Photo: Magdalena Hrozínková, Radio Prague International
The sad truth is that more wild animals are kept in private ownership in Czechia than in zoos – often illegally and in very poor conditions. Until now there has been a problem finding places to put animals that are rescued from such situations, but Tábor Zoo hopes a new enclosure it is building will provide the solution.
Tigers kept in cages that are too small for them with hardly enough space to turn around in, or pumas hungry and malnourished due to a lack of appropriate food – unfortunately, this is all too often the reality for large wild animals, very often big cats, that are kept by private breeders and owners in Czechia. Caring for such animals is not easy – in addition to the space required, there are huge sums needed for food, veterinary care and enclosures, not to mention the significant amount of bureaucracy involved, as many of these animals belong to species that are endangered and therefore require special permits. Many enthusiasts therefore try to circumvent the regulations, says Evžen Korec, the head of Tábor Zoo.
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Authors: Anna Fodor, Jan Kopřiva
Source: iROZHLAS.cz