Gigit
Well-Known Member
Precisely my reaction
Paignton Zoo Paignton News 2020
- Thread starter Brum
- Start date
I went yesterday, the place looked awful & if I had paid I would have asked for a refund. The zoo should stay shut this whole week with all staff, (office, directors, retail, catering & maintenance) ‘hands on deck’, getting stuck in to finish jobs, clear wood, help the keepers and then publish their plan & new shared vision of what they are going to do post TB crisis. Yesterday, the flamingo lagoon was empty, the railway track was up, the spider monkey house was being refurbed, the kangaroo paddock was out of bounds, the mandrills were closed off & the maned wolf enclosure had ‘gone’ - there was very little actually to see outside of the excellent reptile, invert/bug houses & some bird areas.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
But presumably the horrible smell from the compost being spread everywhere had faded?
It would be good if they could publicise exciting developments in the pipeline rather than just the Lego animals, and births of offshow animals - worthy as they are, they're not going to attract visitors.
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Please remember that TB has not gone away... Most farms which have had it, have a recurring, (if not regular) problem. Routine testing is done for many diseases in all licensed zoos, and a TB positive would take them back to square one...
The Maned Wolves will be going back on show. The extensive tree felling is for the new anti-badger fencing. (They must be off-show behind the cheetah then?).
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Those badgers have a lot to answer for. I thought I heard a maned wolf today but wasn't sure.
Badgers once again and unjustly so made easy scapegoats for a major British cattle industry issue!
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Lets hope the awful smell of 'compost' being spread, wasn't actually cattle manure then...
Perhaps Badger droppings would be a better fertilizer.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Great excitement - there's an armadillo (Southern three-banded? Photo to follow) in with the Goeldi's monkeys in Monkey Heights. And a sign on the Mishmi takin enclosure says they have moved home to the quarry. We ran there only to find the gates locked 
Can't wait to see that exhibit again.
Can't wait to see that exhibit again.
Great excitement - there's an armadillo (Southern three-banded? Photo to follow) in with the Goeldi's monkeys in Monkey Heights. And a sign on the Mishmi takin enclosure says they have moved home to the quarry. We ran there only to find the gates locked
Just give them a little time to settle in, they've not been there long
Great excitement - there's an armadillo (Southern three-banded? Photo to follow) in with the Goeldi's monkeys in Monkey Heights. And a sign on the Mishmi takin enclosure says they have moved home to the quarry. We ran there only to find the gates locked
Just give them a little time to settle in, they've not been there long
Is the Quarry where the Barbary Sheep used to be?
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Yes, and the Tur.
Fantastic news. Thanks for the update.Great excitement - there's an armadillo (Southern three-banded? Photo to follow) in with the Goeldi's monkeys in Monkey Heights. And a sign on the Mishmi takin enclosure says they have moved home to the quarry. We ran there only to find the gates locked
Paignton's Facebook page has announced that Reptile Tropics will be closed for at least 10 days for repairs to the roof caused by Storm Ciara. All the animals are safe, but they have been removed temporarily. The Desert House is OK and can be entered through the corridor leading to the entrance to Reptile Tropics.
I hope that Storm Dennis does not cause further problems this weekend.
I hope that Storm Dennis does not cause further problems this weekend.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Don't rush to the zoo to see the Takin in their new home. The sign directing visitors to the quarry has disappeared and the gates were still locked this morning, so presumably it's going to be a while before they're on show there.
The restaurant is full of new tables and chairs, including hard 'shabby-chic' metal chairs, picnic tables with attached benches (which can be difficult for some to negotiate) and, along the windows, 'comfy' chairs and settees such as you find in coffee shops where you are encouraged to linger. I'm trying not to be pessimistic about the zoo, but I can't be the only one who can see how the latter are going to end up with children eating and bouncing all over them? And for a restaurant that's heaving in the summer, they take up far more room than chairs and tables.
I do wonder about the zoo's priorities.
The restaurant is full of new tables and chairs, including hard 'shabby-chic' metal chairs, picnic tables with attached benches (which can be difficult for some to negotiate) and, along the windows, 'comfy' chairs and settees such as you find in coffee shops where you are encouraged to linger. I'm trying not to be pessimistic about the zoo, but I can't be the only one who can see how the latter are going to end up with children eating and bouncing all over them? And for a restaurant that's heaving in the summer, they take up far more room than chairs and tables.
I do wonder about the zoo's priorities.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
I believe there are maned wolves behind the cheetahs - mother, father and son (born 2017). The two females also born in 2017 have moved on.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
According to Facebook, the new Goeldi's pairing of Rio and Eva is going well and 'keepers are hopeful for breeding success in the future.'