Newquay Zoo Newquay Zoo News

Had 2 visits to Newquay zoo , didn’t manage to see the fishing cats or the Lynx but still happy with what we saw
It’s an excellent small zoo and staff are helpful and friendly
Highlights were the Philippine spotted deer had great views they are in an excellent enclosure with lots of space, apparently they have had an excellent breeding record with 10 births in 12 years
They also have a good collection of Lemurs including a young Crowned Lemur
 
Piece of November 2023 News Not Mentioned:

On November 16th, the zoo announced they acquired (1.1) cotton-top tamarins named Santiago and Febe which are on exhibit.

Rare monkey pair on show at Newquay Zoo - Newquay Zoo

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On December 28th, the zoo announced that they acquired (0.0.2) banded mongooses which are now on exhibit.

Dwarf mongooses at Newquay Zoo | Have you hear the news? A pair of adorable dwarf mongooses has moved into Newquay Zoo! Keeper Tracey | By Newquay Zoo | Facebook

On January 1st, 2024, it was announced that the zoo acquired (1.1) palm cockatoos from Paradise Park in Cornwall.

Palm Cockatoos move to a new home for New Year - Paradise Park
 
Piece of December 2023 News Not Mentioned:

On December 31st, it was mentioned that the zoo transferred (3.3) Laos warty newts to the London Zoo in London*.

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On October 11th, the zoo announced they are building a new exhibit for their Asian small-clawed otters in the Oriental Garden area.

Newquay Zoo - What's going on in our Oriental Garden? ...

On January 20th, the zoo opened the new Asian small-clawed otter exhibit to the public.

Newquay Zoo
It's moving day for our family of Asian short-clawed otters! Here they are exploring their new pad for the very first time. Come down to the Oriental Garden once we are back open this weekend to see how the otters are settling in #ottersofinstagram #newhome #newquayzoo #movingday | Newquay Zoo | Newquay Zoo · Original audio

*Information from @amur leopard from the London Zoo News 2023 thread.
 
I visited Newquay Zoo for the second time on Sunday and thought I’d share a few updates/comments as I didn’t post after my previous visit in November:

Three of the black and white ruffed lemurs have been removed from the island and are currently in the first of the three primate enclosures. This means the white-fronted capuchins currently only have access to the central enclosure.

The palm cockatoos look great in the bird hide aviary. Not too sure where the Scarlet macaws that were here have gone, but there was no sign of them anywhere. The Brazilian tanagers that were in here are now in the small aviary at the top of the tropical house with the Javan mouse deer, blue-crowned hanging-parrots and a pink-headed fruit dove.

Had an amazing time in the tropical house. The Pheasant-Pigeons that were in the ‘Gems of the Jungle’ walkthrough are now in here as well as a pair of Pied Imperial Doves. Also noticed a small gecko-like lizard in the Chinese Crocodile Lizard enclosure that definitely wasn’t a crocodile lizard. I asked a member of staff about it, and they said that it was a Mourning Gecko, and that there are loads living around the building from when they got out and bred from a previous enclosure. Sure enough, I then noticed two more juveniles in the main walkthrough. Also managed to spot an Amazon Milk Frog which had eluded me last time. Some of the Antigua Anoles have also moved in here from the terrarium on the lower floor.

There have been a few developments at the top end of the zoo. As mentioned on social media and the website, Kicsi the Carpathian Lynx only has access to her indoor enclosure at the moment, while work takes place on the outdoor enclosure. The enclosure behind the meerkats is now home to a pair of Dwarf Mongoose. The Grosbeak Starlings that were off-show in the village farm are now in one of the aviaries at the top along with a pair of Tambourine Doves. The other aviary in that top corner is now home to the new Cotton-Top Tamarins as well as another new species, the Brazilian Guinea Pig.

The Asian Small-Clawed Otters have moved back into their revamped home as mentioned upthread. Seems like a nice upgrade, though maybe more from the visitor point of view. There doesn’t seem to be too much land space for the otters though that could just have been down to the stream being higher after lots of rain.

All in all, there seems to have been a few nice additions recently, so lets hope that continues at this wonderful little zoo!
 
I'm planning to go to Newquay soon and I wondered whether anyone could help me with my queries?

  • How photogenic are the Hoffman's sloths & Owston's civets?
  • Where in the zoo are the following species kept?
Crested quail-dove
Owston's civet
Grey-winged blackbird
Palm cockatoo
Golden lion tamarin
Chinese grosbeak
Red-cowled cardinal
Barred dove
Black wildebeest
  • Are there any enclosures that are easy to miss?
 
I'm planning to go to Newquay soon and I wondered whether anyone could help me with my queries?

  • How photogenic are the Hoffman's sloths & Owston's civets?
  • Where in the zoo are the following species kept?
Crested quail-dove
Owston's civet
Grey-winged blackbird
Palm cockatoo
Golden lion tamarin
Chinese grosbeak
Red-cowled cardinal
Barred dove
Black wildebeest
  • Are there any enclosures that are easy to miss?

I haven’t been in quite some time but you’ll need good fortune with both the Owston’s and the Hoffmann’s. This time of year is usually when the Owston’s are the least active, but your best bet is towards closing time. The Hoffmann’s I’ve yet to actually see active but usually at least one is visible in their nestbox above the upper level viewing in the Tropical House.

As for locations, assuming everything’s in the same place:
- quail dove and cardinal are in the Tropical House
- Owston’s are in the Asian garden (the area where the otters are)
- blackbird, grosbeak and barred dove should all be in the Gems of the Jungle walkthrough in the middle of the zoo
- palm cockatoo weren’t at the zoo when I last visited but my guess is they’re in the former scarlet macaw aviary near the red pandas
- golden lion tamarin should be on an island in the tapir lake
- wildebeest are in the savannah mixed exhibit

Don’t forget to nip into the Children’s Farm as there’s a few smaller aviaries and enclosures in there. There’s also some smaller aviaries behind the meerkats and children’s play area at the back end of the zoo near the lynx. The nocturnal house can also be overlooked, it’s small but it’s right next to the toilets by the entrance.
 
I should be able to help with these:

The Sloths are usually sat on a platform immediately above you as you enter the upper level of the tropical house. As such, it will be down to a bit of luck as to whether you get a face or just some fluff. For the Owston's Civets, the civet in with the Prevost's Squirrels is nigh-on impossible to see, so you won't have much luck there. The pair in the nocturnal house by the entrance are relatively showy if you visit enough times in the day. It just depends on how good your camera is in low-light as to whether you'll get some good shots or not.

The following link should take you to the zoo map:
Newquay Zoo Map - 2024

As for the species mentioned, as of my visit on 18/02/24:
- Crested Quail-Dove = in the main section of the tropical house (43 on map)
- Owston's Civet = in the 'Wildlife at Night' building and far end of zoo (46 & 21 on map)
- Grey-Winged Blackbird = in the main flight of 'Gems of the Jungle' (39 on map)
- Palm Cockatoo = in the aviary next the bird hide (7 on map)
- Golden Lion Tamarin = on the right of the zoo past the 'village farm' (34 on map)
- Chinese Grosbeak = in the main flight of 'Gems of the Jungle' (39 on map)
- Red-Cowled Cardinal = in the main section of the tropical house (43 on map)
- Barred Dove = in the entrance aviary of 'Gems of the Jungle' (39 on map)
- Black Wildebeest = in the savannah (15 on map)
 
I haven’t been in quite some time but you’ll need good fortune with both the Owston’s and the Hoffmann’s. This time of year is usually when the Owston’s are the least active, but your best bet is towards closing time. The Hoffmann’s I’ve yet to actually see active but usually at least one is visible in their nestbox above the upper level viewing in the Tropical House.

As for locations, assuming everything’s in the same place:
- quail dove and cardinal are in the Tropical House
- Owston’s are in the Asian garden (the area where the otters are)
- blackbird, grosbeak and barred dove should all be in the Gems of the Jungle walkthrough in the middle of the zoo
- palm cockatoo weren’t at the zoo when I last visited but my guess is they’re in the former scarlet macaw aviary near the red pandas
- golden lion tamarin should be on an island in the tapir lake
- wildebeest are in the savannah mixed exhibit

Don’t forget to nip into the Children’s Farm as there’s a few smaller aviaries and enclosures in there. There’s also some smaller aviaries behind the meerkats and children’s play area at the back end of the zoo near the lynx. The nocturnal house can also be overlooked, it’s small but it’s right next to the toilets by the entrance.
Posted at the same time!

In terms of easy to miss areas, exactly as ShonenJake13 says. Village Farm with some nice aviaries and just past the meerkats, with enclosures now housing: Dwarf Mongoose, Cotton-Top Tamarin, Brazilian Guinea Pig, Tambourine Dove, Grosbeak Starling.
 
I should be able to help with these:

The Sloths are usually sat on a platform immediately above you as you enter the upper level of the tropical house. As such, it will be down to a bit of luck as to whether you get a face or just some fluff. For the Owston's Civets, the civet in with the Prevost's Squirrels is nigh-on impossible to see, so you won't have much luck there. The pair in the nocturnal house by the entrance are relatively showy if you visit enough times in the day. It just depends on how good your camera is in low-light as to whether you'll get some good shots or not.

The following link should take you to the zoo map:
Newquay Zoo Map - 2024

As for the species mentioned, as of my visit on 18/02/24:
- Crested Quail-Dove = in the main section of the tropical house (43 on map)
- Owston's Civet = in the 'Wildlife at Night' building and far end of zoo (46 & 21 on map)
- Grey-Winged Blackbird = in the main flight of 'Gems of the Jungle' (39 on map)
- Palm Cockatoo = in the aviary next the bird hide (7 on map)
- Golden Lion Tamarin = on the right of the zoo past the 'village farm' (34 on map)
- Chinese Grosbeak = in the main flight of 'Gems of the Jungle' (39 on map)
- Red-Cowled Cardinal = in the main section of the tropical house (43 on map)
- Barred Dove = in the entrance aviary of 'Gems of the Jungle' (39 on map)
- Black Wildebeest = in the savannah (15 on map)

There should only be two civets now with the third recently having left for Thrigby, so if you saw a pair in the nocturnal house that’ll be where they’re being kept currently…

Apparently there are only six left in Europe - a pair each at Newquay, Thrigby and Shaldon…
 
Thank you both for your help, this is much appreciated. A shame about the not very photogenic civets nor sloths but I'll keep everything crossed.
 
... A shame about the not very photogenic civets nor sloths but I'll keep everything crossed.
I saw a sloth moving from the nest platform into the trees this week at about midday, this is a phone shot, my camera lens was still adjusting to the humidity!
No sign of the Civets though.
 

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That follows a family of 1.3 pied tamarins moving from Jersey to Newquay. Jersey starting to get rid of their pied tamarins? Any idea how many they have? I know they have a long history of breeding them.

Is there a source to the (1.3) pied tamarins from Jersey to Newquay?
 
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