Closed Czech zoos in the period between the world wars: Key forerunners, pioneers and companions of today’s zoos

Abstract

Defunct institutions are commonly not included in research as the existing ones; yet they often played an important role in their time. This is also true of the defunct zoos on the territory of todays Czechia in the interwar period, which were the forerunners, pioneers and "contemporaries" of other zoos.

Many of them were supported by enthusiasts and associations, especially aquarium associations. Some of the interwar zoos existed for only a few years and usually did not survive financial problems or the war, but even so, the Czech territory experienced in that time the first wave of zoo founding.

Keywords

• zoo
• aquarium
• vivarium
• common-interest associations
• aquarium clubs
• municipal institutions
• interwar period