Košice Zoo


The Košice Zoo is a zoo in Košice, Slovakia in the local city part of Kavečany. Encompassing, it is the largest zoo in Slovakia and the third largest in Europe, though visitors are allowed only in about one third of this area. The zoo hosts about 210,000 visitors each year. in the zoo is a large Jurassic Park and many educational trails.

History

Construction of the zoo started in 1979, and the zoo opened to the public in 1985 with only 23 species. A petting zoo was opened for children in 2000.

Animals

Animals at the zoo are mostly from Europe and Asia, though the zoo does keep some exotic species. The zoo keeps about 1200 animals in 250 species including brown bear, lynx, emu, parrots, tamarins, raccoons, turtles, tortoises, zebras, camels, goats, horses, antelopes, lions, tigers, bison, and hippos.

Breeding

Over the years, the zoo has been successful in breeding the hucul horse. Having birthed 92 foals, since 1996 the zoo has been returning some of its animals to the general gene pool of the species. The zoo includes an off-visitor area for the horses to roam.
Other breeding efforts at the zoo include brown bears, baboons, lynx, Przewalski's horses, Shetland ponies, Chapman's zebras, Siberian wapiti, Capybaras, and emus.