eak subsidiary ZAK creates space for new investments - and builds a brown bear reserve

Bad Kötzting/ Janské Lázně,  Czech Republic. Big money for one of the largest land-dwelling animals on earth: In autumn 2024, the construction of a wildlife enclosure for brown bears will begin in the Czech Krkonoše Mountains. The project will make the Krkonoše treetop walk even more attractive for visitors and at the same time contribute significantly to nature education and conservation. This expansion is preceded by a financial reorganisation that creates space for new investments throughout Eastern Europe. Bernd Bayerköhler, CEO and Spokesman of the Board of Erlebnis Akademie AG (eak), explains the details and background to a project that has great appeal, and not just because of its size.

As he says, the project was enabled by the commitment of colleagues on site. The Czech subsidiary of eak, Zazitkova Akademie s.r.o. (ZAK), succeeded in refinancing the existing loans to fund the Krkonoše site in the Czech Republic and the Rogla site in Slovenia. "The existing loans were repaid. The new loans were expanded and extended to ten years, which creates scope for new investments in Eastern Europe." The first project is the more than half-hectare bear enclosure directly below the Krkonoše treetop walk. Total investment: around 800,000 euros.

Ecological education takes centre stage

Renowned partners in environmental protection were involved since the very start of planning, says Jan Hřebačka, Head of Project Development at ZAK. "We were looking for an attraction that would give the treetop walk, which was built in 2017, a new impetus, but at the same time for a topic linked to nature conservation. In the end, we opted for the impressive brown bears that used to live in Krkonoše Mountains. We knew that such a project could not be realised without a professional background. That's why we asked the most important nature conservation and wildlife management organisations to cooperate right from the start: The Krkonoše National Park and the Dvůr Králové Safari Park."

On the one hand, this cooperation ensures the best care, veterinary treatment and professional training for all employees. On the other hand, the representatives of the Krkonoše National Park, the safari park and ZAK have committed themselves to the main task of the project by signing a "Memorandum of Cooperation": Nature conservation, ecological education and the rescue of endangered animal populations as part of the so-called EEP (European Endangered Species Programme). EEP is a population management and conservation programme of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) for wild animals living in European zoos.

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eak subsidiary ZAK creates space for new investments - and builds a brown bear reserve