ZSL London Zoo London Zoo discussion thread

[oca2073]

No the zoo owns none of the land in Regent's Park

Okay, they lease it. But why can't they apply for zoo license expansion into these areas? Is it 100% going to be rejected?

In the long run, why not apply to utilise some of the land next to the car park to house administrative/library/lecture theatre/research functions in one building? And then build a new aquarium in some of those areas vacated?

 

[pipaluk]

What about using the two unused main lawns for walkthrough areas like Patagonian Mara or Wallabies?

That will free up area in front of Mappin and change the theme from Outback to some more popular African antelope?

As for education, the old Aquarium could fulfil that role and if the area west of Monkey Valley is earmarked for rural activity, why not use the Activity Den next to Tiny Giants to exhibit animals? Move the Emu here to free up the Outback area.

Land of Lions ethnographic area could house more relevant animals. For example a Lion Tailed Macaque.

Why can't Woodland Walk be used for animal exhibits? I'd add an Ocelot in this area. People don't go to zoos for native wildlife so devoting so much space to this when there's so little space feels counterintuitive.

Lawn around Butterfly Paradise could house kid-friendly animals, such as Fennec Fox.

There's so much they could do. I don't think any of these things would cost significant additional money of construction. It's just a matter of effort.

What about using the two unused main lawns for walkthrough areas like Patagonian Mara or Wallabies?

That will free up area in front of Mappin and change the theme from Outback to some more popular African antelope?

As for education, the old Aquarium could fulfil that role and if the area west of Monkey Valley is earmarked for rural activity, why not use the Activity Den next to Tiny Giants to exhibit animals? Move the Emu here to free up the Outback area.

Land of Lions ethnographic area could house more relevant animals. For example a Lion Tailed Macaque.

Why can't Woodland Walk be used for animal exhibits? I'd add an Ocelot in this area. People don't go to zoos for native wildlife so devoting so much space to this when there's so little space feels counterintuitive.

Lawn around Butterfly Paradise could house kid-friendly animals, such as Fennec Fox.

There's so much they could do. I don't think any of these things would cost significant additional money of construction. It's just a matter of effort.

There are other unused areas you haven't mentioned: the Tecton gorilla house, the ex giant anteater/vicuna paddocks and the recently abandoned giant tortoise enclosure

 

[oca2073]

There are other unused areas you haven't mentioned: the Tecton gorilla house, the ex giant anteater/vicuna paddocks and the recently abandoned giant tortoise enclosure

Exactly, I want Red Pandas in one of those enclosures. I don't see why Whipsnade but not London can have them. Also Tasmanian Devil since Copenhagen is apparently starting to breed them. So many opportunities while ZSL sleeps.

 

[Max Blundell]

Also Tasmanian Devil since Copenhagen is apparently starting to breed them

I agree Tasmanian Devil would be amazing at London. Even Koalas or Wombats. It would give the zoo more Australian mammal variety as currently they only have Red Necked Wallaby.

 

[Cat-Man]

I agree Tasmanian Devil would be amazing at London. Even Koalas or Wombats. It would give the zoo more Australian mammal variety as currently they only have Red Necked Wallaby.

I don’t want to start a whole Koala debate but, despite ZSL not doing so well with them last time (a former Zoochat member mentioned they were barely marketed at the time, lol) keeping them, to me, seems like an easy bribe to the public. I’m sure that eucalyptus doesn’t come cheap though, but they do have those allotments after all

 

[Lafone]

In my view, London Zoo is seriously undershooting its potential. I don't believe people know how much potential space is being wasted:

1) The two lawns behind the Giant Turtles and the new Reptile/Amphibian House
2) The Casson Pavilion sitting empty
3) The Mappin Terraces, Aquarium unused
4) The Institute of Virology behind the Mappin Terraces, could this be moved elsewhere?
5) The Old Reptile House soon to be empty (I highly doubt ZSL will house anything here as it's not suitable, it will become a museum/education centre)
6) The lawns next to Butterfly Paradise and War Memorial
7) Land of Lions ethnographic areas + hotel
8) "Activity Den" on the other side of Tiny Giants
9) Penguin Pool of course (maybe move to Tate?)
10) The ZSL main building, Library/Archives, and the Lecture Theatre (maybe plan to move some of these next to the car park?)
11) Woodland Walk next to the canal
12) Across the canal, east of Monkey Valley completely unused. Also there's more space west of Monkey Valley earmarked for education.

So I would really appreciate it if they tried to squeeze out more out of the very limited land available because expansion is 100% impossible. The only viable expansion space is the southeast corner near the Readymoney Drinking Fountain. Maybe you could squeeze out another 2000+ square meters there, enough for one animal exhibit.

I feel ZSL isn't even trying anymore. They take London for granted due to the favourable location, massive and relatively wealthy population and they have no incentive to improve their product. They want to find alternate revenue streams that don't involve more animals. They're also worried that making London Zoo too excellent would reduce visitors to Whipsnade.

As for the zoo-goers with happy memories who don't want Mappin or Casson demolished, the next generation don't have any memories associated with those structures. So, in my view they will have to go eventually.

Of course, finances are stretched but creating an ambitious masterplan MIGHT attract some potential donors. But they haven't bothered.

A fun thing to speculate about would be how one could use some of the wasted spaces I mentioned above to house animals and how ZSL could transform them into exhibit areas. Assuming funds were available, what animals could go there?

Where is the evidence that ZSL doesn’t want London to be ‘too excellent’ as it would reduce visitors to Whipsnade?

 

[Rajang21]

So many opportunities while ZSL sleeps.

This train of thought cropped up in recent discussion about ZSL and sloth bears. It baffles me that some people think zoos just go round handpicking whichever species they can think of. Collection plans exist, each collection has one, and the species on it are there for a defined reason.

 

[pipaluk]

This train of thought cropped up in recent discussion about ZSL and sloth bears. It baffles me that some people think zoos just go round handpicking whichever species they can think of. Collection plans exist, each collection has one, and the species on it are there for a defined reason.

Opportunities arise to amend plans and these can either be grasped or missed! There is no way every new species arriving at a zoo is down to long term collection plans. It was me who raised the Sloth Bear and polar bear situation regarding Whipsnade

 

[Embu]

I think someone has already answered this for me elsewhere but I'll ask anyhow
Who is it that decides what species a collection keeps? I know individuals are down to the studbooks but in regards to species is that down to zoo/safari management as to what they want to keep?

 

[Rajang21]

I think someone has already answered this for me elsewhere but I'll ask anyhow
Who is it that decides what species a collection keeps? I know individuals are down to the studbooks but in regards to species is that down to zoo/safari management as to what they want to keep?

A combination of staff - it could be curators/head keepers/living collections managers/conservation managers or others.
Multiple stakeholders will have an input, whom and how many depends on the size of the zoo.

 

[Rajang21]

Opportunities arise to amend plans and these can either be grasped or missed!

They can, but usually it helps if that opportunity is relevant to a zoo’s aims and they have somewhere appropriate to put those animals.

And of course it also helps if the zoo believes that something is an opportunity in the first place. ZSL clearly didn’t regarding sloth bears, hence that point is a non-starter.

 

[tigris115]

Does London have a zoo museum?

If there's a small building to spare, I think having a zoo museum would be cool as hell since London has such a colorful history

 

[pipaluk]

A reminder to Fellows to check their inboxes for the invitation to vote in the 2023 Council Elections - a few solid-sounding 'zoo' candidates!

Good luck @Gavialis ( one of our own) . Surely this time....

 

[pipaluk]

They can, but usually it helps if that opportunity is relevant to a zoo’s aims and they have somewhere appropriate to put those animal

Whipsnade had a sloth bear enclosure (2 in fact) so the 'and they have somewhere appropriate etc is not really relevant.

 

[Rajang21]

That’s not the whole/main point I’m making, if you actually read my post. I’m talking on a wider scale than just sloth bears (nice as they are you seem very hung up on them!).

Yes they had space but seeing that the former sloth bear enclosure is currently being used, it does perhaps suggest they had a plan in place after all (imagine that!).

 

[pipaluk]

That’s not the whole/main point I’m making, if you actually read my post. I’m talking on a wider scale than just sloth bears (nice as they are you seem very hung up on them!).

Yes they had space but seeing that the former sloth bear enclosure is currently being used, it does perhaps suggest they had a plan in place after all (imagine that!).

Are you suggesting the plan was in place before the Sloth Bear was euthanased?
They could have built an enclosure or put the langur anywhere at either zoo over the last few years and they are a Babirusa short at London now. That enclosure was much better for sloth bears than the new inhabitants (not that I'm not happy to try and see them).

 

[Rajang21]

Are you suggesting the plan was in place before the Sloth Bear was euthanased

It may well have been planned, or discussed as an option, with the timescale brought forward when the bear died. As I keep saying, zoos (even the ZSL collections) do often plan ahead!

 

[pipaluk]

It may well have been planned, or discussed as an option, with the timescale brought forward when the bear died. As I keep saying, zoos (even the ZSL collections) do often plan ahead!

The last sloth bear could have lived at least another 5-10 years so the planning ahead argument really doesn't wash! They should have planned something for the langurs quicker than the 8 years they were offshow surely? It could have been 15+ years offshow if the sloth bears hadn't died off early!

 

[Cat-Man]

Does London have a zoo museum?

If there's a small building to spare, I think having a zoo museum would be cool as hell since London has such a colorful history

As much as the history of London zoo is interesting, the last thing it needs it more empty space that doesn’t hold animals. Of course, since the old reptile house will no longer hold animals they might put one there.

 

[Crowthorne]

Does London have a zoo museum?

If there's a small building to spare, I think having a zoo museum would be cool as hell since London has such a colorful history

As much as the history of London zoo is interesting, the last thing it needs it more empty space that doesn’t hold animals. Of course, since the old reptile house will no longer hold animals they might put one there.

This was the proposed plan when the closure of the old Reptile House was announced. At present the only history display is a series of photographs in the east tunnel. Repurposing the old Reptile House would allow for the display of a wider range of items, including objects, and for changeable displays. If the new little history display at Twycross if anything to go by, I'm sure it will be popular.