In 2022, Czech law regarding bear keeping was changed. The Decree No. 213/2022 Coll. states that an enclosure of a minimum of 300 m2 needs to be provided for one to two bears. Every additional bear gets an additional minimum of 150 m2. The decree further states that the bear owners and keepers need to comply with the new conditions by June 30, 2032.
As of 2025, there are altogether five bears housed at two Czech castle moats. The moat at Český Krumlov castle is inhabited by three brown bears. Marie Terezie is a 33-year-old female living in a fully concrete and separated enclosure of approximately 250 m2. Two 7-year-old bears, a male Vilém, and a female Polyxena, live in a neighbouring enclosure of 620 m2.
Marie Terezie was brought to Český Krumlov from Austria. As small cubs, Vilém and Polyxena were confiscated from Russian animal smugglers at Prague Airport and later brought to Krumlov. Because Marie Terezie does not get along with the two younger bears, her enclosure is completely separated from the other, larger enclosure of Vilém and Polyxena. Therefore, the enclosure of Marie Terezie is currently not fulfilling the conditions set by the above-mentioned decree, yet before the 2032 deadline keeping the bear under such conditions is legal in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, all three bears show signs of stereotypies, such as pacing in circles by Marie Terezie and Polyxena, and pacing and head-swaying by Vilém.
In the Točník Castle moat there are two 11-year-old brown bears at the moment, a male Martin and a female Agáta. A famous Czech filmmaker Václav Chaloupek donated them to the castle in late 2013. The area of the enclosure is about 1,170 m2 and contains trees and other structures, which are fenced by electricity so the bears are not able to climb them. The fencing is both electrical and steel, yet we witnessed that visitors are allowed to feed the bears directly over the bars and electrical fencing with no response from the personnel and warning signs missing.
