TZ
— On the schedule —
The Bear Leap – How Polar Bear Care Has Transformed at Zoo Brno
Since the beginning of last year, thanks to the OpenSSL Corporation's support, polar bear care at Zoo Brno has transformed beyond recognition — one enclosure has become two, and one animal is now five. And that's not all! Curious how complete strangers among polar bears get to know each other? How keepers communicate with them to safely carry out check-ups? How to turn their enclosure into a dynamic environment full of things to discover? And how (not) to pull a molar from a bear? Join us to explore the world of polar bears, their new habitat, and the everyday work of their keepers — as well as how the zoo helps support wild populations.
— Compositor's note —
Since completing her veterinary studies, Tereza has been deeply engaged with animal welfare and applied zoopharmacognosy — a pioneering approach to veterinary medicine grounded in the scientifically documented phenomenon of zoopharmacognosy, the ability of animals to self-medicate using substances freely available in their environment. Applied zoopharmacognosy involves offering the animal a wide range of natural substances and closely observing its preferences and associated behaviour. The result can be both a greater sense of autonomy for the animal, which is able to help itself, and very early, non-invasive diagnosis of certain hard-to-identify health issues. Tereza is currently also deeply involved in implementing an enrichment plan for polar bears, enabling them to express their natural behaviour even within the confined space of a zoo, as well as in health training for the animals, which allows even some more complex veterinary procedures to take place without anaesthesia — and even with the animals' full cooperation.