If we ask our relatives or friends to name animals with many negative characteristics, what do they say? Which animals don't they like and why? Their answers will be spider, hyena, shark, wolf, etc. Of course, there are also many people for whom these are favourites, there are always exceptions.

A regular example of how zoological and botanical gardens provide information to the public and create passive learning experiences is the installation of information panels and signs which can raise the interest of the visiting public of all ages. This type of education is often referred to as informal learning at the zoo. Compared with some formal learning techniques – especially with talks with keepers – it is not as efficient as those, but it is worth trying to improve them as well. Hereinafter I am going to provide a brief overview about the information system and unusual graphic design used at Děčín Zoo.

This article is the continuation of Nomen est omen I. that I promised at the end of that article. If you haven't read the first part yet, you can find it here: First part.

This article will be about less funny, but more interesting names such as Colon rectum or Oedipus complex. I found much more interesting scientific names while I was browsing for this second article than when I was searching for the first time. I collected my favourites here, but readers will also have the opportunity to discover additional gems for themselves. It is a wonderful free time activity and a very useful one. To help, I put a few links at the end of this article.

Do our names say anything about us? When I introduce myself and you hear my name, do you get some information about me (e.g. about my job, etc...)? I don’t think so. But what about names in the animal kingdom?

Biologists use the binomial nomenclature since Carl von Linné wrote his amazing work, Species Plantarum, in 1753. This format makes the identification of species easier during our daily work. Some Latin names are not very interesting while some say something about their owners (Ciconia nigra or Macropus giganteus). However, I found some names that show two important things: scientist have a sense of humour and a really colourful fantasy! (Okay, maybe not every one of them...) Thus, I’m going to list some funny or interesting scientific names from the field of zoology.

There is a rightly popular charity event that has grown up and come of age before our very eyes while conquering half the world and becoming an integral part of the world of zoos. A cavalcade of a particular feeling, a lot of merriment and heartfelt and selfless moments: this is Dreamnight (at the Zoo)!