Are They Truly Left Behind? – Ostrava Zoo
At the Ostrava Zoo, visitors can see hummingbirds in special enclosures throughout the zoo. Close to the entrance, there are enclosures for wapiti Siberian four cubs – consisting of two males and two females. One cub was born on May 27, and the last one was born on June 10, 2025. This herd represents the largest group of its kind in European zoos. Additionally, in the center of the zoo, you can find another exhibit called Vadtha ni – Gibbon Temple, where two baby gibbons of pigmy deer live alongside some gibbons. The gibbons are both female and were born on May 31 and June 14.
In a lower section of the zoo, you will find a herd of Sikhs Vietnamese, which includes four older collies born in March. This herd consists of two males and two females. In another herd of Indian axis, there are also four colts – three males and one female. Two males were born in February, while the other two were born at the start of June. The breeding herd of axis deer resides in the India enclosure, which is part of the Ostrava safari. Visitors can view this area during the safari express ride. All the cubs are receiving good care from their mothers, and none of them have been abandoned.
A lone colt does not mean an abandoned colt
In the days following their birth, baby collies are often not visible in their enclosures. Most deer keepers hide the fawn crouches in the grass as a strategy to stay safe from predators. The mother stays away for periods to regularly check in and provide food. This behavior is common among deer in our countryside, especially with species that are often seen near human habitats, such as the roe deer. During spring, people may find hidden deer fawns while walking or mowing grass, mistakenly thinking they are abandoned. In many situations, these young ones are not abandoned at all!
In any situation, we should avoid touching young animals that we find in nature should not touch (even if the weather is bad)! This caution is not only for colobus monkeys, but also applies to small bunnies, hedgehogs, and other baby mammals. Wild animals typically fear humans, and a human scent on a baby will usually cause the female to abandon it. Additionally, it’s challenging to raise wild animal pups by humans successfully, often leading to failure. There may be changes in their natural behavior, and they often cannot be returned to the wild after being raised by humans.
Let’s not evaluate animal behavior through a human perspective; instead, we should respect nature’s laws and connections, no matter how strange or harsh they may appear to us. When we encounter wildlife, let’s observe from a distance and refrain from interfering in their lives; they inherently know the actions they need to take. Let’s avoid rescuing baby animals unnecessarily when they don’t need assistance.
