The polar bear exhibition

Project idea

The new exposition of polar bears is located in the very sloping terrain of the Brno Zoo, at the end of the new seasonal entrance. The whole concept addresses both the variety of paddocks and the work with the terrain and prevents landslides, which often occur.

The enclosures are also easily accessible for breeders, thanks to the existing path for employees, allowing the capture and work with the animal, or the connection of two enclosures.

Thanks to the multi-storey sightseeing building, visitors can learn various interesting facts about polar bears, look into the enclosures or directly into the pool, or just shorten the way to other exhibitions through the sloping terrain.

Project description

A three-storey observation building, imitating a rock, is available for visitors. The first floor is mainly used as a technical background, for the filtration of swimming pools and also as a storage for other equipment. On the second floor, children can walk through a cave where a female polar bear with her cub is hiding. They will learn how the polar bear behaves in the wild, what it eats, and other interesting facts. The third floor is the view into the first enclosure and at the same time into the pool in the second enclosure. It is also possible to see the adjacent aviary of eagles and part of Brno. From the third floor, it is possible to shorten the way to the antlered exposition. However, this route is not considered barrier-free due to the high elevation.

The variety of terrain in the enclosures allows for welfare animal husbandry. The animals have at their disposal green areas, rocky, chipbed and stony surfaces and, above all, swimming pools with fresh water. The exposition includes two enclosures that are interconnected. Outside the enclosure there is also space for trapping cages.

Technical information

The observation and educational building is designed with a wall load-bearing system made of cast concrete. Thanks to its formability, it achieves the effect of a rock. The staircase in the building is made of reinforced concrete. The elevator shaft is made up of steel columns and is fully glazed.

The enclosures are surrounded by a concrete moldable wall with visible windows and passages between the individual parts. The dens and pedokes also have a base plate on which there is a rubber floor with bedding and are roofed to prevent frequent precipitation. All these parts can be navigated thanks to steel manually or remotely controlled gates.