Discover the Enigmatic Nocturnal Fish at the Tanganika Pavilion in Ostrava Zoo

How does night exposure work? The concept of night exposure involves changing the usual lighting setup—at night, animals are lit up as if it were daytime, and during the day, the conditions mimic those of night. This setup allows visitors to see animals that are typically active at night. The exhibit is lit with blue light, which is gentle and does not disturb the animals.

Ostrava Zoo currently houses eight different species that thrive in nighttime environments. Guests can observe two types of tree damselflies in one section—with a pair of young males, forest damans (Dendrohyrax dorsalis), who are siblings born in Ostrava in 2020 and 2022. Eventually, they will be paired for breeding to help increase the population of these intriguing nocturnal mammals in captivity. Another species, Tree Damans (Dendrohyrax arboreus), shares an exhibit with African aspen (Atherurus africanus).

In the Night Tanganyika exhibit, visitors can also find Garnett’s combos, a family of nocturnal prosimians (Otolemur garnettii). The female regularly takes care of her young; the newest addition is just two months old. The mother is experienced and provides excellent care for her baby. Another breeding pair of these animals is located at the back of the Pavilion of Evolution. Like the damans, the zoo has seen great success in breeding Garnett’s combos. Currently, there are only 27 of these rare prosimians in Europe across seven different institutions—Prague Zoo and Ostrava Zoo hold the largest populations with six individuals each.