Paignton Zoo Paignton Zoo News 2017

West Caucasian Turs - there was 'something different' about the Turs today. I usually check on them and their Barbary Sheep companion and there have been 3 mothers and 3 kids since June 2016. Today I noticed for the first time that one of kids is male and one female. I couldn't see another kid despite all 7 animals being in view. Then I saw that one of the adults was a male and one of the females looked more rotund than the usual residents. So my conclusion, unconfirmed by a keeper and possibly quite wrong, is that one mother and one kid have left and been replaced by an adult male and a female who might be pregnant.
 
Gigit said:
I visited today and felt that the zoo isn't looking at its best. There were 4 vehicles parked on the Avenue with a mini-digger excavating a trench towards the rhinos. The mangabey viewing area attached to the Monkey Heights staff building is closed for refurbishment.

The Ape House is still closed with only 2 of the 6 orangs outside. The gorillas were outside, with Pertinax in the cage underneath the house - obviously they have their own special problems at the moment.

The King Colobus show den is still awaiting refurbishment - looks as though it's been abandoned after some initial work was done. The meerkats are inside the Nocturnal House while refurbishment of their enclosure is allegedly being carried out.

Two of the parrot aviaries have had work done but still remain unfinished; two others are just empty.

There's no shortage of 'guest services' staff but maybe a few more more keepers and maintenance workers would come in handy.
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UNFORTUNATELY, I agree with everything you've said!
 
I visited today today as well and loved it. My previous visit 2 years ago was great, but I was disappointed with how few photos i got of the Orang, Tigers and Lions. Today, I more than made up for it. Yeah, I heard a few people voice their disappointment at the Ape Centre being closed, but for me, just seeing one mother and daughter Orang out for the majority of the day was brilliant.
 
TriUK said:
UNFORTUNATELY, I agree with everything you've said!
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Hmmmm, what is going on? Added to Gigits list of 'outstanding' maintenance/empty enclosures are the old Tenrec/Anoa housing that adjoins the Macaques, the empty Malay Owl aviary, the empty crayfish tank, the empty Pudu enclosure and the Python exhibit in croc swamp that lies empty? It is not looking good!
 
littleRedPanda said:
I visited today today as well and loved it. My previous visit 2 years ago was great, but I was disappointed with how few photos i got of the Orang, Tigers and Lions. Today, I more than made up for it. Yeah, I heard a few people voice their disappointment at the Ape Centre being closed, but for me, just seeing one mother and daughter Orang out for the majority of the day was brilliant.
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Yes, there is still lots to enjoy but I feel hard done by when I can only see 2 orangs. They've got the two islands but I haven't seen an orang on the small one for a long time. They must be tearing their hair out being cooped up in their off-show dens in this lovely weather (well, I would be!) Perhaps the £2million proposed for the new Savannah could be better spent on what they've already got.
 
I share these frustrations, as I posted several weeks ago. I am sure there are good reasons for many of the delays, but it would be so easy to reduce frustration by more active management. People understand when they see work being done: but neglected areas look bad.
Visitors should be given a little more explanation - put signs in the empty aviaries saying where the former occupants have gone and about plans for the future. The sign in the old tenrec house saying that it would be refurbished for the lorises was actually removed. If an enclosure is empty and nothing will happen until next year, say so and give a short explanation. This sort of thing costs very little, but it gives visitors the idea that the zoo is continually trying to improve and encourages them to return to see the progress that has been made. It also gives staff a little more incentive to get things done.
 
gentle lemur said:
I share these frustrations, as I posted several weeks ago. I am sure there are good reasons for many of the delays, but it would be so easy to reduce frustration by more active management. People understand when they see work being done: but neglected areas look bad.
Visitors should be given a little more explanation - put signs in the empty aviaries saying where the former occupants have gone and about plans for the future. The sign in the old tenrec house saying that it would be refurbished for the lorises was actually removed. If an enclosure is empty and nothing will happen until next year, say so and give a short explanation. This sort of thing costs very little, but it gives visitors the idea that the zoo is continually trying to improve and encourages them to return to see the progress that has been made. It also gives staff a little more incentive to get things done.
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Totally agree GL.
 
Yes, a wee bit of information at the various locations and by PR and management inside the park would not hurt anybody.

Are we still good for autumn start of renovation / remodelling for the revised African Savannah?
And what about these empy enclosures (anoa et al) in the way of the new development? Plan???
 
Has anyone seen the kiwi?
Is it only viewed on CCTV?
What is it's enclosure like?
 
kiang said:
Has anyone seen the kiwi?
Is it only viewed on CCTV?
What is it's enclosure like?
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CCTV only so far, I believe. It is in the end aviary in block next to the Avian Breeding Centre and facing the tigers. It is a moderately sized aviary, with some planting. It also holds red-fronted kakarikis, which are chewing up the plants. There is a pop-hole into the shelter at ground level for the kiwi, which is shut during the day (probably to keep the kakarikis out rather than the kiwi in). There is also a high level one for the kakarikis which is open. Before the kiwi arrived, the floor of the aviary was searched with metal detectors so that any old nails, staples and bits of wire could be removed to make sure that the kiwi could probe the earth safely.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Yes, a wee bit of information at the various locations and by PR and management inside the park would not hurt anybody.

Are we still good for autumn start of renovation / remodelling for the revised African Savannah?
And what about these empy enclosures (anoa et al) in the way of the new development? Plan???
Click to expand...

Today the lemurs were locked in due to tree surgery above the wobbly bridge, the 3 Diana monkeys were mixed, the Ape house was still closed, two of the 3 young Cuban crocs have been moved out of R Tropics and a new top layer of red dirt has been added to the desert house floor (which looks great!).
 
Seems
Gigit said:
Oh dear :(

Diana monkey called Toby scales enclosure and runs amok in Paignton Zoo

The photo of Toby and the females that I recently uploaded was taken shortly after some visitors had 'accidentally' dropped an ice cream into the Diana's enclosure.
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Seems like my comment over your photo of them was a little premature then...a pity they ever removed the original breeding male- all this trouble integrating them, and the intervening several years of non-breeding would have been avoided. Sometimes may be its better not to break up a successful pairing, genetics or not.
 
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Gigit said:
West Caucasian Turs - So my conclusion, unconfirmed by a keeper and possibly quite wrong, is that one mother and one kid have left and been replaced by an adult male and a female who might be pregnant.
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After another look today, I think I might have jumped to the wrong conclusion. The 'adult male' was feeding from the 'possibly pregnant female' - with some difficulty what with his size and large horns :eek: My new conclusion is that nothing has changed, apart from the male kid who has had a huge growth spurt along with a rush of testosterone, maybe. He is so obviously male and the sex of the 3 kids hasn't been apparent before. The more rotund mother may have just been eating more.

The Ape House is open again with its new flooring akin to the soft material they put under playgrounds. It replaces the old wooden boards surrounded by bark chippings which led to buggies being parked in the middle of the pathway and causing an obstruction. Much better.
 
Gigit said:
The Ape House is open again with its new flooring akin to the soft material they put under playgrounds. It replaces the old wooden boards surrounded by bark chippings which led to buggies being parked in the middle of the pathway and causing an obstruction. Much better.
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Do the Apes have the same flooring. Is it comfortable on their feet?
 
Pertinax said:
Do the Apes have the same flooring. Is it comfortable on their feet?
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There's a photo of the public area in the gallery now. It hadn't occurred to me that the ape flooring might have been replaced so I didn't really look. If it is the same then I would think it is comfortable.
 
Pertinax said:
Seems


Seems like my comment over your photo of them was a little premature then...a pity they ever removed the original breeding male- all this trouble integrating them, and the intervening several years of non-breeding would have been avoided. Sometimes may be its better not to break up a successful pairing, genetics or not.
Click to expand...

Diana Monkeys: I was pleased to see today that they are persevering with the integration after last week's hiccup.
 
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