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The Great Bear Ride

During your summer trips to castles and chateaus, you will encounter not only the castle guards and tour guides but also a wide range of animals. Among the most notable are bears. A well-known spot for bears is the castle in Český Krumlov. The bear tradition here goes back to the sixteenth century when the castle lords brought in the first live bears. These days, the Beararium Maria Theresa the Bear has welcomed additions, including bear cubs Masha and Arno, who were born in 2017 in Russia. In 2019, brown bears were saved by customs at Prague airport due to an importer lacking the necessary permits. They were renamed in January 2020 to Polyxena and Vilém.

The previous residents of the bear nursery, Vok the bear and Kateřina the she-bear, have sadly passed away and are now in bear heaven. They contributed to the birth of several cubs, like Martin and Agata, who are the stars of Václav Chaloupka’s Bears on the Road and now reside in Točník Castle. Anyone interested in discovering more about bears’ lives is encouraged to visit the short Bear Trail located underground in the castle.

Among the most famous bears were the characters from Večerníček, Kuba and Matěj. Out of the three brothers, only twenty-four-year-old Kuba continues to live alone in the beararium in Beroun. He enjoys a spacious enclosure complete with a swimming pool. Tragically, Vojta passed away from a heart attack in 2016, and Matěj sadly left us in April 2023.

Zookeepers and feeding for fallow deer

At zoos, you’ll find most animals coexisting together; for instance, there is a small zoo in park castle Častolovice and the Podzámecké zahrada in Kroměříž. When visiting the beautiful gardens of Kromeriz, you will be delighted by the residents of Rabbit Hill. In the parks surrounding Blatná Chateau, Veltrusy Chateau, and at the zoo of Fryštát Chateau in Karviná, you can observe roe deer, hares, pheasants, and very tame fallow deer with spotted coats. You need a bit of luck to avoid startling them away from other visitors, but they often allow you to feed them by hand.

The grounds around Slatiňany Castle feature horse paddocks, and a trip to Žleby Castle can include a tour of a game preserve with white deer, along with birds of prey and other creatures, while at the castle in Doudleb nad Orlicí, visitors can interact with animals in Grandma’s backyard. This area hosts geese, ducks, sheep, pigs, and the lovely donkey sisters Jája and Pája. The menagerie in Častolovice Castle is also a favorite destination. Currently, our menagerie features Emu ostriches, llamas, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep, and small piglets. In the aviaries, visitors will discover various species of parrots and pheasants, and they might even encounter doves, guinea fowl, and peacocks. Popular pets like guinea pigs and dwarf rabbits roam freely throughout the area. With the care they’re provided, these little pets are always eager to return to their cozy habitats. Some live in small shelters, while others occupy adorable little mansions.

Where is the peacock kingdom hiding?

Peacocks are strikingly beautiful and they bring a sense of elegance to castle gardens, but they behave much like chickens and have a similar diet. They can be spotted in the gardens of Jezeří Castle, in the parks surrounding Zákupy Castle, Klášterec nad Ohří Castle, Konopiště Castle, or Pardubice Castle, home to the East Bohemian Museum. Alongside swans, peacocks enhance the unique ambiance of the garden near Kratochvíle Castle. You can also find them in Libochovice, at Děčín Castle, and in Třeboň. They roam the gardens surrounding Buchlovice Castle, reside in the gardens at Milotice Castle, and have settled in the Podzámecké zahrada in Kroměříž after its renovation. They also enjoy the grounds of the castle in Čechách pod Kosířem and stroll happily through the garden at Ploskovice castle. Additionally, you may spot them in Prague’s Wallenstein Garden.

An interesting fact about peacocks is that they usually live to be approximately 16 to 20 years old. They are simple and adaptable when it comes to their homes and food. Their diet includes plants, insects, seeds, fruit, and small rodents. The one downside to their beauty is their piercing scream, which they use to establish their territory. On the bright side, peacocks serve as excellent watchdogs, alerting to any intruders with their loud calls. You’ll be surprised to learn that they can fly up to 100 meters despite their long tails. If they’re not comfortable in a spot, they quickly take flight to a more agreeable location. The crowned peacock is even recognized as the national bird of India. Interestingly, in Argentina, roast peacock is a must-have on the Christmas Eve table. The peacock’s closest relatives found in our country include the pheasant and turkey.

Animals in a different way

• • The bear named Petr Vok lived for 31 years in a trench near the main courtyard at Český Krumlov Castle and Chateau before he died in 2018. His skeleton is now on display along the first tour route of the castle in the cabinet of science and curiosities.

• • At the Bird Hall in Bučovice Castle, you can experience the sensation of strolling through a garden arbor, while at the Rabbit Hall, you can observe dozens of rabbits leaping above you, acting in amusing, human-like manners. Here, you can witness hare-ride attacks, hare-dog battles, human hunts, banquets for royal hare couples, and other scenes where rabbits playfully take on the roles of humans and dogs, their natural adversaries.

• • The last owner of Bítov Castle, Baron Jiří Haas of Hasenfels (1912-1945), had a passion for women and dogs. He was known for marking his lovers, establishing one of the country’s earliest private zoos, and the beloved four-legged companions he had preserved after his death. He left behind an incredible collection of several dozen stuffed dogs, which is considered the largest of its kind in the world, along with various other preserved animals.

• • While Jezeří Castle is known as a cat’s paradise, where you can find many different colored kittens, the Cat Museum at Lnáří Castle invites you to come and explore.