Zoo Bítov

One of the most important zoo in the Czech lands of first half 20 century. Baron Georg Haas moved to the Bítov castle in 1912, already in that time with a plentiful menagerie (dogs, horses, ponies, cats, guinea pigs, squirrels, owl, lioness etc.). Baron Haas had around 100 various dogs, in time of cubs even also 200. At that time dogs were included into the zoo, and many people claimed that the Zoo of Baron Haas it is the biggest zoo on the continent. Up to the present day, 50 stuffed dogs is the largest such collection in the world. In addition to the above mentioned were in the zoo ferrets, raccoons, martens, foxes, coatis, monkeys, various deer, llamas, camels, four-horned sheep (Jacob sheep ?), eagle-owls and other owls, raptors (eagles, vultures, sparrow-hawks, goshawks, buzzards...), pheasants, parrots, song birds (ravens, jays, magpies...), aquariums, terrariums. Shortly also anteater (!!!) was there. Zoo was free and open to the public without any charge. In 1945 the Bítov castle was nationalized and Baron Haas (despite his anti-fascist mentality of Masaryk) summoned for the expulsion. Baron refused the expulsion and from own choise departed this life. Thus finished also the zoo.