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Bratislava Zoo Wins First Place For The (Exhibit) Construction Of The Year Award
The Bratislava Zoo joined the White Elephant competition, organized by the Czech Zoo in cooperation with the Union of Czech and Slovak Zoological Gardens, winning first place in this year’s competition.
The winner of the 25th White Elephant Competition was announced on Wednesday April 17, 2019 in the Capuchin Monastery in Fulnek, Czech Republic. Prizes are awarded annually in two categories – year’s best husbandry success and year’s best exhibit design. The competition celebrates success of breeding of rare species of mammals, birds and other animals, as well as progressive new exhibit design or conversions that have been realized in the past year.
“In 2012 we launched a fundraising campaign called ‘Making our wolves howl happy,’ which helped to design and build the new habitat. We established cooperation with Mrs. Júlia Hanuliaková and her design studio, Zoo Design Inc., based in Seattle. This resulted in an architectural study of a new habitat for wolves in the forested area of the zoo. Based on the study a project plan for the construction of a new exhibit was developed. Construction began in the fall of 2016 and was completed in the spring of 2017. The new living space for the wolves in our zoo strongly mimics the natural forest habitat of this species. The habitat meets all physiological, ethological, and ecological needs for the wolves. Microclimatic and terrain conditions are also met, motivating the individuals to behave in their natural way of life (digging in the hillsides, patrolling on elevated places, marking the territory, eating insects from below dry stumps, burying food remains, etc.). The habitat also includes a holding building with a separation and outdoor bedrooms as well as a service and handling area for care givers. The habitat is divided into two parts by a corridor with transfer tunnels. The smaller part consists of an acclimatization/separation habitat with an area of 887 m2 and the larger part has an area of 4,192 m2. Together, the runs and corridor have an area of 5,079 m2. The habitat fencing is designed to prevent wolves from escaping by burrowing, climbing, or jumping. The mesh is embedded one meter below the ground surface and electric wires are installed at the bottom of the fence." Explained Chalupová.
“Overall, the fence is three meters tall with a 70 cm long curved section where there is a second electric wire. The habitat needed little to no change, as it includes trees, bushes, grass, root drills, and rocks. Only wooden shelters were added for the wolves, some pine trees and larger rocks were added to the outdoor holding area. Visitors have the opportunity to watch wolves from two elevated points - a three-meter-high wooden lookout on one side and a visitor's shelter on the hill of the opposite side of the habitat. Part of the experience is a set of educational panels on wolves with an educational display case, this where visitors can see a replica of a wolf's skull, a claw, and a comparison of claws to other animals. After completing all the construction work, we moved our wolves into their new habitat in April 2017. We first release the wolves into the outdoor holding bedrooms and then we send them into a small acclimation enclosure. After a few days of acclimatization to their new environment, the wolves were released into the small habitat and then into the large habitat which is viewed by guests. Initially they had uncertainty and some fear, but at the same time the joy of the vast open space. They got used to it quickly and very soon after being settled, our wolves started to live happily in their new home ... " Added Chalupová.
Bratislava Zoo Wins First Place For The (Exhibit) Construction Of The Year Award
The Bratislava Zoo joined the White Elephant competition, organized by the Czech Zoo in cooperation with the Union of Czech and Slovak Zoological Gardens, winning first place in this year’s competition.
The winner of the 25th White Elephant Competition was announced on Wednesday April 17, 2019 in the Capuchin Monastery in Fulnek, Czech Republic. Prizes are awarded annually in two categories – year’s best husbandry success and year’s best exhibit design. The competition celebrates success of breeding of rare species of mammals, birds and other animals, as well as progressive new exhibit design or conversions that have been realized in the past year.
“In 2012 we launched a fundraising campaign called ‘Making our wolves howl happy,’ which helped to design and build the new habitat. We established cooperation with Mrs. Júlia Hanuliaková and her design studio, Zoo Design Inc., based in Seattle. This resulted in an architectural study of a new habitat for wolves in the forested area of the zoo. Based on the study a project plan for the construction of a new exhibit was developed. Construction began in the fall of 2016 and was completed in the spring of 2017. The new living space for the wolves in our zoo strongly mimics the natural forest habitat of this species. The habitat meets all physiological, ethological, and ecological needs for the wolves. Microclimatic and terrain conditions are also met, motivating the individuals to behave in their natural way of life (digging in the hillsides, patrolling on elevated places, marking the territory, eating insects from below dry stumps, burying food remains, etc.). The habitat also includes a holding building with a separation and outdoor bedrooms as well as a service and handling area for care givers. The habitat is divided into two parts by a corridor with transfer tunnels. The smaller part consists of an acclimatization/separation habitat with an area of 887 m2 and the larger part has an area of 4,192 m2. Together, the runs and corridor have an area of 5,079 m2. The habitat fencing is designed to prevent wolves from escaping by burrowing, climbing, or jumping. The mesh is embedded one meter below the ground surface and electric wires are installed at the bottom of the fence." Explained Chalupová.
“Overall, the fence is three meters tall with a 70 cm long curved section where there is a second electric wire. The habitat needed little to no change, as it includes trees, bushes, grass, root drills, and rocks. Only wooden shelters were added for the wolves, some pine trees and larger rocks were added to the outdoor holding area. Visitors have the opportunity to watch wolves from two elevated points - a three-meter-high wooden lookout on one side and a visitor's shelter on the hill of the opposite side of the habitat. Part of the experience is a set of educational panels on wolves with an educational display case, this where visitors can see a replica of a wolf's skull, a claw, and a comparison of claws to other animals. After completing all the construction work, we moved our wolves into their new habitat in April 2017. We first release the wolves into the outdoor holding bedrooms and then we send them into a small acclimation enclosure. After a few days of acclimatization to their new environment, the wolves were released into the small habitat and then into the large habitat which is viewed by guests. Initially they had uncertainty and some fear, but at the same time the joy of the vast open space. They got used to it quickly and very soon after being settled, our wolves started to live happily in their new home ... " Added Chalupová.
