Děčín Zoo, Zoo in Děčín, Czech Republic.

Děčín Zoo, officially Zoologická zahrada Děčín – Pastýřská stěna, occupies 6 hectares on the summit of the sandstone Pastýřská stěna rock, 150 m above the Elbe and surrounded by a city forest park. It is run by the city of Děčín and keeps about 500 animals of 163 species, including a Kamchatka brown bear and a South American tapir.

Děčín Zoo was founded in 1948 by Ludvík Grác, a Podmokly merchant and zoological specialist, and opened to visitors in 1949, when Czechoslovakia had only four other zoos. Grác served as the first director until 1966. The site was surveyed at about 8 hectares but initially used only 2, later growing to today's 6 hectares.

The zoo's separate Rajské ostrovy exhibit, about 700 m away at Teplická 19, opened in 2006 on the site of the former night zoo Sulawesi. Its four sections show the fauna of Réunion's coral reef, Fiji's mangrove coast, Sulawesi's rainforest and Haiti's semi-desert; a Zooklub on the fourth floor hosts talks and school programmes.

The zoo is open every day, but closing times change with the season, so it is worth checking before you visit. The grounds are set on a slope, so comfortable shoes and enough time to walk between sections are helpful.

The zoo takes part in breeding programs for several species that are now rarely found in the wild. There is also a dedicated area where children can handle domestic animals under supervision and learn about daily animal care.