Best UK Pygmy Hippopotamus enclosure

Best UK Pygmy Hippopotamus enclosure

  • Total voters
    26
  • Poll closed .
B

britishzoofan

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Pygmy Hippo's in the UK. I have added a few photos from the gallery to make it easier for members to compare the different exhibits. If anyone wants to make an argument for a particular enclosure, please feel free to do so. Also, I would encourage people to perhaps list the enclosures in order of what they determine to be the best.

Bristol

full

full


Colchester

full


Whipsnade

full

full


London

full

full


Marwell

full

full


Edinburgh

full

full
 
ajmcwhipsnade said:
Sorry to be a pain but technically the photo for the indoor hippo enclosure at London zoo is of when they used to spend the winter in the old elephant house. They have an indoor area with there current enclosure
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Thanks, please point out any errors you spot as it will help members make the most informed design possible. I will try to find a photo of the new indoors now.
 
Andrew Swales said:
Is this series going to work its way through all of the spp kept in the UK?
It is already swamping the UK page - could it be separated please?
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Yes, that might be a good idea.
Perhaps create a UK sub forum. I haven't yet planned how many species to do. However, if the idea remains popular I plan to continue for as long as possible.
 
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Andrew Swales said:
Is this series going to work its way through all of the spp kept in the UK?
It is already swamping the UK page - could it be separated please?
Click to expand...

I've had similar thoughts - to be honest the only reason I haven't pushed the matter already is that it's been generating actual discussions, which threads like this often do not. But it is getting a tad out of hand now....

Will flag the matter up for discussion.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
I've had similar thoughts - to be honest the only reason I haven't pushed the matter already is that it's been generating actual discussions, which threads like this often do not. But it is getting a tad out of hand now....

Will flag the matter up for discussion.
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Yes, as I've said I believe it would be a good idea to move it to a UK sub forum so that real UK zoo news is not hidden. The one positive of having it in the main forum is the level of participation with 25+ votes on many polls and some good discussion. Although I would still encourage people to discuss more of the reasoning behind their anwsers. Hopefully if it is moved people will still be aware of the polls and the number of participants will remain high in order to get a better representative sample of options on the best UK enclosures for different species.
 
I don’t really understand the concept of a forum being swamped. I have to scroll through all kinds of things that don’t interest me and I manage. Surely it isn’t that difficult to see what you want to read and what you don’t?

Personally I find these threads interesting as - clearly - do others although I don’t have much to contribute.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
I've had similar thoughts - to be honest the only reason I haven't pushed the matter already is that it's been generating actual discussions, which threads like this often do not. But it is getting a tad out of hand now....
Click to expand...

Indeed, it's getting to the point where there's very little to differentiate e.g. best safari park enclosures -they're nearly always a field and a shed (which we rarely even see to any extent).

I'm counting down the hours till best UK deer enclosure. :D
 
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Shirokuma said:
I don’t really understand the concept of a forum being swamped.
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No? - I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult...! Some people use this site as a way of finding out what is going on. There are thousands of spp kept in the UK! - do we have to endure them all?
The last repeated 'swamping' subject, on the much more interesting and substantial (to me at least) subject of closed UK collections, WAS moved from the UK thread into its own.
 
I will leave it up to the moderators as to whether they want to move the threads or not as I do appreciate they are not to everyones tastes. I would just like to ensure if that is the case that it is clearly signposted so members who do enjoy the polls can continue to find them and contribute.

Shorts said:
Indeed, it's getting to the point where there's very little to differentiate e.g. best safari park enclosures -they're nearly always a field and a shed (which we rarely even see to any extent).

I'm counting down the hours till best UK deer enclosure. :D
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Well yes obviously the polls won't work for all species and I only included the safari parks due to a suggestion by one member and I do agree and have mentioned previously they are harder to differentiate but it is still possible. However, I hope to continue doing them as there are many more species they are suitable for and many members are clearly enjoying the threads.
 
britishzoofan said:
I will leave it up to the moderators as to whether they want to move the threads or not as I do appreciate they are not to everyones tastes. I would just like to ensure if that is the case that it is clearly signposted so members who do enjoy the polls can continue to find them and contribute.



Well yes obviously the polls won't work for all species and I only included the safari parks due to a suggestion by one member and I do agree and have mentioned previously they are harder to differentiate but it is still possible. However, I hope to continue doing them as there are many more species they are suitable for and many members are clearly enjoying the threads.
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This is at least keeping me occupied thank you!
I think this can't be done for a lot of species eg ring tailed lemurs, Asco, meerkat, Bennett's wallaby, ruffled lemur, deer.... Basically anything with more than a dozen holders!
 
pipaluk said:
This is at least keeping me occupied thank you!
I think this can't be done for a lot of species eg ring tailed lemurs, Asco, meerkat, Bennett's wallaby, ruffled lemur, deer.... Basically anything with more than a dozen holders!
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Yes, you're right it is more difficult to do with species with a lot of holders. I would say 15+ is probably the limit. (There may be a way around that problem though.) There are however, plenty more species it can be done for and I'm glad you are enjoying it.
 
Andrew Swales said:
No? - I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult...! Some people use this site as a way of finding out what is going on. There are thousands of spp kept in the UK! - do we have to endure them all?
The last repeated 'swamping' subject, on the much more interesting and substantial (to me at least) subject of closed UK collections, WAS moved from the UK thread into its own.
Click to expand...

Can I suggest you utilise the Ignore function? https://www.zoochat.com/community/account/ignored
 
Score update Whipsnade have a large lead with 13 votes. Coupled with their current second placing in the Hippopotamus poll they evidently have the best set of enclosures for Hippopotami in the UK.

I must say with Hippos/Pygmy Hippos being a couple of my favourite species it would be great to see them held by a few more collections with Chester being the obvious choice. Of course the cost of caring for them is a significant turn off for many zoos.
 
I think those enclosures that allow a decent paddock area for grazing are best for the Hippos-either species and in that case Marwell and Whipsnade probably score over the others, with West Midlands a decided last, despite their having a larger group of Common Hippo than elsewhere. But when it comes to quality of display, I don't think any Hippo exhibits in the UK are particularly good e.g. we don't have a single underwater viewing design here.
 
Pertinax said:
I think those enclosures that allow a decent paddock area for grazing are best for the Hippos-either species and in that case Marwell and Whipsnade probably score over the others, with West Midlands a decided last, despite their having a larger group of Common Hippo than elsewhere. But when it comes to quality of display, I don't think any Hippo exhibits in the UK are particularly good e.g. we don't have a single underwater viewing design here.
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Yes, I definitely think it is unusual that no UK collection has utilised underwater viewing for their Hippo exhibits. It would certainly enhance the visitor experience and is far more common on the continent.
 
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