I think ZSL should have kept out of this. Their chirping up will not alter DEFRA's decision to go ahead with the cull. At most, this press release can but serve as a PR exercise - though I'd forecast one of limited effect.
ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2013
- Thread starter Newzooboy
- Start date
ZSL is a scientific conservation focused charity, on what basis should they have kept quiet?
I agree. Being that they are a scientific conservation organisation, I'd be more disappointed if they didn't release something about it, even if it does little good. At least they acknowledged this.
~Thylo
The only thing that's wrong with the ZSL statement is that it's at least a year too late. Of course it will only have a limited effect - when was the last time that rational argument had any effect on a Tory backwoodsman?
Alan
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Completely agree. This Government doesn't give a stuff about the environment. It is riddled with landowners and their fellow-travellers and has repeatedly shown that it won't back wildlife against any commercial interests. Not that I have much faith in Labour on that front either.
You can also say that Whipsnade, Marwell, Woburn and the Aspinal parks are all a similar distance to the centre of London as Colchester is. They indeed all come at London from different directions. Of all of these surely Whipsnade, (London's companion) is the nearest.
I would also say that Paradise park is only a small collection and is not the same sort of thing as any of these other places. Chessington is a theme park the zoo is merely an added extra.
Finally with the tube if you are in London it must be fairly easy to get to the zoo I suppose once you're slightly out of London it changes........
You can now get closer to penguins and giraffes with these 'VIP encounters'.
Meet the... VIP encounters
Meet the... VIP encounters
I've just finished the London zoo academy, an 8 day course at the zoo for 15-17 year olds. Having done it I can safely say I'd recommend it to anyone (especially as it's far better value for money than doing the keeper for a day). If anyone wants to know the sort of things the group of us did, ask away.
Ps: I've also found out, through doing the course (this is just personal, I don't know if anyone else knew, you probably did) where the gentle lemurs are! I didn't have a clue where they'd gone, but yesterday (the last day of the course) I finally saw them in their off show enclosure in the Clore.
Ps: I've also found out, through doing the course (this is just personal, I don't know if anyone else knew, you probably did) where the gentle lemurs are! I didn't have a clue where they'd gone, but yesterday (the last day of the course) I finally saw them in their off show enclosure in the Clore.
Don't suppose you got to see how the aye-ayes were doing? 
it strikes me as a great shame that 50% of the individuals found in the UK are offshow with no plans to put them back onshow, and with seemingly no luck in breeding them.
it strikes me as a great shame that 50% of the individuals found in the UK are offshow with no plans to put them back onshow, and with seemingly no luck in breeding them.
Don't suppose you got to see how the aye-ayes were doing?
I didn't see them. They're off-show in the Clore. I was told that they're very nervous with visitors, which is odd, since I used to see them every time I went in the round house. Didn't see them or find out much else about them.
But yes, it's a great shame.
Just remembered: it's the male that's especially shy. FYI, it's one of the first things I asked about on the course
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Don't suppose you got to see how the aye-ayes were doing?
Real shame about the aye-aye situation. Are there really only 2 others in the UK? I only saw one at Bristol the other day, but thought they had more and WMSP had one?
Bristol, as far as I am aware, have 1,1 Aye-aye. Unfortunately the elderly individual at WMSP died a while ago.
Thanks, sorry i obviously haven't paid enough attention to the WMSP threads, or if i saw it i forgot. I do have the excuse of never visiting there too.
I've never visited either; I just recall being told about the animal having died last time zoogiraffe and company visited the collection.
Something else I found out (don't know if anyone was aware), but the lions are getting the Tiger Territory treatment, as well as the other species round the big cat terraces likely to get a refurbishment too. The old tiger enclosure is likely to form part of it once the hippos move to Into Africa. 2016 is the expected completion date I was told.
Welcome news + I do hope several other species of the Subcontinent may be immersed into the entire experience / treatment.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
Not good news IMHO. The Lion Terraces are perfectly usable for carnivores smaller than Lions. The latter could be rehomed on the Mappin Terraces, currently nearly empty - and I suspect that latter exercise might be cheaper, as well as giving the Mappins a high-profile species that its proportions need.
London Zoo is in danger of permanently excluding species that, whilst not box office, fall into the category of animals that a zoo of its reputation should possess. A large cat species other than Lion and Tiger, two or three small cat species, one or two smaller species of bear; most quality European zoos of London's size would hold these.
For these to go in favour of Nilgai (which were allowed to die out at Whipsnade) and Chital really would be a shame as far as I'm concerned
London Zoo is in danger of permanently excluding species that, whilst not box office, fall into the category of animals that a zoo of its reputation should possess. A large cat species other than Lion and Tiger, two or three small cat species, one or two smaller species of bear; most quality European zoos of London's size would hold these.
For these to go in favour of Nilgai (which were allowed to die out at Whipsnade) and Chital really would be a shame as far as I'm concerned
The Mappin Terraces aren't nearly empty by any measure. The addition of kangaroos and some grass makes quite a good display.
I think we always knew that this was going to happen. The lion terraces are looking pretty tired and scruffy with a mish mash of species - including only servals as a carnivore other than lions - at the moment. I'm looking forward to seeing the plans.
I think we always knew that this was going to happen. The lion terraces are looking pretty tired and scruffy with a mish mash of species - including only servals as a carnivore other than lions - at the moment. I'm looking forward to seeing the plans.