Ondatra zibethicus memorial in Dobříš

The Ondatra zibethicus memorial in Dobříš stands on the bank of Huťský Pond, inside the park surrounding the local chateau, and commemorates an event with an outsized impact on European wildlife: the first release of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) into the wild anywhere on the continent.

How did the muskrat get to Dobříš?

In 1905, Count Josef Jeroným Colloredo-Mannsfeld, owner of the Dobříš estate, released several pairs of muskrats imported from North America onto the shore of Huťský Pond. The count had encountered the species during his travels across North America and saw a double opportunity in it: the animal could enliven the chateau park while also providing a source of valuable fur and meat. What began as a practical, almost casual decision would go on to have consequences reaching far beyond the borders of a single estate.

Why did this event earn a monument?

The muskrat, native to the rivers and lakes of North America, found no natural predators or effective barriers to reproduction in its new environment. The population released at Dobříš spread over the following decades across the whole of the Czech lands and then into neighboring Central European countries. Today the muskrat is a permanent presence in aquatic and riparian ecosystems across much of the continent, known for the distinctive mound-shaped burrows it builds into the banks of ponds, rivers, and canals. Dobříš is regarded as the starting point of this European expansion — which is why a modest sculpture of the animal was placed here to mark the occasion.

What can visitors see on site?

The memorial takes the form of a small sculpture of a muskrat, set directly on the bank of Huťský Pond amid the greenery of the Dobříš chateau park. It is a modest, low-key object rather than a monumental landmark in the classical sense — more of a commemorative plaque paired with an animal figure, easy to miss unless one is specifically looking for it. The park in which it stands is part of the wider Dobříš chateau grounds and a popular destination for walks, so most visitors come across the sculpture while exploring the broader palace-and-park complex rather than seeking it out on its own.

Who is this place for?

The muskrat memorial makes for an unusual stop for anyone interested in the natural history of the region, as well as for fans of quirky, local curiosities. For an ordinary visitor to the Dobříš chateau and its park, it can be a pleasant surprise — a small reminder of how a single decision made more than a century ago went on to shape the flora and fauna of an entire continent. It is worth pairing a visit to the memorial with a walk around Huťský Pond, which opens onto views of the park and surrounding greenery.

Frequently asked questions

What does the memorial in Dobříš commemorate? It commemorates the release of the muskrat into the wild in 1905 by Count Josef Jeroným Colloredo-Mannsfeld — the first such event in Europe.

Where exactly is the memorial located? On the bank of Huťský Pond, within the park by the Dobříš chateau.

Why did the count bring muskrats from America? He wanted to enliven the chateau park and gain access to the animal's valuable fur and meat, having encountered the species during his expeditions to North America.

Did the muskrat spread beyond the Czech Republic? Yes — the population that originated at Dobříš gradually spread across Central Europe, and the muskrat became a permanently established species in the region.