Sure just call it as you see it thanks
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter Red Footed Tortoise
- Start date
Are you a member? If not it still says 'paying visitors need to prebook their tickets in advance..'
But presumably you got in okay without any trouble though.
Yes I didn't have to pay and walked straight in. If they turned any paying customers away yesterday that would have been ridiculous, there was hardly anyone there!Are you a member? If not it still says 'paying visitors need to prebook their tickets in advance..'
Sounds like my very last visit (pre-covid) on a very wet winter's day. Place was almost deserted then too.
Are you a member? If not it still says 'paying visitors need to prebook their tickets in advance..'
Last time I was there, people were buying tickets at the gates. I think the 'pre-book tickets' has been kept (at many places) as it reduces queue times and gives the zoo (or museum or gallery or theme park etc etc) a rough idea of likely numbers on any given day.
Yes, its all across the board at many paying attractions, not just Zoos. 'Pre-booking essential' has become a new mantra in the english language. As somebody else mentioned, one can't imagine any zoos seriously adhering to this during the 'pinch' months between now and the spring. After that, who knows?
Couple of updates. Channel 4 are filming a "London Zoo at Christmas" one off show for airing next month, filming now looking at the build up to Christmas at the Zoo. Featuring Whipsnade too.
The new male gorilla arrives towards the end of November. The plan is to introduce him to the whole group in time, including Gernot. His arrival will feature on the above TV show all being well.
The new male gorilla arrives towards the end of November. The plan is to introduce him to the whole group in time, including Gernot. His arrival will feature on the above TV show all being well.
London Zoo in November 2022- The highs and Lows!
Following my visit yesterday on a wet autumn day I will give an honest assessment of the current situation at London Zoo, my childhood zoo which I first visited in 1968 aged 1 (I still have the guidebook from that first visit, minus the cover, the names of some of the animals were apparently the first words I knew! Chi Chi, guy, pipaluk)
I arrived at 1045, having walked straight in and headed straight for the nocturnal house via the east tunnel.
First criticism of a wasted potential animal exhibit - the former reindeer paddock and tecton gorilla roundhouse not being used. There must be something they could use them for surely?
I then headed downstairs in the Clore to the Moonlight World - there I found 2 very active Potto and a moholi galago leaping between them. Another empty exhibit - former Australian water rat. A lot of the other species were no shows so I went upstairs to the rainforest exhibit where every species was seen before heading to the Aye Ayes where I was pleased to see 2 very active. The Clore Pavilion and Moonlight World, though as old as me and been re-vamped is probably my favourite building in the zoo, plenty of rarities (or relatively) like Narrow striped Mongoose, Alaotran gentle lemur, sengi, Aye Aye, Potto, Slender Lori's, Moholi galago, tamandua, red faced spider monkey along with the more common crowd pleasers like RT lemur and sloths.
I then headed on to the Cotton terraces and saw everything that has to offer - Pygmy hippo and Okapi being the current highlights along with red forest duiker which sadly I didn't see this time.
I then crossed the bridge to the Snowden Aviary (Monkey Forest or whatever they call it now). I have to say that after all my criticism of Land of the Lions, this is actually pretty good. The aviary has been fitted out well with climbing equipment though it is a little short on foliage. The housing and holding cages either end are excellent. It's a shame another species hasn't been mixed yet. Now my moan - why in a zoo so short on animal space did they need the massive looping path leading up to the exhibit with potential animal space taken up by picnic tables and playground equipment?! The rest of the North Bank remains a total unused disgrace currently with what looks like a semi permanent builders yard just beyond the new Colobus exhibit. More to follow....
Following my visit yesterday on a wet autumn day I will give an honest assessment of the current situation at London Zoo, my childhood zoo which I first visited in 1968 aged 1 (I still have the guidebook from that first visit, minus the cover, the names of some of the animals were apparently the first words I knew! Chi Chi, guy, pipaluk)
I arrived at 1045, having walked straight in and headed straight for the nocturnal house via the east tunnel.
First criticism of a wasted potential animal exhibit - the former reindeer paddock and tecton gorilla roundhouse not being used. There must be something they could use them for surely?
I then headed downstairs in the Clore to the Moonlight World - there I found 2 very active Potto and a moholi galago leaping between them. Another empty exhibit - former Australian water rat. A lot of the other species were no shows so I went upstairs to the rainforest exhibit where every species was seen before heading to the Aye Ayes where I was pleased to see 2 very active. The Clore Pavilion and Moonlight World, though as old as me and been re-vamped is probably my favourite building in the zoo, plenty of rarities (or relatively) like Narrow striped Mongoose, Alaotran gentle lemur, sengi, Aye Aye, Potto, Slender Lori's, Moholi galago, tamandua, red faced spider monkey along with the more common crowd pleasers like RT lemur and sloths.
I then headed on to the Cotton terraces and saw everything that has to offer - Pygmy hippo and Okapi being the current highlights along with red forest duiker which sadly I didn't see this time.
I then crossed the bridge to the Snowden Aviary (Monkey Forest or whatever they call it now). I have to say that after all my criticism of Land of the Lions, this is actually pretty good. The aviary has been fitted out well with climbing equipment though it is a little short on foliage. The housing and holding cages either end are excellent. It's a shame another species hasn't been mixed yet. Now my moan - why in a zoo so short on animal space did they need the massive looping path leading up to the exhibit with potential animal space taken up by picnic tables and playground equipment?! The rest of the North Bank remains a total unused disgrace currently with what looks like a semi permanent builders yard just beyond the new Colobus exhibit. More to follow....
Next instalment
After the Colobus exhibit I crossed the bridge again and went through the west tunnel heading for the tigers, passing the currently closed (understandably) Bird Safari. Was pleased to see 3 very active tiger cubs in with both parents in the indoor area, shame the weather wasn't better!
The gibbons were also sheltering indoors so I moved on hoping to see the Babirusa- no chance, tucked away inside the currently closed Casson Pavilion (another black mark!). Next a quick walk through the children's zoo, a former aviary by the Coati another empty enclosure. Next the bird house which was good as ever, so glad that the path towards the lions has been opened again so all outside cages are on show! Next stop Land of the Lions - no need to add anything to what I have said previously, I really dislike this area, waste of money to build it, total waste of space that could be used animals used for gimmicks like the street market etc. Next the disaster area that was once used for decent anteater and Vicuna enclosures but subsequently used for golf and dinosaurs - it now stands derelict - pathetic!
After the Colobus exhibit I crossed the bridge again and went through the west tunnel heading for the tigers, passing the currently closed (understandably) Bird Safari. Was pleased to see 3 very active tiger cubs in with both parents in the indoor area, shame the weather wasn't better!
The gibbons were also sheltering indoors so I moved on hoping to see the Babirusa- no chance, tucked away inside the currently closed Casson Pavilion (another black mark!). Next a quick walk through the children's zoo, a former aviary by the Coati another empty enclosure. Next the bird house which was good as ever, so glad that the path towards the lions has been opened again so all outside cages are on show! Next stop Land of the Lions - no need to add anything to what I have said previously, I really dislike this area, waste of money to build it, total waste of space that could be used animals used for gimmicks like the street market etc. Next the disaster area that was once used for decent anteater and Vicuna enclosures but subsequently used for golf and dinosaurs - it now stands derelict - pathetic!
Its very sad to see a major zoo which was once held up as one of the top zoos in such decline, I have been following this for years and its disheartening.
At the end of the day I believe it comes back to the management or in this case bad management.
As you say a lot of area is just wasted as is the mappings former bear pits, for a very small zoo area they should utilise as much as possible.
I am happy they got the new Monkey Vallery right that's wonderful to see but on the other hand they have got many things wrong. I believe and it appears to me that the management is quite stale and needs much more than a re-boot. I really hope it does find its way out of this steadily decline and I would like to see a new broom taken to the place or is there another way to fix it before its to late?.
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Next stop, the muntjac, flamingos, pelicans, Macaw, I have to admit I didn't bother with the butterfly House. Penguin beach - great exhibit, shame it only has Humboldt's!!
At this point I had been at the zoo under 2 hours( with the reptile house and gorilla kingdom the only areas not seen) so went to the reataurant to see. what I could grab to eat, hoping for a pasty or sausage roll that I usually buy for £3-4 at Whipsnade - no, £13.50 for fish and chips or burger and chips! Really?! I had a cup of tea and bag of crisps which cost £4 with discount - bear in mind some people paid £35 to get in as well, obviously these people have too much money to throw around!!
After this I headed for Gorilla Kingdom, 2 enclosures empty signed for Sulawesi macaque saw 1 male in the cage opp gorilla outdoors. Gorillas? 2 in overhead tunnel, that was it. 2 Diana monkeys and the white naped mangabey showed well.
Next stop the Mappins (no comment necessary, what a waste!)
Komodo Dragon House saw one, old galapagos tortoise area empty and giant salamander tank all shut down and both closed off - another waste!
Then the reptile house - once they had made the decision to close this they may has well have closed it almost straight away - what I saw yesterday was a skeleton of the great reptile collection London Zoo once held, not just in the 1970s,but considerably worse than 5 years ago! This was an embarrassment with half the exhibits empty, if all the animals moved off exhibit have gone, the new reptile house is not much to look forward to!!
Left the zoo after 3 hours as had to get home but an honest assessment of London Zoo - top 10 UK? No chance! Top 20? Probably but take away the nocturnal area...
At this point I had been at the zoo under 2 hours( with the reptile house and gorilla kingdom the only areas not seen) so went to the reataurant to see. what I could grab to eat, hoping for a pasty or sausage roll that I usually buy for £3-4 at Whipsnade - no, £13.50 for fish and chips or burger and chips! Really?! I had a cup of tea and bag of crisps which cost £4 with discount - bear in mind some people paid £35 to get in as well, obviously these people have too much money to throw around!!
After this I headed for Gorilla Kingdom, 2 enclosures empty signed for Sulawesi macaque saw 1 male in the cage opp gorilla outdoors. Gorillas? 2 in overhead tunnel, that was it. 2 Diana monkeys and the white naped mangabey showed well.
Next stop the Mappins (no comment necessary, what a waste!)
Komodo Dragon House saw one, old galapagos tortoise area empty and giant salamander tank all shut down and both closed off - another waste!
Then the reptile house - once they had made the decision to close this they may has well have closed it almost straight away - what I saw yesterday was a skeleton of the great reptile collection London Zoo once held, not just in the 1970s,but considerably worse than 5 years ago! This was an embarrassment with half the exhibits empty, if all the animals moved off exhibit have gone, the new reptile house is not much to look forward to!!
Left the zoo after 3 hours as had to get home but an honest assessment of London Zoo - top 10 UK? No chance! Top 20? Probably but take away the nocturnal area...
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About time! Any further info-name, previous zoo etc?
I’ve known London Zoo most of my life (well over the half century) and had a real barometer of its overall decline last month, when I visited Basel Zoo for the first time. Also an inner city zoo, Basel manages to show a lot more large species without seeming crowded. Almost all the enclosures appear to offer ample space for their inhabitants. Highlights are Great Indian Rhinoceros (breeding, mixed with Asian Short-clawed Otter, Visayan Warty Pig and Muntjac), both Hippopotamus species, hundred-strong Greater Flamingo colony (thirty plus young reared this year), African Elephants (which have bred), breeding King Penguins, Sable Antelope, American Bison, Mouflon, good sized breeding groups of Western Lowland Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Sumatran Orangutan, African Wild Ass, Plains Zebra, Social Weavers sharing their huge communal nest with Black-cheeked Lovebirds, Okapi, Snow Leopard, Brush Turkey, large group of White and Dalmatian Pelicans, Black and Rufous Sengi, state of the art bird house under construction, restaurant with a good range of food, excellent gift shop. Icing on the cake would be the many free flying White Storks, whose nests are everywhere. However, in October they were wintering elsewhere, and the only one I saw was in a nearby park. A few don’t migrate, and winter locally.
Does anyone know where the male gorilla is arriving from yet?
For those with access, “How to renovate an icon: The Snowdon” is now available to view online through the well known media channels! The second half’s a bit of a slog, but there are some interesting titbits to take away (why the Snowdon’s footbridge was designed like an “M” for example)
I believe most of Londons problems comes down to the mindset of the management
Loro Parque, Tenerife. I believe its Kiburi.
ZooAtHome
Well-Known Member
To echo this, earlier this year I visited Antwerp zoo, Belgium. It is a similar age to London, though younger (1843 compared to 1828 of London), it was founded because of London I believe. The Belgian King (distant cousin to english monarch) decided they needed a Zoological society after visiting London. It is a central city zoo, in fact it is next to the main train station in the city, the most beautiful train station I have ever seen.
Like London it is limited on space, many of the larger species have left and gone to its sister zoo (the Belgian Whipsnade, Plaeckendael), it is full of old listed buildings yet the zoo is vibrant, full, interesting. Great species. Comes across modern but highlights and utilises it's older buildings in innovative ways. The ancient camel house which is now a roost for birds in the huge African aviary which also houses buffalo being a great example. It really was an old city zoo done right, and ZSL planners/directors staff should visit it to see how it's done, ironically the European copy overtaking the English antique mess that
It’s extremely interesting/disheartening that, guaranteed at some point EVERY year, the SAME arguments about London Zoo and ZSL appear on the London Zoo forum. And they’ve now begun to appear on the Whipsnade forum. It’s like deja vu.
I’ve put my opinion in over the years about the direction ZSL is taking but surely you would think someone higher up in ZSL reads these forums?!?!?
I’ve put my opinion in over the years about the direction ZSL is taking but surely you would think someone higher up in ZSL reads these forums?!?!?