Sokoliarský areál a mini zoo Štiavnické Bane (ZŠ s MŠ Maximiliána Hella Štiavnické Bane) Falconry area and Nature park Aves of Štiavnické Bane Primary school with Kindergarten named after Maximilián Hell • Štiavnické Bane (Štiavnické Bane Primary school with Kindergarten named by Maximilián Hell) Falconry area and mini zoo

The Falconry area and the Nature Park Aves (also Naturae Park Aves) or the mini zoo is a very unique (not only) zoological facility at the Primary School and Kindergarten of Maximilián Hell in Štiavnické Baní, which was created in sort of way due to a lack of pupils - to make the school more attractive. The falconry club was in the school already sometime after 2002, but since 2009, the whole professional falconry area and later horse stables, exotic birds aviaries, tropical hall, terrariums, aquariums etc. have started to grow up. The Falconry began to be taught in frame of teaching (and later also riding and horse breeding), what makes the school the only primary school in the world where the falconry is compulsory (and graded) subject.

The school soon received great interest from pupils from the surrounding villages, including the nearby district town of Bánská Štiavnica (this was also helped by their own bus, which transported pupils from and to the neighborhood daily) and also interest from public. It has become a frequent destination for excursions to other school facilities and visitors, not only from Slovakia but also from abroad. Thanks to this great interest, the zoological and botanical area of the school are constantly developing. Aviaries of exotic birds (mainly parrots), several terrariums, various gardens and lakes, tropical hall with one large freshwater aquarium (sturgeons, belugas) and two large tropical aquariums (Malawi and Tanganyika) etc. were added to the original aviaries of birds of prey and owls.

In co-operation with Košice Zoo, Liberec Zoo and Moscow Zoo, the school participates in the rescue projects of the saker falcon, Steller's sea eagle, Bald eagle and cotton-top tamarin. In addition that, it has own breeding projects of steppe eagles, Harris's hawks, Eurasian eagle-owls and barn owls.

Tamarins, horses, ponies, chinchillas, raptors, owls, parrots, caimans, iguanas, turtles, sturgeons, belugas (sturgeons)...