Krakow's Zoological Garden
Krakow’s compact zoo – "Krakowski Ogrod Zoologiczny"
in Polish – is situated amidst the vast 500-hectare Las
Wolski forest, turned to municipal park in 1917, some ten
kilometers west of the city’s central
Old Town historic
district and 126 meters higher, i.e. 345 meters above sea level,
near the top of the Pustelnik hill.
Krakow Zoo’s seventeen hectares accommodate over 1400
animals, in that number some 600 birds and 400 mammals,
representing 285 species, 32 of them on the verge of
extinction and 88 endangered. Its most prized possessions
include herds of pygmy hippopotamus and Przewalski horses,
Somali wild ass, Pere David's deer, barasingha, South
American tapir, white camel, South American sea lions,
several species of wild cats, rare antelopes, such as addax,
eastern bongo and waterbuck.
The Reptile House on the zoo’s premises features dwarf
caimans, lizards, turtles, snakes, amphibians, invertebrates
and exotic fish.
Krakow’s zoological garden has succeeded in breeding in
captivity – among others – Andean condor, the maned wolf,
snow leopards, Chinese leopards, jaguars, fennec foxes,
caracal lynxes, European wild cats, northern lynxes, ground
cuscuses, black mangabeys, chimpanzees, lar gibbons, and
common marmosets. It can boast regular hatches of steppe
eagles, white cockatoo, blue-and-yellow macaw, and Grey
parrot.
Krakow Zoo was opened in 1929.
Public transport
City bus line 134 links Krakow Zoo with the downtown. Buses
leave from the stop at Kaluzy street next to the Hotel
Cracovia every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes
on summer Sundays and holidays.
Krakow Zoo’s opening hours:
Winter 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Spring and autumn 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Summer 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
A regular ticket costs 18 zlotys (PLN) and the reduced rate
is 10 zloty.
Postal address: Krakowski Ogrod Zoologiczny, al. Kasy
Oszczednosciowej Miasta Krakowa 14, 30-232 Krakow, Poland.
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With its mere 21.5 sq. km
it may be the smallest of Poland’s twenty national parks,
but the Ojcow National Park ranks among the most attractive
recreational areas in Europe, and it is just a 15 minutes’
drive–i.e. 24 km–northwest of Krakow.
Downtown green oasis boasts some 5,000 plant species.
Krakow's Parks
Krakow's Blonia Commons
A vast expanse of grassland in downtown Krakow, called
Blonia, is protected by law as the national heritage.
Krakow's
Wildlife
Krakow Geography
Krakow Environment
Krakow Weather
Strolls
The best way to enjoy Krakow
is on foot.
Krakow
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