Welsh Mountain Zoo WMZ News 2012

never took the wind exposure in to account.

what about the lawn opposite the reptile house?

would really like to see Jake in a nice new enclosure
 
Waddi said:
never took the wind exposure in to account.

what about the lawn opposite the reptile house?

would really like to see Jake in a nice new enclosure
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Im afraid that area is going to be used for the new reptile house as im sure you may well know.

It would be great indeed to see Jake and his mrs in a new enclosure, but as i mentioned earlier, they are getting their enclosure extended this summer by a good 5 or so meters into the concrete area where the two benches are near the polecats. im not sure that thsi will please all of Zoochatters, but its better than nothing :) an extra 25% or so cage space, it should work out as.
 
what about the camels down to the horse paddock to create a mixed exhibit and the old camel enclosure transformed for the Gibbons
 
Waddi said:
what about the camels down to the horse paddock to create a mixed exhibit and the old camel enclosure transformed for the Gibbons
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I understand that the childrens farm will be moving to the area where the camels are at present once theyve been moved down to the largest paddock.
 
I received my zoo association newsletter the other day and there are now two Military Macaws in the flying displays as well as the Blue and Yellows! Another marvel at this wonderful place - you don't get that at Chester!!!!! (Sorry, couldn't resist that.) I want to go to Colwyn Bay!!
 
OrangePerson said:
You ought to try, it's rather tiresome!
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Seconded!

We get that, against the majority of people, you don't like Chester. That's your (ParrotsAndrew) opinion and you're fully entitled to it. The debate's been had, elsewhere, with both sides laying out their opinions and reasons and ultimately (effectively) agreeing to differ.

It'd be a different matter if you were rambling on about something substandard about Chester (as people are wont to do about certain collections/enclosures) but it's really down to the fact that it's not to your personal taste or vision of a zoo. We all have idiosyncrasies when it comes to what we like in zoos/enclosures/species but they're sometimes (often?) unique to the individual and once you've stated your position (and initially discussed/debated it) there's little more to be said and little point "hammering it home".
 
Having resolved to be less controversial, I've tried to steer clear of comments about Chester this year (actually I've made very few posts of any kind for the last few months) - that must be one of very few and it was only a little joke. I did think long and hard about making it before doing so tongue in cheek. The main point of my post was to express my excitement at the prospect of seeing Military Macaws swooping over North Wales. It looks like I must be the only person to be excited though. Is no one else as enthusiastic about parrots as I am? The parrot collection is probably the main reason I love the Welsh Mountain Zoo so much, plus the fact that the collection as a whole is the sort of size I like - and it is by the seaside (I am a confirmed seaside addict).
 
Welsh Mountain Zoo

I'm with Parrotsandrew -- free-flying macaws are always worth seeing, whether trained or simply living at liberty. Militaries, while no more beautiful, make a nice change from the three relatively common large species. I really miss Rode [which I don't think ever had Militaries, or not free-flying ones anyway].
 
FBBird said:
free-flying macaws are always worth seeing, whether trained or simply living at liberty.

I really miss Rode [which I don't think ever had Militaries, or not free-flying ones anyway].
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If you've seen them (or film of) flying over the Forest canopy in the Wild, I think free-flying/liberty/bird shows is the only decent way to keep Macaws and offers the nearest thing to a full life they can have in captivity. Decent sized aviaries are a poor second, while I hate seeing feather-clipped ones confined to a few branches or perches. I think places like Colchester, Longleat and even Cotswold still display them like that.:( The only thing worse than that is pet ones confined largely to prison-like steel cages.

I don't think Rode had Military Macaw, I cannot remember them there.
 
WMZ does (I say "does" as sadly I have not managed a visit for a while, but I presume they are still there) have the clipped hybrids "Frosty" and "Jazzy" on an extensive climbing frame, but there is a notice explaining why they are kept this way (one is disabled I recall), so in their case I am happy enough - actually I love those two birds. A few years ago Flamingo Land had a pair of Umbrella Cockatoos that previously had been in an aviary displayed on a climbing frame, which I did not like and was amused when they chewed their thatched shelter to bits (not a surprise though). Much as I say I am an enthusiast for old style zoos I have no desire to see Parrots chained to stands! I too have my doubts about large Macaws as pet birds although I do sneak a look at a Scarlet in a house in Malton near to where I catch the bus to Flamingo Land. I loved the free-flying Macaws at Rode, particularly seeing Green-wings high above the trees - happy memories. With the spectacular scenery around the WMZ the Macaws in the bird displays are (I just typed "ara" by mistake!) a sight to behold.
 
On several visits to Jersey I was a bit surprised to see a pair of Blue and Golds (or a Blue Gold and a 'Red' macaw) obviously wing-clipped out on a 'tree' near the entrance. I wouldn't have expected that at Jersey. Don't know if they still have them like that.
 
Pertinax said:
On several visits to Jersey I was a bit surprised to see a pair of Blue and Golds (or a Blue Gold and a 'Red' macaw) obviously wing-clipped out on a 'tree' near the entrance. I wouldn't have expected that at Jersey. Don't know if they still have them like that.
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in one of his books (Menagerie Manor perhaps) Gerald wrote about a pair of macaws that were kept wing-clipped out in the open, until one day a particularly obese woman sat on one of the macaws as they sat on a low wall and killed it....
 
Welsh Mountain Zoo

Re Macaws at Jersey; they have had no macaws of any species for many years. Flight-restricted macaws were there in the days when this was much more acceptable. They do not even have pinioned ducks any more -- all are full-winged in aviaries apart from two elderly Shelduck. Flamingos and cranes are otherwise the only flight-restricted birds on site.
 
Welsh Mountain Zoo

Addition to my last post; Durrell's Red-breasted and Swan Geese are also pinioned.
 
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