10 Changes your local zoo is crying out for...

[karenZOO]

Gill the old sealion pool is where they built the new penguin area!
Back in the dark ages (when I was younger!!) that whole area stank!! It had a large septic round tank connected to the only (awful) toilets in the zoo next to the pool and you sat on a concrete tier of steps to watch a rather stinky show while eating ice creams

 

[johnstoni]

I don't remember there being concrete steps, that must have come later? I saw the old sealion pool when it was brand new, I think 3 young male sealions were acquired for the show, and visitors sat on the steep grass bank looking down onto the pool.

The area was previously a sloping paddock for goats.

I wonder where the sealions were kept before that pool was built. It is interesting that their harbour seal pool dates back to before this time. It never occurred to me what a sensible decision it would have been to move the seals into this enclosure once Playa Patagonia was built. It seems totally pointless having two penguin groups of the same species.

...more importantly, the zoo still could, very easily, move the seals into this pool if they had the inclination.

 

[ZooLeopard]

I don't remember there being concrete steps, that must have come later? I saw the old sealion pool when it was brand new, I think 3 young male sealions were acquired for the show, and visitors sat on the steep grass bank looking down onto the pool.

The area was previously a sloping paddock for goats.

I wonder where the sealions were kept before that pool was built. It is interesting that their harbour seal pool dates back to before this time. It never occurred to me what a sensible decision it would have been to move the seals into this enclosure once Playa Patagonia was built. It seems totally pointless having two penguin groups of the same species.

...more importantly, the zoo still could, very easily, move the seals into this pool if they had the inclination.

Yep this sounds right. Keep watching out for developments in this area in the next few years

 

[bugs]

Does anybody know when sealions first came to the zoo and was there another pool previous to the one that got converted into the 'new' penguin pool.

In the late 80's to mid 90's I remember the sea lion show. There was wooden sloped seating (where the spider monkeys are now). I remember the three sealions Pat-Nea-Ago that were involved in the show, the thing I remember the most was them playing (with the help of the trainer) happy birthday on a flute!

 

[ZooLeopard]

The old sea lion pool was near to or was the Harbour seals current pool.

 

[adrian1963]

I posted earlier about Dudley Zoo but after visiting 19/03/10 I noticed a very large chunk of the zoo is very hilly and wooded with brambles and shubs, just a thought could they invest in a few species of deer and let them wonder over the hilly parts of the zoo.
Also I think they could use the bear ravine for a collection of Zebra or yaks I don't think much would have to be done to the enclosure to house either of these species

 

[Maguari]

i also think that Port lympne does, with the baboons

It's nice with the baboons by the entrance bridge but once you're through the actual entrance it's probably the worst bit of Port Lympne - so you either go right and round the back of some fairly grim buildings or left and you cross a road and go down a steep footpath.

It doesn't even feel like you're in a zoo until you've walked for 5-10mins - on the quiet day I was there it was the Aspinall feeling that you're not really supposed to be there!

(none of this should be taken as doing Port Lympne down - it's an excellent place!)

 

[sealion]

Oh, and the old penguin enclosure. I understand they removed the penguins from it because of attacks by neighbourhood foxes, but some glass could restore its function as an exhibit whilst maintaining its character. (I'm aware that the structure is listed). Its just beginning to look... tarnished and worn.

It was also because the concrete floor was bad for their feet/legs and the nesting holes were too close together.

 

[johnstoni]

...given the suspiciously low number of rockhoppers left at London, and the extent of the electric wire round the perimeter of the current penguin pool, I wonder if fox attacks are still an issue for them.

 

[sealion]

I wouldn't have thought foxes would have found it easy to get out of the lubetkin pool!

EDIT: On looking back at my photos (see gallery) the steps and ramp would have helped.

 

[adrian1963]

On my reply to this thread I did put in about the Chairlift at Dudley Zoo and to my surprise the other day in the local papaer I found this article
I don't think my comment had anything to do with it but here's hoping it comes off!

From the Express and Star

Dudley Zoo’s iconic chairlift could make a comeback under new plans to reopen the ride 10 years after it closed due to safety fears.
It transported visitors 125 feet up Castle Hill before being closed in 2000.
But Zoo board chairman David Sparks today said discussions to get the lift working again were under way.
“We need to get visitors to the top of Castle Hill and the chairlift is already there so it makes sense to use it.
“We haven’t drawn up any definite plans at the moment but it is one of the options we are discussing,” he said.
Chief executive Peter Suddock said it was one of the projects they were considering as part of the zoo’s ongoing improvement plan.
The chairlift was opened in 1958 by comedian Richard Hearne, who played the madcap character Mr Pastry and John Price, was one of the first to ride it.
The design is similar to those in ski resorts and one of three in the UK with the others in Derbyshire and the Isle of Wight.
Although there were no accidents, there were fears someone could fall out of one of the single-seat chairs or tamper with the mechanism.
The only restraint was a bar which was swung across the passenger’s lap. Families had to split up as parents with pushchairs could not take the chairlift and often children were taken up the steep ride sitting on their parent’s knee.
Plans to revamp the chairlift with cages instead of chairs to carry passengers were first mooted three years ago but never came to fruition.
Councillor Michael Evans, who sits on the zoo board, said: “It is a unique site and the chairlift will help boost its appeal.
“We have seen tremendous changes at the zoo over the last few years and we will certainly see more improvements in the future.”
Dudley Council recently unveiled proposals for a new link road between the zoo and the Black Country Living Museum.

I hope they can come to some arrangement about this as it's a feature that needs some attention and would look better in a working condition
I also asked about painting the Tecton Structures in there original colours but appartently this as to go forward and gain permission from English Heritage.

 

[Mr Saxon]

Ten changes I would make to Belfast zoo? Well...okay I have a huge idea, but it's only idea. So you said...yes realistic right then I'll think realistically....haven't done that in a while but I'll have a go.

Okay....Allons-y!

1) Replace some of the old animal signs with the newer more updated ones like the ones at the otters, tropical rainforst house and the aviary. I'll take pictures some time for comparison. The old ones have really outdated constervation statues etc.

2)Bring in a few new species into the avenue walk and get a few more visitors down there. Dorcas Gazelle or Barasingha mixed with the Bongos one or with the Sitatunga.

3) Also maybe build a few enclosures down there for small mammals or something like that and attract more visitors down there because thats an area the average, non-zoo nutters would miss and thats a real shame.

4) In regards to Floral Hall. I personally see it as an eyesore....IMO. So I would either
A) Knock it down and construct a crocodile or Caimain pool, where visitors can get real close to the reptiles without any danger.
2...no B) Refurbish the place, like replace windows, clear debris, good lick of paint. And turn the floral hall into something similar to the Tropical Rainforest further up the zoo. I was thinking it could be a nocturnal house for animals like bushbabies, Aye-Ayes, Bilbys, Owls, Hedgehogs, Black-footed Ferrets maybe even Tasmanian devils.
C or 3) A tropical aquarium or a British wildlife aquarium, giving visitors a better view into what lives in our British rivers and other animals that depend on the ecosystem.

5) Improve viewing in some exhibits such as the Tiger enclosure. A path between the Tigers and African Wild dogs would help people get closer to Kabus and his mate when she arrives. But cover the glass with some greenery netting or leaves, to reduce any possible stress. Also the Cheetahs exhibit viewing could be improved....hold one, I just had an idea, move the African Wild Dogs to the Cheetah paddock and move the Cheetahs down to the AWD paddock. I think it would suit each species better IMO as well as fit with the cat walk so it goes Tiger, Cheetah, Lion Whos a clever boy then?

6) Clean out the Pond that the ducks, Pelicans and Flamingos use. I see loads of junk that visitors have thrown, dropped, or blown into the water and it ruins the look of the place aswell as a possible threat to the occupants.

7) Round up those awesome little free-roaming Praire dogs and improve containment in their current enclosure, and also prevent visitors from climbing into the exhibit with them. The reason I want to rein in the free roaming ones is because I see people, mainly obnoxious teens or brain-dead parents picnicing (is that the right spelling, probably should be a K in there right?) beside them. I'm sure thats a nice wee atmosphere, but it really annoys me when they start feeding them, and dropping their wrappers or food down their burrows. Where their burrows are already, you could plant some flower beads and trees, and give the place a nicer look.

8) Replace the huge bird info board in the aviary with a more up-to-date one. Also add a few more species of bird in aswell. Shoebill, Nicobar pigeon, Himalayan Monal to name only a few I'd like to see. Also give the tunnel area of the walkway a good clean and dry out and plant some more plants and trees around the waterfall.

9) There are also a few empty exhibits dotted around the zoo that they could renovate, such as the one beside the warty pigs (have a faint memory of it containing emus, or rhea or some bird like that about ten years ago) and an exhibit beside the lions and opposite the red pandas (it has a small sleeping platform in it) that I thought the black footed cats would be introduced to. As I said, renovate them, then when a new species arrives at the zoo, the exhibit could be styled to the species habitat.

10) Rebuild the Mountain teahouse after some ****** burned it down for no reason. But make it a bit bigger and nicer furbishing

There we go, hope you like my ideas and if any Belfast keepers are reading, suggest them as some things that could be improved on

There goes two hours of my night!

 

[moloch gibbon]

Ten changes I would make to Belfast zoo? Well...okay I have a huge idea, but it's only idea. So you said...yes realistic right then I'll think realistically....haven't done that in a while but I'll have a go.

Okay....Allons-y!

1) Replace some of the old animal signs with the newer more updated ones like the ones at the otters, tropical rainforst house and the aviary. I'll take pictures some time for comparison. The old ones have really outdated constervation statues etc.

2)Bring in a few new species into the avenue walk and get a few more visitors down there. Dorcas Gazelle or Barasingha mixed with the Bongos one or with the Sitatunga.

3) Also maybe build a few enclosures down there for small mammals or something like that and attract more visitors down there because thats an area the average, non-zoo nutters would miss and thats a real shame.

4) In regards to Floral Hall. I personally see it as an eyesore....IMO. So I would either
A) Knock it down and construct a crocodile or Caimain pool, where visitors can get real close to the reptiles without any danger.
2...no B) Refurbish the place, like replace windows, clear debris, good lick of paint. And turn the floral hall into something similar to the Tropical Rainforest further up the zoo. I was thinking it could be a nocturnal house for animals like bushbabies, Aye-Ayes, Bilbys, Owls, Hedgehogs, Black-footed Ferrets maybe even Tasmanian devils.
C or 3) A tropical aquarium or a British wildlife aquarium, giving visitors a better view into what lives in our British rivers and other animals that depend on the ecosystem.

5) Improve viewing in some exhibits such as the Tiger enclosure. A path between the Tigers and African Wild dogs would help people get closer to Kabus and his mate when she arrives. But cover the glass with some greenery netting or leaves, to reduce any possible stress. Also the Cheetahs exhibit viewing could be improved....hold one, I just had an idea, move the African Wild Dogs to the Cheetah paddock and move the Cheetahs down to the AWD paddock. I think it would suit each species better IMO as well as fit with the cat walk so it goes Tiger, Cheetah, Lion Whos a clever boy then?

6) Clean out the Pond that the ducks, Pelicans and Flamingos use. I see loads of junk that visitors have thrown, dropped, or blown into the water and it ruins the look of the place aswell as a possible threat to the occupants.

7) Round up those awesome little free-roaming Praire dogs and improve containment in their current enclosure, and also prevent visitors from climbing into the exhibit with them. The reason I want to rein in the free roaming ones is because I see people, mainly obnoxious teens or brain-dead parents picnicing (is that the right spelling, probably should be a K in there right?) beside them. I'm sure thats a nice wee atmosphere, but it really annoys me when they start feeding them, and dropping their wrappers or food down their burrows. Where their burrows are already, you could plant some flower beads and trees, and give the place a nicer look.

8) Replace the huge bird info board in the aviary with a more up-to-date one. Also add a few more species of bird in aswell. Shoebill, Nicobar pigeon, Himalayan Monal to name only a few I'd like to see. Also give the tunnel area of the walkway a good clean and dry out and plant some more plants and trees around the waterfall.

9) There are also a few empty exhibits dotted around the zoo that they could renovate, such as the one beside the warty pigs (have a faint memory of it containing emus, or rhea or some bird like that about ten years ago) and an exhibit beside the lions and opposite the red pandas (it has a small sleeping platform in it) that I thought the black footed cats would be introduced to. As I said, renovate them, then when a new species arrives at the zoo, the exhibit could be styled to the species habitat.

10) Rebuild the Mountain teahouse after some ****** burned it down for no reason. But make it a bit bigger and nicer furbishing

There we go, hope you like my ideas and if any Belfast keepers are reading, suggest them as some things that could be improved on

There goes two hours of my night!

May I play Devil's advocate here Mr. Saxon? The Floral Hall is a listed building and can't be demolished. The cost to renovate it has been estimated in the last year or so to be in the region of £7 million. Plans ARE afoot to do something with it but it will be from external funding and will make the Floral Hall a separate entity from the Zoo. When this happens, the free-range Prairie Dogs will be moved on to other zoos - a bit of a pity as they are probably the publics' favourite animal because they can get close to them.

Re the Mountain Tea House; we should see a bigger and better building emerge from the ashes of here when the final plans have been dealt with (currently well under way).

Black-footed Cats wouldn't really be practical beside the lions as they really need to be kept in warm dry (away from damp) accommodation (we've found they don't do well health-wise outdoors - others are of course within their rights to disagree!!); equally, I'd imagine the BF Cats probably wouldn't be chuffed beside their larger cousins. I'm sure,however that they will go back on public display, but as they are doing so fantastically well breeding off-show - and with BF cats not numerous in Europe at the minute, we will keep them off-show for the foreseeable future.

Information signs gradually been replaced and updated after our recent rebranding (our poor education department must be seeing these in their sleep at night - or having nightmares!).

Re the avenue, well, there are plans afoot to give it a radical shake-up with some exciting new species, and indoor viewing for the public for a number of areas. The Zoo is also providing additional public viewing facilities around the main part of the Zoo. A number have already been completed: in the old Camel House (for the Visayan Warty Pigs), and for the Tree Kangaroo. New Callitrichid enclosures will replace the old ones near the Penguins; it's likely these will have indoor viewing windows too.

Currently though, we're awaiting the imminent arrival of a number of fantastic new primate species for Belfast. There's also a few other animal surprises planned for the not-to-distant future!

 

[kiang]

Currently though, we're awaiting the imminent arrival of a number of fantastic new primate species for Belfast. There's also a few other animal surprises planned for the not-to-distant future!

Don't you just love the hooks that are baited by zoochatters

 

[Mr Saxon]

Kiang: Yes I do!

MG: Thanks for those answers. Shame about the Floral hall though, would have been nicer as part of the zoo.

 

[Blackduiker]

Blackduiker

Los Angeles Zoo:

1.

Lose all the Round Houses: They've served their purpose and that ended in 1970; the current zoo opened in 1966. It's time to come into the 21st century with every species displayed in them and create the barless/wireless outdoor habitats our Southern California climate would welcome.

2.

Revamp all perimeter enclosures: The old rundown fencing is pathetic and needs to go! More natural barriers, even new fencing, camouflaged by lush vegetation, would help for starters. The current Greater Eland, Red River Hog, Ostrich, Calamian Deer, Steenbok, and just about everything else up there is atrocious! And this has basically been the case since they tried exhibiting Cheetahs up there, in the now greatly reduced hillside exhibit that last held Steenbok, way back when the zoo first opened. If nothing else, why not a large modern hillside aviary there for one of the zoos raptor species? With maybe an elevated viewing platform?

3.

Begin the first phase of the much talked about African section revamp: Sorely needed for the Lions, Giraffes, Bongos, Okapis, Gerenuks, Hippos, Giant Elands, and small primates. I'm talking about leveling virtually everything in existance their before Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains; including expanding the Campo Gorilla Reserve to its originally planned three enclosures, adding the mature trees that were promised. Including a large immersion, multi-species rainforest and large acreage Savannah. This would encompass the entire space from the upper Round Houses adjacent to the Chimpanzees, down to the current North American section, which could be relocated to the once proposed Swan Lake/Meerkat/Hillside area near the front entrance.

4.

A total redesign of the current South American section: After the completion of Rainforest of the Americas, this entire area should be redesigned for the remaining non-Rainforest occupants. Those suggested for state-of-the-art habitats would be Jaguars, Andean Condors, Maned Wolves, Mountain Tapirs, etc. Each with greatly enlarged space, lush vegetation, and natural barriers.

5.

An expansion of the Asian Rainforest: A complete overhaul of everything beyond the Francois' Langur habitat. This would include much enlarged habitats for the Sumatran Tigers and Indian Rhinos. Along with possibly reacquiring one of the Asian bear species; no longer housing the Hippos in this area, and moving the American Black Bears. And relocating the Markhors to the newly landscaped hillside habitats.

6.

Remodeling the Children's Zoo Cave: This cave space would once again become a showcase for live nocturnal animals. Possibly redesigned for several bat species.

7.

Relocate the North American section to the front of the zoo: Including a once planned California Condor Aviary in the 1990s master plan. It's a shame that one of the original pioneers in the breeding program to save this species from the brink of extinction, still has not put a single pair on exhibit for the public to admire. Though everywhere else they can be seen by the public. Isn't the same argument for exhibiting Elephants in zoos, "to acquaint the public to their plight" also true with this endangered treasure.

8.

Add a third walk-through aviary: A much enlarged, more modern aviary; increasing the number of birds displayed here.

9.

Bring Penguins back to the zoo.

10.

Seek more land for expansion in the surrounding area: As was supposedly set aside years ago. Possibly a second site in Griffith Park for Conservation breeding projects and open to the public. Some suggested species; Bonobos, Giant Pandas, Siberian Tigers, Peninsular Pronghorns, Chacoan Peccaries, Cheetahs, Polar Bears, Sumatran, Black and White Rhinos. Just to name a few.

But then again, what do I know?

 

[Pertinax]

(none of this should be taken as doing Port Lympne down - it's an excellent place!)

You might want to read the recent comments on the Port Lympne Gallery site(under Brown Hyaena and Barbary Lion Photos) on some impressions since the Park was reorganised over the winter.

 

[Pertinax]

Marwell;

1. A paddock access for the Black Wildebeest which have been confined to a sanded hardstanding yard since they arrived however many years ago now?

2. Proper series of perching/swinging ropes in the Siamang enclosure to allow them to use the enormous empty area high up.

Both talked about for some time now but I believe still no progress? (Unless these have been done recently of course)

 

[Maguari]

You might want to read the recent comments on the Port Lympne Gallery site(under Brown Hyaena and Barbary Lion Photos) on some impressions since the Park was reorganised over the winter.

Yes, not exactly encouraging reports from our Icelandic friend (an opinion I trust). I'll possibly be down in Kent in July and if so will take a look for myself, albeit with a sense of trepidation...

 

[Pertinax]

Yes, not exactly encouraging reports from our Icelandic friend (an opinion I trust). I'll possibly be down in Kent in July and if so will take a look for myself, albeit with a sense of trepidation...

I'm pretty put off going again now though I usually combine it with Howletts when I go there.

Perhaps this a case of 'changes your local zoo wasn't crying out for!