Twycross Zoo Sharon Redrobe and Susie Boardman

[Gigit]

(MODERATOR NOTE: thread split from obituary for Molly Badham, with first post here carried over from that thread for context)

Sad. Whos running the zoo now?

Molly Badham retired in April 2004 when Sue Boardman became Director. I don't know what she would have thought of all the latest developments which seem to be more for the benefit of the public than the animals. We used to see her driving round the zoo checking on her animals and once saw her in an enclosure playing with adult chimps. A sad loss.

 

[Pertinax]

Sad. Whos running the zoo now?

It is run by the East Midlands Zoological Society and since MB and NE retired, there have been a succession of CEOs. Three I think. The first was a disaster and had to be almost forcibly removed from the post after the zoo got into financial difficulties through mismanagement. The second was Dr Sharon Redrobe who made huge improvements and was largely responsible for the newer developments in the zoo now. Sadly she resigned a while back without any real explanations given. I don't know who is in charge as CEO now.

 

[ZooNews2024]

It is run by the East Midlands Zoological Society and since MB and NE retired, there have been a succession of CEOs. Three I think. The first was a disaster and had to be almost forcibly removed from the post after the zoo got into financial difficulties through mismanagement. The second was Dr Sharon Redrobe who made huge improvements and was largely responsible for the newer developments in the zoo now. Sadly she resigned a while back without any real explanations given. I don't know who is in charge as CEO now.

Yes, Molly (and Nat) left the zoo with a huge legacy and enormous financial and property reserves. Neither spent anything much on themselves and gave everything they had to the zoo.
It has ALL gone and the debts now are terrifying as they limp from CEO to CEO. A very sad legacy indeed, although it does have to be said that what she/they left was very outdated and in need of total overhaul.

 

[TNT]

Dr Sharon Redrobe

Sadly she resigned

I think there were a good number of people jumping for joy. There are a great deal of well respected people in the zoo world - she isn't one of them.

 

[Pertinax]

I think there were a good number of people jumping for joy. There are a great deal of well respected people in the zoo world - she isn't one of them.

I'll take your word for that as I don't know much, if anything about her personally. But I do think she was responsible for a significant uptick in Twycross' fortunes and development, which is why I said 'sadly'. Again I know nothing about the circumstances but her resignation seemed rather abrupt and unexpected.

 

[TNT]

Of course, I appreciate that I'm just some random chap on the internet stating my opinion

but her resignation seemed rather abrupt and unexpected

That said, I think this speaks volumes.

 

[Pertinax]

Of course, I appreciate that I'm just some random chap on the internet stating my opinion

That said, I think this speaks volumes.

Do you know where she went after Twycross, another zoo or unrelated position?

 

[ZooNews2024]

Do you know where she went after Twycross, another zoo or unrelated position?

Banham briefly? - was she not the advisor for their phasing out of exotic species and replacing them with natives and a nature reserve. Now a 'consultant'?
Might be worth checking on 'LinkedIn' as this sometimes shows more detail.

 

[TNT]

Banham briefly? - was she not the advisor for their phasing out of exotic species and replacing them with natives and a nature reserve. Now a 'consultant'?
Might be worth checking on 'LinkedIn' as this sometimes shows more detail.

The phasing out of exotics and replacing them with natives was never the plan unless you only paid attention to the sensationalist headlines. Some of the non-threatened species were due to leave whilst natives were due to arrive. The non-threatened phase out was in an attempt to move towards holding a higher % of threatened species, so not a case of removing exotics and merely replacing with natives. My understanding is that the wider natives focus has been shelved, but the zoo does continue to do incredible crayfish and other lesser known natives conservation work.

She did act as a consultant, receiving far too much money for little to no benefit for the zoo. Her biggest impact was probably gutting the conservation, research, records, and animals displays departments. Her monthly fee would have nearly saved the Banham research and records teams, and probably another staff member. I don't believe she's still there, at least I hope not, but it was a shameful decision of the former CEO to bring her in.

For full transparency, as I don't believe there's enough of this on ZooChat, I say the above as a former employee made redundant in her cuts. I'm also glad to see the zoo doing well and harbor no negative thoughts to those staff that remain.

 

[ZooNews2024]

The phasing out of exotics and replacing them with natives was never the plan unless you only paid attention to the sensationalist headlines. Some of the non-threatened species were due to leave whilst natives were due to arrive. The non-threatened phase out was in an attempt to move towards holding a higher % of threatened species, so not a case of removing exotics and merely replacing with natives. My understanding is that the wider natives focus has been shelved, but the zoo does continue to do incredible crayfish and other lesser known natives conservation work.

She did act as a consultant, receiving far too much money for little to no benefit for the zoo. Her biggest impact was probably gutting the conservation, research, records, and animals displays departments. Her monthly fee would have nearly saved the Banham research and records teams, and probably another staff member. I don't believe she's still there, at least I hope not, but it was a shameful decision of the former CEO to bring her in.

For full transparency, as I don't believe there's enough of this on ZooChat, I say the above as a former employee made redundant in her cuts. I'm also glad to see the zoo doing well and harbor no negative thoughts to those staff that remain.

Thank you very much for the detail.
I do know that she vetoed animal moves in and out which had to wait until she had either gone or had reduced influence, but was never sure which.

 

[TNT]

Thank you very much for the detail.
I do know that she vetoed animal moves in and out which had to wait until she had either gone or had reduced influence, but was never sure which.

She most certainly did. Causing a great deal of trouble for many long planned moves!

 

[Pertinax]

The phasing out of exotics and replacing them with natives was never the plan unless you only paid attention to the sensationalist headlines. Some of the non-threatened species were due to leave whilst natives were due to arrive. The non-threatened phase out was in an attempt to move towards holding a higher % of threatened species, so not a case of removing exotics and merely replacing with natives. My understanding is that the wider natives focus has been shelved, but the zoo does continue to do incredible crayfish and other lesser known natives conservation work.

She did act as a consultant, receiving far too much money for little to no benefit for the zoo. Her biggest impact was probably gutting the conservation, research, records, and animals displays departments. Her monthly fee would have nearly saved the Banham research and records teams, and probably another staff member. I don't believe she's still there, at least I hope not, but it was a shameful decision of the former CEO to bring her in.

For full transparency, as I don't believe there's enough of this on ZooChat, I say the above as a former employee made redundant in her cuts. I'm also glad to see the zoo doing well and harbor no negative thoughts to those staff that remain.

Yes I can't imagine a zoo that planned to replace all or many of its larger exotic species with UK natives would have much of a longterm future. Sorry to hear you lost your job there, I remember all that being in the news when it happened

 

[TNT]

Yes I can't imagine a zoo that planned to replace all or many of its larger exotic species with UK natives would have much of a longterm future. Sorry to hear you lost your job there, I remember all that being in the news when it happened

Thank you!

 

[jamie779]

I think there were a good number of people jumping for joy. There are a great deal of well respected people in the zoo world - she isn't one of them.

With respect this is incorrect. Dr Redrobe transformed the zoo from the mess it was left it from previous management. Gibbon Forest, Chimpanzee Eden, Tigers and the commissioning of the National Conservation Centre. She was also responsible for “rewilding” their primates, by which I mean the move to more natural behaviours ( no more kids toys, suitable social groups etc.)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

With respect this is incorrect. Dr Redrobe transformed the zoo from the mess it was left it from previous management. Gibbon Forest, Chimpanzee Eden, Tigers and the commissioning of the National Conservation Centre. She was also responsible for “rewilding” their primates, by which I mean the move to more natural behaviours ( no more kids toys, suitable social groups etc.)

It is entirely possible for someone to a) significantly improve matters when compared to the previous management and nonetheless b) ultimately leave under a cloud and earn a poor reputation in the wider zoo world. The two are not mutually-exclusive, and in this case I am given to understand they do indeed go hand-in-hand.

Also, the term "rewilding" has a very specific definition, which isn't the one you claim it has

 

[jamie779]

It is entirely possible for someone to a) significantly improve matters when compared to the previous management and nonetheless b) ultimately leave under a cloud and earn a poor reputation in the wider zoo world. The two are not mutually-exclusive, and in this case I am given to understand they do indeed go hand-in-hand.

Also, the term "rewilding" has a very specific definition, which isn't the one you claim it has

I was using the term in the context of the wording the zoo was using at the time.

 

[TNT]

With respect this is incorrect. Dr Redrobe transformed the zoo from the mess it was left it from previous management. Gibbon Forest, Chimpanzee Eden, Tigers and the commissioning of the National Conservation Centre. She was also responsible for “rewilding” their primates, by which I mean the move to more natural behaviours ( no more kids toys, suitable social groups etc.)

As others have said, two things can be true at once. I've no idea if you're in the zoo industry or not, but I've not doubt that she's held in poor regard by many.