Safari Park Dvůr Králové (Dvůr Králové Zoo)
Královéhradecký kraj
Safari Park Dvůr Králové, formerly known as Dvůr Králové Zoo, is the second-largest zoological garden in the Czech Republic. Spanning 72 hectares, the park specializes almost exclusively in African fauna and boasts the largest group of African animals in Europe. It is globally recognized as one of the most important breeders of African ungulates. A core mission of the institution is the protection of endangered wildlife species. The park's design features panoramic enclosures inspired by Karl Hagenbeck, utilizing dry moats to create the illusion of animals sharing a vast, continuous landscape. The highlight of the park is its 30-hectare open safari, where visitors can observe free-roaming herds of antelopes, zebras, and giraffes. The zoo is particularly famous for its critical role in the conservation of the northern white rhinoceros.
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Tip: Visitors can explore the 30-hectare open safari section using specially adapted buses that drive directly among the free-roaming animals. It is highly recommended to plan your visit around the safari ride schedule to fully experience the park's main attraction.
Interesting facts
- •It is the only zoo in the world where northern white rhinos have successfully reproduced, with the last calf born in 2000.
- •The zoo was home to Sudan, the last known male northern white rhinoceros in the world.
- •Former director Josef Vágner imported over 3,000 animals from East Africa during ten expeditions.
- •The park features a 30-hectare open safari area where animals roam freely around visitor vehicles.
History
The zoo was established in 1946 as the East Bohemian Zoological Garden on a modest 6.5-hectare plot to house local fauna.
Its transformation into a globally significant institution began in 1965 under the visionary direction of Josef Vágner.
Vágner led ten expeditions to Africa, importing over 3,000 animals to Czechoslovakia and establishing massive breeding herds.
The iconic open safari concept was developed during his tenure and officially completed in 1989, six years after his retirement.
In 2018, the institution officially changed its name to Safari Park Dvůr Králové to better reflect its unique focus.
Place Guide
The African Safari1989
A 30-hectare open area where visitors can travel in specially adapted buses among free-roaming herds of African ungulates, experiencing a true safari atmosphere.
Rhinoceros Exhibits
The zoo's flagship species exhibits, historically significant for housing the extremely rare northern white rhinoceros and maintaining large breeding herds.
Contact
Phone: 770 123 218
