ZOOFanatika 2026
 13th year of Slavic meeting of zoo-materials collectors and zoo-fans

again very special after one year - agin
IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINIAN ZOOS

WHAT WILL MAKE ZF 2025 SO SPECIAL?
Due to the great response to ZooFanaticka 2025 and the subsequent support of several EAZA member zoos, their donations in the form of items to the auction and the wish that it be dedicated to Ukrainian zoos again, we finally decided to move already agreed ZooFanatica (at Zoo Ústí nad Labem) to a larger hall in Hluboká and focus the ZooFnatika again on Ukrainian zoos.

So also ZooFanatika 2026 will be entirely focused on supporting Ukrainian zoos, which are still in a desperate situation. The proceeds from the auction will again go to the Ukrainian Zoo Association (it will be ceremoniously handed over to the president of the AZU on Sunday). And, just like last year, several directors of Ukrainian zoos will personally attend this ZF.
 

WHEN AND WHERE
from 20th to 22th April 2026 in Zoo Hluboká (www.zoohluboka.cz).
 

ARRIVAL BY CAR
There is a municipal parking lot near the zoo with a daily rate of 100 CZK (you can't park anywhere else - it's forbidden everywhere and it's being checked). On Friday, this parking lot will be the only option. On Saturday and Sunday, we will have at disposal a parking spaces reserved for zoo employees - at the service entrance along the road (about 200 m behind the official parking lot). However, special cards are needed for this, which you will receive on Friday - do not park here without these parking cards. The number of spaces is limited, so try to agree with your roommates at the hotel on a carpool so that there are as few of our cars as possible at the zoo.
 

ARRIVAL BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
If you have not your own car, it is best to agree with some of the other participants who will come by car (from Prague for example) - it can be done for example through Facebook of ZOOfanatika.
Train / bus: The travel is possible via České Budějovice, however the zoo is quite far from the train station (it is better to arrange with someone who will pick you up at the station). The connection can be found on Idosu or in the ČD timetables.
 

ENTRY TO THE ZOO AND REGISTRATION
The entrance to the zoo will be through the service entrance (by the administrative building, where is the lecture hall), then you can also through the ticket office with the ZF tag. Registration will be directly at the hall.
 

PRICE
The fee per person is 174 zł or € 41,30 and includes one joint dinner, a toast, basic refreshments during the entire program (coffee, tea, bottled water, cookies, bars, chips, etc.), a cup, overhead and other costs (identification tags, printing, etc.) and also table rental (from the rental shop). Last year's participants will receive a postcard with a joint photo.

The table for changing materials is paid extra - full table 16 zł or € 3,80. Another option is only half table for 9 zł or € 2,10. (In fact, the division will be probably different - it will be probably 2.2 m long tables, so it will actually be half or a quarter of a table - depending on the situation and the number of interested parties).
Payment: by bank transfer - Czechs in crowns, Poles in zlotys to a Polish (Irek's) account, Slovaks in Euros (to a German account) - information about bank connections is in the application.
Cash payment on site is possible only by previous arrangement and only in special and rare cases (only in crowns).
Payment must be transferred (i.e. in the account - not date of sent) no later than 13th March 2026!!!
 

REGISTERING
You can register and order all else (i.e. meals and table for swapping) by one PDF form. Only to fill out and send it to the e-mail (contact in the form) suffices. Save filled out application form under your name in the shape family_firstname.pdf (details in the application form). One application is required for each participant.
Dead line for the registering is on Thursday 12 March 2026!!!

Download the PDF application form if you didn't get it by e-mail (right click on the link and save as...).
Note: if you can not to open the PDF file, it is probably because the maker canceled some extensions for Acrobat Reader (i.e. the free version), but it can be filled out via an internet browser... Open the pdf application form in an internet browser - right-click and select "open in program", then select your browser (all of them should work). If your browser is in the list of programs, find item "choose another application" in the bottom. Don't forget to save the completed pdf file on your computer after filling it out.
 

ACCOMMODATION
everyone has to arrange their own accommodation - there are many accommodation options in Hluboká, but most of them are more expensive.
 

MEALS
all catering will take place in the lecture hall at the zoo (bring cutlery and a spoon with you).
Joint dinner and toast on Friday: included in the price (in the ZOOFanatika fee), including a toast, which will be directed by us - alcoholic and non-alcoholic sparkling wine (until all bottles are consumed).
Breakfast: most of the participants will probably have breakfast at the hotel, for the others breakfast will be under our direction in the lecture hall - depending on what we buy in the store (probably pastries, smoked meat products, maybe cooked sausages, cheese, fruit, yogurt, etc. + coffee / tea). Price: 13 zł or € 3,10.
Lunches and dinners: all lunches (including soup) and dinners will be delivered by CZ-ARF company (from nearby Hosín) directly to the lecture hall, so there will be no possibility to re-order or cancel the meal (think carefully and choose in time - see menu). The catering company normally doesn't work on weekends - it will only work for us, so it won't be even possible for example to order Saturday food on Friday... Price: 30 zł or € 7,10 for lunch (including soup) or dinner (incl. delivery and box). The restaurant at the zoo should be closed (due to renovation), so this will be the only eating option in the area (shops or other restaurants are not so near).

How to order food: by applying to ZOOfanatika (it will not work on the spot even in exceptional cases!!!)
Other snacks: cookies, bars, chips, etc. will be available non-stop for free, as well as coffee, tea and soft drinks. Everyone receives a cup for non-alcoholic drink during registration (one for all 3 days).
 

SCHEDULE
the program will be interesting again, none of the traditional points are missing - there are 8 lectures, a collector's exchange, auction, guided tour of the zoo (including background), a lecture and discussion with an important figure in zoology (Ivan Kubát - long-time zoologist at Hluboká Zoo and Prague Zoo). Special guests will be the directors of Ukrainian zoos. See complete schedule.
Start: Friday 20th March 2026 - arrival and registration between 9.³⁰ and 10.³⁰ (program since 10.³⁰)
End: Sunday 22th March 2026 - departure around 13.²⁰.

NOTE:
Please try to direct Friday arrivals really between 9:30 and 10:30 (neither earlier nor later) and also limit later arrivals (Saturday, etc.) as much as possible.
 

COLLECTOR'S SWAPPING:
will take place in the lecture hall. Anyone can go and see or buy, but selling or swapping can only those who have paid for a table or half a table. To unload and load materials, it is possible to drive into the zoo beside the lecture zoo by service entrance (and than park beside the zoo).

For less complications, it is advisable to make an appointment with someone to to transport materials together in one car.
 

AUCTION
The proceeds of the auction will be used to help Ukrainian zoos. (It will be ceremonially handed over to the president of UAZA on Sunday).
The auction will be held in Czech crowns, but it will also be possible to pay in Euros (the conversion will be displayed on the screen).
In the auction, there were traditionally items donated by the participants themselves, the organizing zoo, but also items donated by several EAZA zoos and, of course, items from Ukrainian zoos.
 

SPECIAL OPTION
For Sunday, a special possibility is arranged for those interested - organized visit of the ZOO Na Hrádečku (about an hour by car).

MAPS:

Map of the Zoo:

click on the map to open a larger version in a new window