.”
Even though the outside temperature is slightly below freezing, the Indian elephants also go to the enclosure around noon. A slippery icy surface on the steep corridor leading from the stables to the paddocks could pose a problem for these massive mammals. Therefore, a specially heated sidewalk leads out of the pavilion, which does not allow snow to settle on it.
“Elephants don’t mind dry frost, we don’t let them outside if it’s wet, windy or blizzarding,” explains head elephant keeper Martin Kristen. “The snow can then be a pleasant diversion. Baby elephants Lakuna and Amalee love to throw and taste the snow. Shanti the elephant can even make snowballs with her trunk.”
The most hardy winter animal in the Prague Zoo is not the polar bear, but the Eurasian wolf. Although the wolves have a dry stable at their disposal, they lie in the enclosure even in the cold and snow, where they only dig hollows to sleep in as a leeward shelter.
“As with most mammals, the wolf’s fur consists of an undercoat and undercoat, which is stiff and long on the shoulders. It thus creates a mantle over the bushy undergrowth, over which the rain easily runs off and the snow slides off without melting.” explains mammal curator Pavel Brandl. “His coat is thus perfectly adapted to all the vagaries of the weather.”
On the other hand, it may come as a surprise to some visitors that Humboldt penguins do not enjoy staying in colder conditions. It comes from South America, where the surrounding air can reach tropical temperatures and the water on the coast is cooled by the Humboldt, or Peruvian current.
“When it snows, we have to sweep the path that leads to the pool for the penguins in the outdoor enclosure,” explains Jakub Mezei, head keeper of the Humboldt penguins. “Of course, the penguins have a slightly heated pavilion at their disposal. But if it’s really freezing outside, we only let them in for a few hours a day.”