Dvůr Králové Zoo, Safari zoo in Dvůr Králové nad Labem, Czech Republic.

Safari Park Dvůr Králové covers 72 hectares in Dvůr Králové nad Labem, Czech Republic, with a 30-hectare drive-through safari and walking sections. The photograph shows broad lawns crossed by winding pale paths, a long parking lot at the left edge, and low buildings including one with a bright red hipped roof around a circular enclosure and a long white flat-roofed block.

The zoo opened on 9 May 1946 on 4.6 hectares of a former flower garden, stocked with local animals such as foxes, badgers and owls. Director Josef Vágner, appointed in July 1965, pushed its focus onto African fauna from 1966 and led expeditions that brought some 2,000 animals, mainly ungulates, to Dvůr Králové.

The park runs breeding programs that focus especially on rhinos and giraffes, working with conservation organizations in Africa. Visitors often see keepers working with the animals, offering a window into the daily routine of a modern zoo.

The zoo sits about two hours north of Prague and is easiest to reach by car or regional bus. A visit usually takes several hours, especially if you join the safari tour, which you can sign up for at the entrance.

The park has transported rhinos by plane directly to Africa on several occasions to strengthen wild populations. These translocations are among the most complex animal transports in the world and are supported by international conservation bodies.