Falconry, breeding, ornithology, animal rescue and education.
Penthea is an officially incorporated non-profit organization based in Prague, Czech Republic. The family-run institution has been around for more than two decades providing shelter for handicapped animals, lecturing on topics of falconry, ornithology and ecology, training birds of prey born in captivity for survival in nature, taking action in reintroduction of the most endangered owl species, and more. More about us →
130
Animals daily
cared for
by specialists
132
Barn owls bred
and released
to nature
50
Years of experience
with training of birds
of prey and owls
Bird Sanctuary
Situated on the outskirts of Prague, our rescue center for small to medium-sized free-living animals is home to some 130 creatures, the majority of which is composed of owls, hawks, eagles and falcons. We also look after a bunch of small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and three dogs. Once receiving an injured animal, we always strive to cure it and release back it to the wild. Sadly, despite all our efforts, some of the creatures remain permanently disabled. All those we keep and provide with a loving home.
Falconry and Ornithology
Dating as far back as 4000 BC, falconry is an ancient tradition. And we enjoy keeping it alive. Modern falconry is all about the relationship between man and bird of prey, about the invisible bond making the trained falcon, hawk or eagle fly down from the sky and on to the falcones’s fist. With several decades of experience with all kinds of raptors, we rank among the best Czech falconers. And we pursue our passion both in private and public, presenting it to our visitors at the sanctuary as well as taking part in various public events.
Education and Ecology
Who will save the planet if not our children? Environmental education is important, yet often neglected. That is why we visit kindergartens and grammar schools, where we share our stories based on our work–rescuing animals, honoring nature and its laws, training birds of prey while treating them with respect, and more. When talking to older children, we like to include the bigger picture and talk about climate change, how it reflects in our hometowns and what can we all do to make a change.
Breeding and Preservation
Throughout the endeavours of our breeding activities, we are trying to restore the decimated populations of the most endangered species. For the past years, we have been focusing on the reintroduction of barn owls. According to ornithologists’ reports there are only about 150 pairs of barn owls left in the Czech wild. Since 2009 we have raised, trained for survival and released more than 70 pups of this charming, but unfortunately gravely endangered species. And we keep on going.
