The beginnings of the Zoological Garden in Liberec are firmly linked with the activities of the Ornithological Association (Ornithologische Verein). As early as 1895 the Association founded a small permanent zoo in the Perštýn district of Liberec. They kept mostly poultry, pigeons, rabbits, but also foreign and local wild birds. On 6 August 1904, the Association asked the city council for land to establish a zoological garden and two days later received a positive answer from the administration of the city of Liberec (then Reichenberg). The garden was opened to the public in September of the same year. The one aviary for birds, a deer enclosure and ponds for birds soon developed into a small zoological garden on the more distant land in the valley of the Jizera Stream. Various birds, deer, sheep and small creatures were soon joined by other animals. Even before the First World War birds of prey, snakes, lizards, fish, a porcupine, monkeys and a wild buffalo were kept in the garden beside small animals from all over the world. In addition to wolves, foxes, wild dogs and other smaller beasts, visitors could also see bears and a cougar. In 1908, the zoo also built its first larger winter quarters and a year later even a monkey pavilion, cages for beasts, four aquariums and three terrariums. In 1913 the zoo kept 110 indigenous and foreign birds and more than 130 animals from all over the world. The number of visitors was increasing rapidly and there were also visitors from abroad. The record year was 1913, when 70,000 people came to the te zoo. In 1919, which for many years was thought to be the year of the foundation, nothing significant happened. The reason that led everyone to mistakenly date the zoo`s foundation was the dating given by its long-time director Erich Sluwa. When he became director in 1929, he started publishing brochures in which he gave the date of the zoo`s foundation as 1919 and claimed to be its founder.
Today the Liberec Zoo covers an area of just under 14 hectares. More than 160 species of animals and over 840 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians can be observed on the tour of the zoo, which is approximately 2 km long. The collection of birds of prey is unique. Among the most attractive and most visited is the white tiger enclosure. The zoo is actively participating in research and conservation projects. More than half of the species kept here are involved in the European Conservation Programmes (EEP, ESB), which help to save and maintain viable populations of endangered species through coordinated breeding in human care in zoos. The zoo is helping to repatriate the bearded vulture in the Alps, and supports the conservation of endangered animals and biodiversity, especially in Indonesia, the Philippines and Central Africa. It also runs The Ark Rescue Station.
