Join the Excitement: Derby’s Antelope Day at Ostrava Zoo This Saturday
People visiting Ostrava Zoo will get a wonderful opportunity to discover one of the largest, most beautiful, and critically endangered antelopes on the planet. The event called A Day with the Derby’s Antelope is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2026, running from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the ‘Na Statku’ exhibition area. Attendees will learn about the antelope from experts involved in the project and members of the organization, who will provide the latest updates from Senegal, where this vital project has been active since 2000. Recently, an Ostrava Zoo employee participated in monitoring efforts in Africa and has contributed to the organization’s mission as a volunteer for many years. Kids will have a chance to turn into a little antelope by getting their faces painted at a stall—they can choose an antelope design or any other animal. Interested visitors can buy antelope-themed merchandise like magnets, stickers, canvas bags, and T-shirts, which will help directly support the conservation efforts.
The western subspecies of the Derby’s antelope (Taurotragus derbianus derbianus), which exists only in Senegal, is recognized as one of the most endangered species globally. Its numbers are alarmingly low and critical for survival throughout its previous habitats. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and can now only be found in the Senegalese Niokolo-Koba National Park. Recent estimates show there are about 250 individuals left in this park. Just a century ago, this species was commonly found across regions like Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Ghana. Sadly, the plummeting population has largely been due to poaching, grazing cattle, illegal logging, and various human activities.
Antelope Conservation, previously known as Derbianus Conservation until 2023, is a non-profit organization that unites experts, scientists, students, and people passionate about conserving biodiversity. They aim to improve the situation for the western subspecies of Derby’s antelope and other antelope species in their natural environments. To learn more about their initiatives, you can visit derbianus.cz. Since 2012, Ostrava Zoo has been a proud member of the Derbianus Conservation association. Starting in January 2016, the project has also benefitted from contributions made by all visitors to Ostrava Zoo through the ‘five crowns from the admission fee’ initiative.
