Be careful not to miss.....

S

Shorts

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I thought it might be useful to set up a thread highlighting those areas of various zoos which are easy to miss if you're unfamiliar with the zoo and taking obvious or recommended routes. i.e. those hidey holes and almost hidden alleys containing interesting species or just allowing us completists to see everything on offer.

I'll start with the following:

Twycross: Ground Cuscus in the passage/short cut between the smaller Chimp group enclosure (near the Malayan Tapirs) and the rows of enclosures for Chimps in 2's and 3's; Leaf Cutting Ants "in" the mirrors in the toilets of the entrance exhibit; Pets Corner, which is indicated on maps, etc. but is easy to miss as it's off the beaten track.

Blackbrook: Amphibian Room (starring Greater Siren) just off the cafe courtyard; Couple of mixed aviaries with Ibis in down path from newer aviaries (with Tawny Frogmouth) near entrance to waterfowl exhibits around the back of the entrance building; You can also see around the back of the fairly large mixed aviart (American Ibis, etc) on the right as you go up the entrance road) if you turn right after walking down to the sloping entrance of the Penguin exhibit.
 
Whats a great thread idea. I'll try to think of some, Africa Alives marsh loop is easy to miss housing Situanga, Lechwe and now I think Bongo. Nice large enclosure. I'll try to think of some more.
 
The Cabot's and Temminck's Tragopans at Chester, near the Giant Otter enclosure. These birds are crafty when it comes to hiding, but they are beautiful when you get to see them
 
The Lemur Lake at Jersey Zoo, where there are the Lac Alaotran Gentle lemurs. It is right at the far end of the zoo, and not many people bother making the effort to go there! Also, the tropical house at Cotswold, where there is also the Ground Cuscus, which people often ignore!
 
At port lympne, the Scottish Wild Cats along a pathway above the elephants. Also, I've never seen anyone else look here, at Howletts by the clouded leopards, there is a path the leads to a view of the elephant paddock, on the left you can get great views of more clouded leopards including some cubs, everyone walks past them, even if they see me taking pictures, surely they would take a look.
 
2 Primate houses at the back of the Discovery Centre at Dudley Zoo
These contain
Ring tailed lemurs (Females)
Black and white ruffed lemurs
Geoldis
Pygmy Marmoset
Emporoer Tamarins
Red ruffed lemurs
Mongoose lemurs
Sulwesi Macaques (quaratine)

There is also a viewing platform between the 2 houses to see the Red panda's if they in the top of the trees
 
I'd also add the dholes at twycross. Beautiful animals that relax if you stand quietly and are well worth a look. Especially later in the day when they are waiting for their tea and becoming more active
 
The Japanese serow at the HWP are easily looked over in the massive enclosure they share with the Japanese macaque, they tend to stay at the back of the enclosure on the other side of the lochan.
 
mazfc said:
I'd also add the dholes at twycross. Beautiful animals that relax if you stand quietly and are well worth a look. Especially later in the day when they are waiting for their tea and becoming more active
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Absolutely. If you miss the Dholes then you will almost certainly miss the wonderful Tufted Deer also.
 
kiang said:
The Japanese serow at the HWP are easily looked over in the massive enclosure they share with the Japanese macaque, they tend to stay at the back of the enclosure on the other side of the lochan.
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Thankyou for comfirming that information! I saw them on my visit, but they were so far away and I struggled to identify them! :)
 
Goretex said:
The Phillipine spotted deer at Colchester zoo.
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Given the rather erratic and counter-intuitive layout, about 40% of Colchester is easy to miss! :D

It would also be incredibly easy to miss the Black-backed Jackals, the Silvery Langurs, Chacoan Chachalacas... indeed pretty much anything in the older part of the zoo nearest the entrance.


Actually, the easiest thing to miss at Colchester is probably the Feathertail Glider exhibit in the back of one of the farm barns.
 
Maguari said:
Given the rather erratic and counter-intuitive layout, about 40% of Colchester is easy to miss! :D

It would also be incredibly easy to miss the Black-backed Jackals, the Silvery Langurs, Chacoan Chachalacas... indeed pretty much anything in the older part of the zoo nearest the entrance.


Actually, the easiest thing to miss at Colchester is probably the Feathertail Glider exhibit in the back of one of the farm barns.
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Well, I missed all of these and the Geladas on my visit to Colchester, and goodness knows what else, so yes I totally agree much of Colchester is easy to miss :)
 
I reckon I was still finding the odd, as yet unseen, exhibit in Colchester on my 4th or 5th visit, down some narrow path or cul de sac. The now gone seals were one. Embarrassingly, that also included Tembo (male elephant) who you'd imagine wouldn't be easy to miss ..... but with him permanently in the back paddock, it's entirely possible not to catch even a small glimpse of him in Summer when the trees between the two paddocks are in leaf. Back then I hadn't worked out that you could get a better - though hardly ideal - view by walking through pets corner (rabbits, horses) and up to the road train. Still think it's somewhat ironic that the largest animal in the zoo is so hard to see !!
 
I failed to see any elephants at all in Dublin Zoo, despite visiting twice in a week. Found the enclosure without any trouble, just couldn't find an elephant.
 
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