Prague Zoo offers opportunities to support breeding facilities in Ukraine and help for Ukrainian families
“Contributions in the amount of CZK 3,021,000 have already been collected at the collection in favor of Ukrainian zoos. We have used a total of CZK 880,000 so far, “ Miroslav Bobek, director of the Prague Zoo, explains the use of funds from the collection. “After 10,000 euros, we sent the Mykolaiv Zoo and the Kharkiv Zoo. At the beginning, feeding and various equipment were purchased, which we brought to the Warsaw Zoo in two transports and which continued or will continue to go to the Ukrainian zoos. Another transport will follow next week. “
The content of both transports sent from the Prague Zoo was mainly granulated feed for giraffes, antelopes, ungulates, leaf-eating primates, kangaroos, cranes, ibises, flamingos and large parrots. The shipment also included two fully charged powerbanks and their chargers, twenty fire extinguishers, ninety headlamps and the necessary spare batteries, animal trapping nets and nine boxes of veterinary material – mainly bandages, sewing, needles, a syringe and a bullet for applying drugs, vitamins to stress reduction of animals, analgesics and broad-spectrum antibiotics, corticoids, anesthetics and disinfectants.
Prague Zoo offers several options to support Ukrainian breeding facilities. Those interested can contribute any amount directly to the special sub-account of the collection account “We help them survive” or buy a symbolic collection Charity Ticket and thus donate CZK 100, CZK 500, CZK 1,000 or CZK 2,000 to the collection. Breeders also organize special benefit tours for animals, which buyers again contribute to the collection. Visitors can look, for example, at birds, primates, elephants or the animal inhabitants of Darwin Crater. However, the Prague Zoo also offers support to refugee Ukrainian families, prepares commented feeds and a special program in their native language.
“We also recommend making the stay of families fleeing to the Czech Republic more pleasant – we still offer Ukrainian children and women admission for a crown, so far over ten thousand of them have used the offer. We also organize special days with an interpreted program or special tours for groups. Those interested can now buy gifts in our e-shop for Ukrainian children, for which they will then compete during their visit to the zoo, “ Bobek explains.
All activities of the Prague Zoo to help Ukraine and opportunities to get involved can be found in the overview on the website HERE.
How to get involved in helping Ukrainian zoos?
Collection account
Those interested can send any amount to the special sub-account of the Prague Zoo collection account “We help them survive”. All proceeds are intended to support Ukrainian zoos. The Prague Zoo would also greatly appreciate it if the Czech public disseminated information about the sub-account.
Account number: 43-6804660247 / 0100
Variable symbol: 2022
Message to the recipient: Ukraine
Charity ticket
Those interested can choose from four nominal values of “Charity Tickets” – CZK 100, CZK 500, CZK 1,000 or CZK 2,000. The symbolic ticket takes the form of a gift and is also part of the public collection “Helping them survive” with a focus on zoos in Ukraine. It can be purchased at the Prague Zoo e-shop HERE. As a thank you, donors will receive a banner with the motif of the project, which they can use on social networks and thus help spread awareness of the collection.
Extraordinary benefit tours with breeders
Another idea of how to obtain funding to support Ukrainian zoos came from the breeders themselves: they will accompany those interested in groups of up to ten participants in their sections and, where possible, with a large visit to the background. The price of one approximately one-hour tour is CZK 1,000 and can be purchased in the Prague Zoo e-shop HERE.
You can choose from the following options:
A walk in Darwin Crater (bear devils, common wombats, kangaroos and others)
Dates and time: 16, 18, 21, 21, 25, 28 and 31 March from 16:00
Performed by: David Vala
Expedition for beasts (Eurasian wolves, Chabrak hyenas, Manchu leopards, Ussuri tigers)
Dates and time: March 18, 22, 25 and 29 from 16:00
Performed by: Veronika Šejstalová
The sightseeing circuit also includes a traffic route, where otherwise they have no chance to look.
Visit the Valley of the Elephants
Dates and time: March 16, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27 and 30 from 16:00
Performed by: Martin Kristen, Lukáš Pokorný, Monika Durlevićová
A tour of otherwise inaccessible facilities is also included.
Bird walk (according to agreement and weather – for example predators or inhabitants of Rákos’ pavilion)
Dates and time: March 18, 21, 28 and 29 from 1:00 p.m.
Performed by: Aneta Kratochvílová
Meeting with primates (gorillas and inhabitants of the Monkey Islands)
Dates and time: March 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30 from 1:30 p.m.
Performed by: Martin Vojáček
Offer for Ukrainian visitors
Admission for the crown
From Monday, February 28, the Prague Zoo allows children and women from Ukraine to enter the Prague Zoo for CZK 1. To enter, simply present a valid passport or ID card of Ukraine. So far, over ten thousand Ukrainian visitors have taken advantage of the offer.
According to the decision of the zoo’s management, children and mothers fleeing the war from Ukraine have an entrance fee of CZK 1. The event is tied exclusively to a Ukrainian passport with a toleration visa issued by the Ministry of the Interior or the Police of the Czech Republic not dated 23 February 2022, or a border procession with a tolerated visa sticker issued by the Ministry of the Interior or the Police of the Czech Republic not dated Feb 23, 2022
All other citizens of Ukraine who do not meet the above conditions have an entrance fee according to the zoo’s tariff.
Days for Ukrainian families with children
Guided feeding, sea lion training or an entertainment program in the Bororo Reserve, all offered by the Days for Ukrainian Families with Children. The entire program is translated into Ukrainian thanks to forty volunteers who signed up at the request of the Prague Zoo.
The program takes place on the following days: Tuesday 5, Thursday 14, Thursday 21 and Tuesday 26 April.
Schedule:
• 10.00 Meeting of participants at the main entrance to the zoo
• 10.15–15.00 Transform into animals – an entertaining program in the Bororo Reserve (face painting, production of animal masks and animal-themed competitions for small rewards)
• 10.30 Commented feeding of kangaroos in Darwin Crater
• 11.00 Commented feeding of penguins
• 13.30 Sea lion training
• 14.30 Feeding pets at the Children’s Zoo
Programs for organized groups
For larger organized groups of people, Prague Zoo allows you to order a special program translated into Ukrainian on a date other than the above. To order and select the date and time of the visit, those interested can write to the e-mail address: [email protected].
Gifts for Ukrainian children
The Prague Zoo has recently introduced the possibility of supporting Ukrainian families by donating souvenirs to children. Those interested can buy any item in the Prague Zoo e-shop and choose the “Gifts for Ukrainian children” method when choosing transport. These items will then be donated to Ukrainian children from organized groups at the earliest opportunity within the competition program. More information on the website HERE.