Glasgow Zoo (Closed) Glasgow zoo

johnstoni said:
So does the society still own the land or have any kind of lease there? I mean, what is left of it, is it just an informal group who continue to meet? And how will that work with any proposed new development backed by Edinburgh zoo?
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The Society still own most of the land some 70 or so acres of prime land, what they intend to do with it is a question that I can not answer only they can. The group meets informal, legally they do not exist per say but still have a hold of the land. Edinburgh have officially said that they are not seeking to build a new Glasgow Zoo, although they have voiced and planed for their new Amazonian centre nr Celtic Park. The plan was for the society to sell the land and then pass on that money onto Edinburgh, the society can not legally hold onto the money as they are no longer a charity or business, and when Glasgow Zoo closed the society and keepers stated that they would prefer to see the monies go to Edinburgh rather than the SSPCA or other bodies.
 
It seems strange that there is still some kind organisation that could feasibly reregister and begin to have a structure, who own a not insignificant piece of land that they are just sitting on. Surely they could either sell this and begin to fundraise for a new project, or sell part and work to set up a new facility? It seems strange to just sit on 70 acres and just meet for tea each week.
 
johnstoni said:
It seems strange that there is still some kind organisation that could feasibly reregister and begin to have a structure, who own a not insignificant piece of land that they are just sitting on. Surely they could either sell this and begin to fundraise for a new project, or sell part and work to set up a new facility? It seems strange to just sit on 70 acres and just meet for tea each week.
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Yes..indeed it may seem strange, even to the point of egotistic and holding onto something that has long gone. However, given that these people who have their meetings and tea with biscuits might kid onto themselves that they still exist...legally the do not, but they try so hard to fool themselves that they are. The land can not be sold off per say, but must meet the legal requiremnets that were set down within the then constitution of the Society, and as a charity. These people, have no legal sway and the land that is left is held in trust, either to be sold and thereafter the monies go to Edinburgh Zoo or a new Pheonix Zoo arises. However, this will never happen as (a) Glasgow City Council stated within their minutes at the time, that no such zoo would ever be built on City Council boundries, no planning permission would ever be granted or given, (b) the disbanded Zoological Society can not raise any funds or has the financial clout to enter into a new zoo, and as the then Society did not file Accounts and VAT or TAX to HMCE, with many missing years unaccounted for, and are still being investigated. Then the Charities Commission and under the Companies Act etc, such a new project could never come to fruition, (c) any such new zoo would be met with such a minefield from the likes of Advocates for Animals, Born free Foundation etc, that the disbanded society could not cope, and (d) no one is really willing to have another zoo in Glasgow, the locals feel that none is needed as Edinburgh exists and serves all. And that not one group as of yet has came up with a true viable zoo project...not even Edinburgh, who have stopped for now their Amazonian Zoo project for the Glasgow area.
regards....
 
johnstoni said:
Would it not make sense for them to just donate the land to Edinburgh zoo?
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Yes it would make much common and finacial sense however, the trustees of the land, the former Society, these people have no idea on how to manage such a venture nor do they have the acumen and bottle to take the jump. These people inherantly do not care about the common sense approach as they are inward thinking, blinkered by their own silly egos and lack of gumption. :( The likeyhood of such land and trusteeship moving onwards to better things seems unlikely and highly improbable, more to the ignorance of those person's.....now may be you can see and understand why Glasgow Zoo founded, and Glasgow University asking those like me to form a takeover bid when the zoo was on its last legs...
 
I am quite interested in the big cat species that Glasgow Zoo used to keep. Would you be able to tell me the Big and small cats that Glasgow used to keep and the success' that it has had?.
Any info would be great
Thanks
 
Riziki said:
I am quite interested in the big cat species that Glasgow Zoo used to keep. Would you be able to tell me the Big and small cats that Glasgow used to keep and the success' that it has had?.
Any info would be great
Thanks
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You shall find some big cats photographs held on the gallery section under the off-topic section. We had all the cats big, medium and small throughout our zoo history and cats such as; cheetah, lions, tigers, leopard, wildcat, ocelot, lynx, caracal, puma, clouded leopard, fishing and geoffroy, and so on....we had huge success with all our cats. Due to the great work we did, Graham Law, Richard O'Grady, Dougie Richardson, myself and others like Alison McDonald and Allan Reid etc. We made huge advancements with enrichment and behavioural techniques, husbandry and management. Plus we over-populated the captive market with black leopards and, as Dougie Richardson wrote: "Sure enough Glasgow Zoo began to produce a virtual flood of black leopards." You will find other such articles within the ABWAK journals and the International Zoo Year Books and other published material. regards...
 
Thanks for the information very appreciated I have heard quite a bit in some Books The good zoo guide,Animals on view about the small cat success'. What species of Tiger did you breed Amur or indian?
Regards
 
Also did you ever hold Temmincks Golden cat (Asian Golden Cat) and if you did were the part of your big Success rate?
 
Riziki said:
Thanks for the information very appreciated I have heard quite a bit in some Books The good zoo guide,Animals on view about the small cat success'. What species of Tiger did you breed Amur or indian?
Regards
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Tigers...we had Golden, White, Bengal and others. You will find our Golden (by the name of Buttho) had history with Longleat, and the last of our tigers that were all owned by the Chipperfields, were sent over to Spain where they bred and had litters of their own...regards.
 
Thanks for the info i think i had heard about the golden tigers before. Looks like you had an amazing breeding record shame in the end that it didnt go to well for Glasgow Zoo i would of loved to of visited it Particualy for their big cats.
Regards
 
Riziki said:
Thanks for the info i think i had heard about the golden tigers before. Looks like you had an amazing breeding record shame in the end that it didnt go to well for Glasgow Zoo i would of loved to of visited it Particualy for their big cats.
Regards
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Cheers...we did indeed have an amazing breeding record, as well as some longivity ones too. The small cat house was opened in 1968, the tiger house in the mid-80's..At the end though the zoo was not her formerself, and though we did what we could, the finance, local and central government, the poorly and inwardly thinking zoological society and that of the anti-zoo groups and press, it all went against us..those who tried and worked so hard..regards.
 
Thanks for the information, its such a shame. Could you possibly give me some information about the Bear enclosure? Ive heard some fantastic reports when it first opened in 1992 in the good zoo guide.
Regards
 
Riziki said:
Thanks for the information, its such a shame. Could you possibly give me some information about the Bear enclosure? Ive heard some fantastic reports when it first opened in 1992 in the good zoo guide.
Regards
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The bear enclosure won numerous awards, opened in the '80's, late. It was formed with two enclosures, one for both summer and winter use and the lower enclosure which was wooded, a stream running through it and with native UK wildlife going about their normal everyday activities. This enlcosure housed two bears and we had David Attenborough film for a week there. The bears came from the old Loch Lomond Bear Park...again, sadly though, we had to at the end of the last days of the zoo, put to sleep two bears and send onto Dudley Zoo, two that were deemed fit and able - Inca and Gretal.
 
Thanks for this information it seems like it was a fantastic enclosure! i have seen some photos taken a few years ago with the zoo as it is now it seemed like a brilliant enclosure but the zoo is not what it used to be being overgrown,ruined and some point being burned from what pictures i have seen.very sad sight indeed.
Could you possibly give me some information about the lions that you held at the zoo .species? names? etc. Lions are my passion and it would be fantastic to get this information and also where Glasgow lions and lion cubs were sent after the closure?
Do you know anything of a lion who i think was called Simba who was born with a big black patch? was this a freak accident or a particular mutation (like non albino white lions) Any info would be great
Thanks
 
Riziki said:
Thanks for this information it seems like it was a fantastic enclosure! i have seen some photos taken a few years ago with the zoo as it is now it seemed like a brilliant enclosure but the zoo is not what it used to be being overgrown,ruined and some point being burned from what pictures i have seen.very sad sight indeed.
Could you possibly give me some information about the lions that you held at the zoo .species? names? etc. Lions are my passion and it would be fantastic to get this information and also where Glasgow lions and lion cubs were sent after the closure?
Do you know anything of a lion who i think was called Simba who was born with a big black patch? was this a freak accident or a particular mutation (like non albino white lions) Any info would be great
Thanks
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Have a look at the pictures that I posted in the Gallery section - off topic section..where you will see our lions and tigers. Asiatic Lions..and the cubs, although were given names by the press or that of children, we never really called them by their names as such. As the big cats were owned by the Chipperfields, and as they were not allowed to keep animals in the UK due to animal cruelty. As the owners, we had to send them onto them...(not our choice, but they owned them and that was that), they went onto Spain.
 
I have just seen the pictures they are brilliant! good specimins and in very good condition in good large spacious enclosures better then some i have seen.Did you get particularly close to the animals? have you ever handreared lions or tigers at Glasgow? Like you say they must of been a pleasure to work with.
Regards
 
Riziki said:
I have just seen the pictures they are brilliant! good specimins and in very good condition in good large spacious enclosures better then some i have seen.Did you get particularly close to the animals? have you ever handreared lions or tigers at Glasgow? Like you say they must of been a pleasure to work with.
Regards
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Yes we got very close and we did at times handrear. Like for all keepers, we do get close to our animals...but with health & safety, and the dangers asscociated with the likes of such animals, those zoos that do get hands on all the time, are not the wisest of moves nor the smartest. Defeats the purpose....
 
Yes must be amazing to get so close to these great animals. I only being young have been able to get close to several lions at one zoo when they were being hand reared as cubs. It was a fantastic oppurtunity of seeing them close it is something you never forget.Seeing them grown up and raising their own familys is just remarkable but even better is that the lions recognise me and come to say hello as i am a very regular visitor! just amazing
Regards
 
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I have seen the pictures you posted of the bear enclosures they look fantastic! so natural for the bears.Has glasgow zoo ever held Temmincks Golden Cat (Asian golden cat). And if so did they breed?
Regards
 
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