In a significant triumph for wildlife conservation, twin Sumatran tiger cubs, one of the rarest tiger subspecies (and the rarest animals) in the world, have been born at the Nyíregyháza Zoo in Hungary. These healthy male cubs are the result of a decade-long European breeding collaboration aimed at saving this critically endangered species.
According to the zoo’s director, László Gajdos, the quest to find the ideal tiger pair began in 2015. After several setbacks, including miscarriages and stillbirths, success came with a match between Gio, a 13-year-old male, and Sabah, a 4-year-old female. Sabah gave birth to the cubs in December 2024. On January 7th, the four-week-old cubs underwent their first veterinary check-up. The team weighed the cubs at 5 kg and 4.6 kg, administered their initial vaccines, and gave them deworming treatments, the Nyíregyháza Zoo reports. Each cub was also equipped with a unique identifier.
Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) are the smallest and southernmost of the six living tiger subspecies. They are native to the lowlands and mountainous forests of Sumatra, Indonesia. The solitary predators primarily hunt medium-sized herbivores. Their numbers have dwindled due to habitat destruction and poaching, pushing the species to the brink of extinction. In the 1970s, the wild population was estimated at 1,000, but today only 400–500 remain in the wild. Another 280 live in zoos worldwide, including four at Nyíregyháza Zoo.
The newborns are now part of the zoo’s Victoria House (Viktória Ház) exhibit, which showcases endangered animals. Visitors can catch their first glimpse of the cubs starting this weekend. This rare birth is a testament to the dedication of conservationists and the importance of international cooperation in saving critically endangered species.
This autumn and winter, Zoo Debrecen will introduce a unique event to embrace the longer nights. In collaboration with the Polish Garden of Lights, the country’s first rural zoo and botanical garden, along with its only classic amusement park, will bring the magical world of Pinocchio to life through an extraordinary multimedia exhibition and light show.
Garden of Lights at Zoo Debrecen
Debrecen will be the first city outside the capital to host this mesmerizing display, starting on October 18, promising a memorable evening program for families across 17.5 hectares, captivating audiences of all ages. The enchanting journey will take visitors through the most iconic locations and moments from Pinocchio, where they will meet beloved characters such as Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket, the Blue Fairy, and more.
Photo: Zoo Debrecen
Photo: Zoo Debrecen
The immersive experience will be brought to life with 200,000 energy-efficient LED bulbs, 12,000 meters of light garlands, over 120 illuminated trees, 100 installation elements, eight photo points, and multimedia stations, as well as light tunnels, an interactive playground, and state-of-the-art light and sound technology.
Photo: Zoo Debrecen
Zoo Debrecen, located in the heart of the protected Great Forest, emphasizes sustainability and environmental responsibility in the exhibition. In parallel with the Garden of Lights opening, Zoo Debrecen is proud to announce that thanks to its latest renewable energy investment, a state-of-the-art solar power plant will now supply one-quarter of the zoo’s annual electricity needs. The inauguration of the solar plant, attended by Mayor László Papp, ensures that the entire six-month exhibition will be powered by renewable energy. This development is part of the zoo’s ongoing efforts to reduce its ecological footprint through tangible steps.
Photo: Zoo Debrecen
Photo: Zoo Debrecen
As a year-round attraction with expanding services, Zoo Debrecen continues to offer seasonal delights even beyond Halloween. For the first time this year, not only will the Baroque carousel remain operational during the winter holidays (December 21, 2024 – January 5, 2025), but several amusement rides will also be awakened from their winter slumber. During the Pinocchio light exhibition, visitors can immerse themselves in a true winter wonderland with unlimited ride access, enhanced culinary options, and special programs.
The Garden of Lights will be open from October 18 to March 2, 2025, offering unforgettable experiences for all. Tickets are available online in advance and on-site. Group tickets, corporate events, and photo packages will also be available.
There is a charming little zoo in Budapest with mostly birds and ungulates in a hidden part of Margaret Island. The so-called Mini Zoo of Margaret Island was opened in the 1950s, evoking the medieval state of the place: a hunting ground with rich fauna in the Middle Ages. However, the animals living there had to be evacuated due to the rising Danube water level.
The Margaret Island mini zoo is a common sight for joggers running the Margaret Island track since it is close to one of its segments. The zoo was home to deer, rabbits, storks, and waterfowl before the river began to rise. Now, it is empty since the island is one of the weakest points with the neighbourhood of Batthyány Square on the Buda side. But both have been fortified successfully, PM Orbán said during a morning briefing. Even so, the furry and feathery residents of the zoo had to abandon their homes yesterday.
Sandbags in front of the mini zoo. Photo: FB/Budapest Zoo
According to zoobudapest.hu, 110 animals were placed in safety on Wednesday, just like in 2006 and 2013. Only the deer had to be put into slumber to relocate them.
Photo: FB/Budapest Zoo
If it had not been for the sandbag protection the zoo would have been underwater in 2013. Here is a short video of the evacuation then:
Budapest Zoo does not know when the animals can return
Although the peaking of the Danube will be significantly lower this time, the zoo decided to relocate all the animals for their safety. The 110 mammals and birds received a temporary shelter in the Budapest Zoo, near the Heroes’ Square and the City Park. The action was carried out in only 3 hours by 20 people. Professionals do not know when the animals can return to Margaret Island. A lot depends on how quickly the water level decreases. Based on experts, that is going to take a week.
Photo: FB/Budapest Zoo
Budapest Zoo wrote that 14 floods were above 800 cm since the start of professional measurements in the 18th century. The highest Danube level was measured in 2013 at 891 cm. The currently anticipated peaking (851 cm) is slightly above the 2002 level (848 cm).
PM Orbán inspects defence operations in Kisoroszi in Danube Bend
PM Viktor Orbán inspected the flood defence operation at Kisoroszi in the Danube Bend, in northern Hungary, on Thursday morning, accompanied by Eszter Vitályos, the government spokeswoman and MP for the region, Orbán’s press chief said. Orbán crossed the river to reach the enclosed village by boat and spoke with local residents participating in defence, Bertalan Havasi told MTI.
There are 1,032 people in Kisoroszi which is threatened by the flood, but all of them are safe thanks to effective and successful defence operations, the prime minister said.
Orban and Vitalyos then travelled on to Pócsmegyer, a village on the Szentendre Island, and inspected flood protection. Orbán was briefed by water management officials in charge of local defence operations, said Havasi.
PM Orbán in Kisoroszi. Photo: MTI
Read also:
Budapest metro station to close, flood situation is ‘serious’ – PHOTOS and details HERE
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In 2024, The Night of Zoos will take place on 30 August. This is the time of the year when animals will be the main attraction for one evening, with guided tours, animal shows, feeding sessions, concerts, and various other activities happening in zoos and wildlife parks across the country.
The Night of Zoos is an annual tradition held every year on the last Friday of summer. This year, it falls on 30 August, when zoos and wildlife parks nationwide will offer special evening experiences, unique programs, and attractions.
Hungary is home to nearly 50 zoos, wildlife parks, bird parks, animal sanctuaries, and aquariums. Here are a few of them that will be participating in the end-of-August events.
Budapest Zoo
Opened in 1866, Budapest Zoo is one of the oldest operating zoos in Europe. It features classic buildings such as the Main Gate, Owl Castle, Magic Mountain, and the Elephant House, which is covered in Zsolnay tiles. Additionally, the Palm House and the surrounding botanical gardens make it a fascinating place to explore. Notably, the zoo’s hippos bathe in the thermal water from the Szent István spring, which also supplies some of the pools at the nearby Széchenyi Spa.
Source: zoobudapest.com
The program at the park this August includes a seal show, elephant training, shark diving, and spectacular feeding sessions for Persian leopards and lions. There will also be quizzes, various wildlife discovery activities, planetarium screenings for families, an arthropod show, educational presentations, and performances by fire jugglers, mirror animals, and musicians. For more information, visit the zoo’s website here.
Debrecen Zoo
Debrecen’s Nagyerdei Cultural Park, which houses both a zoo and a botanical garden, is also home to Hungary’s only permanent amusement park. Open in 1958, this zoo was the first of its kind to be established outside of Budapest and has since become an integral part of the city and the surrounding forest.
Photo: FB / Zoo Debrecen
Over the years, it has expanded from a small 17-hectare area to accommodate around 900 specimens from 170 species across five continents. For the 13th time, the park will host its biggest evening event of the season, the Night of Zoos, where guests can enjoy a unique summer evening program that showcases the natural and cultural diversity of Central and South America. For more information, click here.
Budakeszi Wildlife Park
Photo: FB / Budakeszi Vadaspark
The Budakeszi Wildlife Park features animals native to the Carpathian Basin. Visitors can explore the forest school, petting zoo, farmyard, event centre, and adventure park. In late summer and early autumn, guided tours offer the chance to hear deer bellowing at night. This August, the night-time program will provide a glimpse into the world of the night forest, the lives of the animals after dark, and a range of other fascinating activities. For more details, click here.
Veresegyház Bear Sanctuary
Photo: FB / Veresegyházi Medveotthon
At the 5.5-hectare Bear Sanctuary in Veresegyháza, visitors can see bears, wolves, reindeer, and many other species. One of the park’s main attractions is the opportunity to feed bears honey through the fence using giant wooden spoons.
On 30 August, the sanctuary will offer a variety of activities, feedings, and unique attractions for visitors, including introductions to bears, lions, snout bears, and raccoons, as well as astronomy-related activities. For more details, see the program’s website here.
Tropicarium and Oceanarium Budapest
Photo: www.facebook.com/tropicarium
Located in Campona, a mall in Budapest’s 22nd district, the Tropicarium houses hundreds of species of tropical, marine, freshwater, and domestic animals across its eight rooms. Optional activities include feeding monitor lizards or petting stingrays. The experience is enhanced by tropical rain that falls every 15 minutes, creating a perfect illusion of being in the tropics. On 30 August, starting at 6:00 PM, there will be presentations and feeding sessions for zebra sharks, moray eels, stingrays, and caimans, among others. Visitors will also have the opportunity to pet snakes as part of the programme, which you can check out here.
Read also:
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The new attraction in the Northeast Hungarian city of Nyíregyháza opened yesterday and offers the atmosphere of the Arctic Circle interactively. The extension cost HUF 14 billion (EUR 36.1 million).
Nyírgyháza Zoo became a cooler place
According to turizmus.com, Nyíregyháza Zoo opened this special exhibition with unique technical solutions even at a European level. A new, specially designed, glass-covered building was erected with a catwalk for animals, extending more than 2 hectares. The complex will host rare Arctic Circle animals, including a polar bear, the world’s largest predator.
Photo: Nyíregyháza Zoo/FB
Photo: MTI
Furthermore, you can also visit the Ice Age Interactive Animal Show with realistic mammoths. The polar bear has a cooled and 4-meter-deep pool.
Photo: MTI
Penguins, eagles and wolves
Nyíregyháza Zoo now hosts three penguin species. But be careful entering their room! The temperature there is barely above 0 °C. Nyíregyháza is the first place in Hungary where you can check out the magnificent king penguins. Additionally, there are two more penguin species in Nyíregyháza: the emperor penguin and the Humboldt penguin.
In the outer space, you may check out the Arctic animals of Alaska and Siberia. You can meet there with a bald eagle and a Steller’s sea eagle, the largest of its kind. There are Arctic wolves and South American sea lions, and you can also try out the so-called climate chamber with temperatures around the freezing point.
Photo: MTI
Check out the animals in the Ice World on a boat!
Brave visitors can try out the flume ride, an artificial stream in a gorge, passable by a small, trunk-like boat. People can watch the animals in the Ice World while sitting on one of the trunks and moving ahead with the help of the stream.
Moreover, you may check out an Indian camp where you can get a glimpse of how Canadian natives lived. You may also check out an igloo and sink into the depths of the Arctic Sea with the help of a VR submarine.
The Ice World in Nyíregyháza was the largest rural zoo investment realised with the financial help of the Hungarian government’s “modern cities programme”.
Photo: Nyíregyháza Zoo/FB
Read also:
Rare North Chinese Leopard Presented at Zoo Debrecen – PHOTOS and details in THISarticle
Budapest Zoo ranked among Europe’s best! – Programme Guide in THISarticle
Many would agree that the list of travel destinations in Hungary is virtually endless. Hungary has much to offer; its natural beauty, enchanting historical towns, baths and more. Here we have gathered 5+1 exciting travel destinations that you should not miss out on when visiting the country.
Castle of Eger
As Lelépő writes, the Castle of Eger is one of the most alluring travel destinations in Hungary, offering a unique window into history. Its origins trace back to the 13th century. However, its most important moment came during the heroic defence against the Ottoman Empire in 1552. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the defenders, led by Captain István Dobó, successfully repelled the Ottoman army, which was a significant morale boost for Hungary and Europe at the time. Today, the Castle of Eger serves as a museum, offering visitors a glimpse into its storied past and also the life of Hungarian writer Géza Gárdonyi. In addition, the view is truly breathtaking from the castle.
Gyula Castle Spa
Hungary is famous for its thermal baths, which have been an integral part of Hungarian culture for centuries. Gyula Castle Spa is located in the heart of Gyula and offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to enjoy a spa bath in a historic setting. Set amidst the walls of a medieval castle, the modern spa complex provides a haven for rejuvenating both body and soul. Furthermore, with its array of slides, the spa ensures a fun-filled experience for the little ones as well.
Nyíregyháza Zoo
The Nyíregyháza Zoo stands as one of the best zoos in the country, captivating visitors with its close-to-nature encounters and diverse animal species. The park offers a wide range of exciting programmes and interactive exhibits, while providing the animals with a comfortable habitat. Embark on the exciting adventure in the 30-hectare oak forest, which is home to 5,000 animals!
Source: Facebook / Nyíregyházi Állatpark
Bath of Zalakaros
Are you looking for a good time while browsing through travel destinations in Hungary? The Bath of Zalakaros is a real oasis, where every member of the family can feel at home. Thanks to continuous enhancements, the more than 50-year-old facility offers a beach and indoor swimming pool, an indoor and outdoor adventure pool, a slide park, an indoor and outdoor children’s world, 20 kinds of water attractions, a renewed spa centre and a wide range of wellness services. Additionally, the bath hosts occasional night bathing parties, adding to its allure.
Photo: Facebook, Zalakarosi Fürdő
Festetics Palace
The magnificent baroque-style Festetics Palace in Keszthely once served as the ancestral seat of one of Hungary’s most prominent noble families. From the mid-18th century, the esteemed Festetics family resided here for over two centuries. Today, the Helikon Castle Museum, housed within the palace’s confines, showcases six permanent exhibitions spread across five buildings. From aristocratic living quarters to carriage displays, hunting exhibits and even a model railway exhibition, there’s a wealth of history to explore. Be sure not to miss the magnificent Palm House and the verdant castle park. The Festetics Palace stands as one of the must-see travel destinations in Hungary for history enthusiasts.
Facebook/ Helikon Kastélymúzeum
Thermal Lake of Hévíz
While a dip in Lake Balaton during winter might not be the wisest choice, you can bask in the thermal waters of Lake Hévíz year-round. Dubbed the largest biologically active natural thermal lake in Europe, Lake Hévíz serves as both a natural spa and a unique tourist attraction. Renowned for its legendary healing powers, a visit here guarantees to rejuvenate both body and soul. It’s time to include this exceptional experience in your roster of travel destinations in Hungary.
Hungary’s first zoo outside the capital has some great and long-awaited news to share with the birth of a North Chinese leopard cub on November 21, 2023, as the first offspring born to Coolio and Jilin since they were introduced to each other in autumn 2022.
The little one has been thriving in the past couple months with increasing visibility and was found out to be a female during her first ever veterinary examination earlier today. Soon to be named with the help of the public on Zoo Debrecen’s Facebook page, the cub weighing 3100 grams can now be spotted in the afternoons as she gets more and more familiar with the winter environment.
Zoo Debrecen has been a safe haven for North Chinese leopards for two decades, with its late breeding pair, Szépfiú (“Pretty Boy”) and Tschunja, having contributed to the growth of the European zoo population four times. Keepers have some wild stories to tell about leopards like how a female dog ended up becoming a wet nurse to the cub born in 2009. Another fun fact is that Coolio was actually fathered by the very first Debrecen-born North Chinese leopard in Ree Park Safari, Denmark, whose granddaughter now marks a continuation of this genetically valuable bloodline.
Read also:
Budapest Zoo ranked among Europe’s best! – Programme Guide HERE
BBC: Lost Hungarian vizsla foundin England with jaw-dropping new method
North Chinese leopards (Panthera pardus japonensis) are one of the northernmost leopard subspecies, with a considerably larger size and denser fur than their tropical cousins. They primarily feed on larger prey such as wild boar and deer, but occasionally on birds and rodents as well. Except for their breeding season in winter and maternal care for the young, they are solitary and highly territorial. Although they have the largest distribution out of all big cat species spanning from most of Africa to South and East Asia, leopards now face extinction due to habitat fragmentation and poaching, hence their overall Vulnerable status in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Certain subspecies are at an even greater risk, with North Chinese leopards having dwindled down to an estimate of little over 300 individuals in the wild while zoos around the globe are home to a total conservation population of now 55 in an attempt to help save them.
The Zoo Night, organised by the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, is making a comeback with a colourful array of events and activities in the Hungarian capital.
Budapest Zoo Night
The Night of Zoos , powered by the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, will take place on 25 August in the Hungarian capital.
The spectacular programme of the Budapest Zoo consists of seal shows, elephant rides, shark dives and Persian leopard sightings. There will also be a botanical show, a snake petting zoo, a horse-drawn sack race and a quiz game to bring the animal kingdom closer to the visitors.
The Magic Mountain will feature an arthropod show with educational presentations and planetarium projections. In the open-air area, you can discover the secrets of the sky with the help of professional stargazers.
Fire jugglers and various musical performances will entertain the audience at Main Gate Square.
Families with children should not miss the Schaftner Carousel and the Vurstli, where face and glitter painting as well as various animal craft workshops will be available. Keeping up with the latest trends, the zoo will also set up selfie and telescope booths.
The zoo will be illuminated by light shows throughout the night at several locations, according to zoobudapest.com. Moreover, the Zoo Foundation will be offering a discounted adoption service on this day, zoobudapest.com writes.
How about the prices?
The children’s ticket is valid for children between 2 and 14 years and costs HUF 4,500 (EUR 11.73). Adult tickets are available for HUF 60,00 (EUR 15.64). Tickets can be also purchased online, but day passes and season tickets are not valid for evening programmes.
During the event, the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden can accommodate a maximum of 6,000 people at a time.
The festivities start in the early evening at 7pm.
The Nyíregyháza Zoo, in the northeast of Hungary, has attracted around 550,000 visitors this year, director László Gajdos told MTI.
Close to 200,000 of those visitors were foreigners, Gajdos said. Most arrived from neighbouring Slovakia and Romania, but a number also arrived from countries in Western Europe, he added.
The zoo gave Ukrainian refugees and children free admittance during the year.
Gajdos said the election of the zoo’s zoological deputy director, Endre Papp, as president of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), is an acknowledgment of the Nyíregyháza Zoo’s professional standing.
He noted that the Nyíregyháza Zoo adopted two animals removed from zoos in Ukraine because of the war: a lioness and a marmoset.
The Budapest Zoo once used to be one of the first of its kind. 1866 marks the year when our Zoo first opened its gate. Back then it was quite different from the state it is in today, as most of the unique buildings were not built until the 1910s. After several years of being closed, on 20 May 1912, this famous Budapest sight reopened again.
source: zoobudapest.com
The initial years
The Budapest City Park, located in District XIV, had always been a beloved place for the residents of the capital. According to PestBuda, it was only logical, that when in the 1850s the founding fathers were looking for a location where the Budapest Zoo could be built, they opted for the Budapest City Park. It took many years of planning, and of course, the 1848-49 revolution delayed the process, but the Budapest Zoo finally opened in 1866.
The Elephant House with its own minaret, source: zoobudapest.com
The rebirth of the Budapest Zoo
After the Millenium, the 1000th year jubilee of Hungary, the Budapest Zoo experienced many hard years. It was a miracle that it did not close down permanently. Eventually, the capital brought the Zoo from a private organisation and they decided to do a revamp. Thanks to the modernisation processes, iconic buildings such as the minaret of the elephant house, the main gate and the giraffe house had been built. Interestingly enough, all the buildings follow a particular pattern:
Together they resemble the classic structure of a Hungarian town.
There is the church, the town square and other iconic architectural designs that truly make the Budapest Zoo a town inside a city. There is even a “castle ruin”, which is solely a decoration element, and the architect duo designed the bins too. The two main architects behind this impressive architectural layout design are Károly Kós and Dezső Zrumecky who both made a name for themselves with this project.
Old Map of the Zoo, source: zoobudapest.com
The Budapest Zoo has survived two world wars and its popularity remains intact across Europe. Tourists and Hungarians alike frequently pay visits to enjoy the exotic and modern Budapest Zoo. It has a very strategic location, close to such important sights as the Hero’s Square, various museums, the City Park and the Andrássy Avenue.
Read more about the story of the Budapest Zoo HERE.
Budapest Zoo has been ranked 15th on the Sheridan list of top zoos in Europe and occupies the top spot in Hungary.
The unofficial Sheridan list ranks zoos based on visitor experience, the parks’ level of services, and the professional work carried out in the zoos.
Budapest Zoo scored 207 points, putting it in 15th place on the list of Europe’s top 126 zoos.
As such, it beat the zoos in Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo, and several other major European menageries.
The ranking is compiled by British zoo expert Anthony Sheridan, who turned to reviewing Europe’s top zoos in 2007, after a successful business career in the electronics industry.
The Budapest Zoo ranked 17th out of 110 zoos on the last Sheridan list released in 2018. The institution has improved its ranking by two places in recent years, while the total number of zoos included in the evaluation has also increased.
Budapest Zoo
Budapest Zoo enables visitors to discover the wildlife of seven continents in the Hungarian capital. The wide range of animal curiosities – more than 8,000 unique animals – live in the fascinating historic zoo on a territory of 11 hectares.
Photo: www.facebook.com/allatkert/Photo: Budapest ZooPhoto: www.facebook.com/allatkert/
Among others, you can get an insight into the Australian or Madagascar wildlife, discover the America Tropicana and the Savannah Zone or get immersed in the World of Waters. The bravest ones should not miss the house of giant reptiles or the bat tent either, after which they can finish their tour in the relaxing atmosphere of the Butterfly and Botanical Gardens of Budapest Zoo.
Photo: facebook.com/allatkert
In the wintertime, the zoo is open from Monday to Sunday from 6 am to 4 pm. Tickets – adult tickets cost HUF 3,300 (€ 10), children’s tickets cost HUF 2,200 (€ 6) – can be bought online or on site.
Programme guide
This weekend, Budapest Zoo awaits its visitors with a special bear carnival.
Photo: zoobudapest.com
At the event, you can see brown bears and polar bears being fed, as well as sea lions being trained. Find more details about the programme HERE.
The entrance for children under 14 years of age in a costume or with a teddy bear is HUF 200 per person. Tickets can be purchased from 29th January at the ticket offices or online.
A Hungarian man killed a swan in Croatia by jumping off a yacht to entertain fellow passengers. Swans are protected species in Croatia.
Croatian news site ŠibenikIN reported on the case. About twenty people witnessed the death of the swan. The tragic event took place in Skradin, at 5 pm on Sunday. The man jumped on the swan from 6-7 meters high, and the animal was fatally injured. One of the witnesses called the police.
According to a witness, the man jumped right on the swan as if it was a joke. Children on the yacht were laughing, and a friend took footage of the event with a phone. The swan was fighting for its life for a few minutes after the incident, but unable to rise its head, the animal eventually died.
Some people on the yacht said that the swan is still alive, and it left. Other people, however, say that transporting a corpse with a boat can be seen on footage currently possessed by the police. Šime Pavić, a police spokesperson, told the Croatian news site that the prosecution is over.
A report was received at the Šibenik-Knin Police Station on August 8 at around 6 pm, and when officers went out to the field, they found out that a Hungarian citizen had jumped off an anchored boat and jumped on a swan. In the evening, a dead swan was found, and further investigations took place.
It was revealed that there was no intentional jump on the animal. No elements of a crime were identified, and the case is now officially deemed an accident.
Damages caused to protected animals by illegal activities result in fines. For damaging a swan (Cygnus olor), the perpetrator is fined a sum of 3600 kunas, while damaging a yellow-billed swan (Cygnus cygnus) results in a 9600 kuna penalty.
Although the incident shed a terrible light on the Hungarian tourist in the Croatian media, Hungary is a country where strict law and legislation is in place against cruelty to animals. It is forbidden to cause unjustified or avoidable pain, suffering or injury to an animal or damaging the animal in any way. The general public seriously judges cruelty against animals in Hungary, and the punishments match the crime.
In 2018 a child visited a Zoo and held a meerkat in his hands but threw the animal away when it bit him. The meerkat that was pregnant at the dime died in the incident. The event caused public uproar in Hungary, and the public severely criticised the child. The responsibility of the Zoo was also a hot topic at the time.
In 2019, Index wrote an article about a woman who killed a turtle at the Zoo with a stone. It can be seen in the footage that the woman took out the turtle from the runway and killed the animal after she noticed droppings on her hand. The turtle’s shield broke, and its organs were painfully damaged. The animal could not be saved – wrote Index. Breaking a turtle’s shield is very likely to lead to the animal’s death, as the shield has the same function as the spine and ribs for humans. Hermann’s tortoise, the species killed by the woman, is protected by EU Habitats Directive and four other international agreements, according to the European Environment Agency’s website. “ By destroying or damaging individuals of such animal species, a crime of natural damage may be committed, which is punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment.” – wrote vasarnap.hu.
In 2020 Telex reported that a man was spending some time at a lake, and his son was feeding ducks when swans came for some food as well. The man, who consumed alcohol that day and got frustrated over the idea of not being able to bathe in the lake because of the birds, went to the animals and broke a swan’s neck. The prosecutor’s office asked the court to sentence the man to imprisonment for torturing the animal.
The Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden has joined the European Commission’s Together for biodiversity international coalition set up with the goal of raising awareness of nature protection, the zoo said on Friday.
The coalition already has some 300 members including nature parks, research institutes, universities, museums, zoos, aqua parks and botanical gardens in 51 countries, it said in a statement. “Adolf Lendl, the director of the Budapest Zoo hundred years ago, already set presenting biodiversity to the public as a goal,” the statement said.
Among Hungary’s zoos, the Budapest City Park facility
shows the most types of animal species and groups and has a rich botanical garden.
With its diversity it is outstanding in international comparison, the zoo said.
Beside the Budapest Zoo, the other five Hungarian facilities that have joined the EC biodiversity coalition include the Botanical Garden of Debrecen University, the Ecological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Hungarian Natural Science Museum, the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the National Botanical Garden.
The international coalition will hold a major conference in China in October with the goal to take key decisions on saving the world’s wildlife.
One of our readers drew our attention to the flaws in the Immunity certificate system. What would be the right solution? Is a PCR test a valid substitute? We asked different institutions about their policies.
The commenter left us the following feedback:
Last week we visited Hungary for business reasons. We booked two Hotels for three days and additional two days at another location. We provided Corona antibody test documents, translated to Hungarian by a government certified translator. We entered Hungary without any trouble. We received a call from the second Hotel that the booking has to be cancelled if we do not provide a plastic COVID immunity certificate card. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get one. Therefore, we left Hungary earlier than scheduled and could not meet some of our business partners. Additionally, the visit to a Museum was refused because we did not have the certificate card. It seems Hungary is not interested in businesses.
– they wrote in their comment.
You can pass the border currently with two negative PCR tests taken within three days or an immunity certificate from a few specific countries. But what about the different services? The legally appropriate universal protocol would be the following: The Hungarian immunity card is obviously accepted everywhere and based on a unity, these following countries’ certificates are acceptable: Serbia, Bahrain, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
But what does the implementation look like in practice? We were able to reach the following institutions by phone, and this was our experience.
To our question, whether only a Hungarian plastic card or a foreign immunity card is accepted, we received the answer that yes, only Hungarian card are accepted. Still, the minors they accompany may also enter. They definitely went for security.
In the Széchenyi Bath, Czech, Turkish, Slovenian, Northern Macedonian and Bahraini passes are also accepted in addition to Hungarian. In this case, a couple of countries were missing, but the trend is at least good. We didn’t ask for a specific country, and it sounded like they were reciting the countries by heart, so we have to give them that.
Here, passes from Bahrain, Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia are accepted. Again, some countries have been left out, but now different ones – which is why we assume that incomplete information is not the cause of the problem. The situation is simply chaotic and not of priority.
When asked, we were told that they had not yet received such a question. The gentleman went over to his colleague to ask what the current status was but eventually said they would accept it if the person asking for the room were on a business trip. What exactly does this mean? Good question.
Here, too, the reaction was that they had not yet received this question. The discussion was audible over the phone, and the answer was yes… What sort of countries are accepted, however, was not clear.
The assumption thus proved to be true. The situation is chaotic. It has become clear that the lack of an Immunity certificate paralyses you in the current state of thing, so without it, there is not much to do right now, not even in possession of two negative PCR tests.
It is possible that the correct information is not available easily or is simply not a priority for the institutions. One thing is for sure: a preliminary phone call will not hurt.
Budapest’s cultural venues are reopening gradually, with museums, most spas and open-air theatres slated to reopen to patrons with immunity certificates in the coming month, a deputy mayor of the city told an online press conference on Thursday.
Erzsébet Gy. Németh noted that six of the spas, the Budapest Zoo and the city’s libraries have opened over the past week. Cinemas are also open, under strict social distancing regulations, she said.
All venues will require adult patrons to present immunity certificates, and minors will have to be accompanied by an adult with one, she noted.
Museums and galleries will open gradually, with the open-air Acquincum Museum starting next weekend, and open-air theatres in early June, she said.
Gy. Németh called on patrons to wear masks at indoor events. “We know that adults protected against the coronavirus can still transmit the disease, and also that the third wave is a risk for our children too,” she said. She called on the public to observe all pandemic regulations, “as the third wave has just started to recede.”
The body operating Budapest’s National Gallery (MNG) and the Museum of Fine Arts told MTI in a separate statement that the museums will reopen on May 13 and May 12, respectively. MNG will open with a show of some 100 pre-Raphaelite works from the London Tate Museum’s collection, the museum said. The show will run until August 22. The Museum of Fine Arts’ first temporary exhibition will open on June 13, showing drawings by masters from Leonardo to Miro.
Spa fans flocked to Budapest’s world-famous thermal baths on Saturday as Hungary relaxed lockdown restrictions for people with government-issued vaccination cards.
A queue formed in front of the Széchenyi Baths, one of the largest thermal complexes in Europe, and there were cheers when the doors of the Neo-Renaissance building finally opened to those with vaccination cards.
“You know … some people go to church, others to the pub, while we come here regularly, this has been our way of life,”
said Endre Huszár.
Hungary is reopening more of its service economy as its vaccination program exceeds 40%. Among the businesses allowed to reopen after almost six months of lockdown to those with proof of vaccination are hotels, spas, indoor restaurants, theatres, cinemas, gyms, sports venues, swimming pools and museums.
MTI
Budapest Zoo has also reopened with a new attraction to greet visitors — a baby elephant born a week ago.
Széchenyi Baths customers were able to enter after a temperature check and are obliged to wear masks except inside the pools, steam rooms and saunas.
MTI
“It was really bad, you know, we almost had withdrawal symptoms, we were really depressed … sitting in front of the TV all the time and not moving,” said Marika Horváth, sitting in one of the pools.
MTI
The hot springs along the Danube River in Budapest date back to Roman times. In the 16th century, they developed into a spa culture during the Turkish occupation.
Hungary has recorded over 27,700 deaths linked to coronavirus which is the highest cumulative per capita toll in the world, according to worldometers.info.
MTI
However, the third wave of infections is slowly receding and this, coupled with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s massive vaccination drive, has allowed a gradual reopening of the economy.
Orbán, who faces his first tight election race in 2022 since assuming power over a decade ago, has leveraged the rapid vaccine rollout to try to shore up his support base and reopen the economy as fast as possible.
In line with Government Decree no. 194/2021. (IV. 26.), the institution home to Hungary’s first zoo outside the capital and one and only amusement park reopened today.
Under government regulations, the following conditions for visit shall apply until further notice:
entry shall only be granted to visitors with a valid immunity certificate and minors they accompany;
wearing a face mask is not mandatory but is recommended by the institution, especially when indoors;
amusement park attractions and all Animals in Action programs will be available, including pony rides and Catta Walk as usual;
regular hours shall apply, with the Zoo open every day from 9:00 to 18:00 and the Amusement Park open from 10:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and 18:00 on weekends and bank holidays;
Zoo and Amusement Park Passes purchased online during the closure are valid for one year from the date of reopening, and Annual Passes valid during the closure have been extended by the duration of the lockdown.
Press Release
In order to ensure a quicker and more convenient entry by avoiding queuing, getting your tickets online is highly recommended. For buying your tickets on-site,
contactless payment methods are preferred but cash is still accepted.
Press Release
Restrooms, amusement park rides and other high-traffic facilities shall be cleaned and sanitized with increased regularity. For enhanced general hygiene, hand sanitizer stations have been installed throughout the premises, both indoors and outdoors. Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park is ever so grateful for all the patience and support from visitors and donors and looks forward to a full and unrestricted reopening.
Further information and tickets at: www.zoodebrecen.hu.
According to the most recent “census” of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, it is home to 881 animal species and 10,528 individual animals. With this, the zoo in the heart of Budapest’s City Park is not only the most populated zoo in Hungary, but the diversity of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden is also outstanding on an international level.
According to Infostart and the zoo’s detailed summary, the institution houses: 1,368 individual mammals of 133 species, there are 1,262 individual birds of 151 species, 950 individual reptiles of 130 species, 131 individual amphibians of just 30 species, and there are 6,070 individual fish of 218 species.
There are 213 different species of invertebrates, of which 98 species have individual records that constitute 666 individual animals. As for the other 115 invertebrate species, which are mainly insects kept in large numbers, there is no point in having an individual record, so these animals are included in the collection of animals only by species.
The Pet Zoo on Margaret Island is also part of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, so the number of animals kept there is also counted towards its full animal collection. Although there are 25 species of animals at the Pet Zoo on Margaret Island and a total of 127 individual animals, 19 species of these can also be found in the main site of the zoo in the heart of the City Park.
Not only is it one of the oldest zoos in the world, but compared to other zoos, the collection of species in the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden is outstanding: of all the zoos in Hungary, this zoo has the most species, and only a few institutions in Europe house more animal species. The park also houses Hungary’s first shark school.
Green crested Basilisk at Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
Rhinoceros iguana at Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
Williams’ dwarf gecko at Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
Royal plecostomus at Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
Freshwater Angelfish at Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
Budapest Zoo
Photo: Péter Licskay
In Hungary, some species can only be seen in the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden. These, for example, include the Giant otter, the Common wombat, and the Short-beaked echidna.
Not only is the number of species presented outstanding, but the diversity of animals is also high, as the animal species in the zoo represent many different groups of animals. Representing and portraying the biodiversity and the general dissemination of knowledge is important for strengthening the environmentally conscious approach, the statement reads.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCviX2CKO98/
They also point out that the specialists at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden also deal with many rare and endangered species for which, in addition to showing them to the world, breeding for conservation purposes is also of great importance. They write that
the zoo has managed significant breeding results in 2020 for Giant anteaters, Sumatran orangutans, Dholes, Giant otters, South American tapirs, East African crowned cranes, and Waldrapp ibises.
