Marwell Wildlife The Future

Yeah, tis a shame you didn't actually see the otters out. The enclosure's just fantastic, and it's wonderful to see them swimming speedily through such a large pool that few other collections will allow.
 
Ilove the new otter exhibit, the way you stand right over the pool is really good. When we went the otters were not swimming but were on the grass bank, we stood there for ages waiting for them to go in the water but we finally gave up.
 
I was just thinking actually, you know how the pond goes under the building and into the gibbon enclosure? can the otters swim under and use the gibbons side of the pond? Would be cool if they did, although i guess they would have to hotwire the pond.
 
sadly, no they cant i checked and there is a metal grill in the way, te only bit of the enclosure i dont like is the anoa paddock which is way too small in my perspective
 
Yes, I've seen them in the pond quite a few times now, and as I said it's fantastic to follow them swimming the entire length. Even better is when they come onto the rock at the end where the bridge get's nearer to the ground, so you get even closer to them.

And I think they were originally planning to put the gibbons and otters together, but decided against when they thought that the otters may become agressive towards the apes.
 
A wee bit small IMO compared to the otters, but the anoa seem content enough with it.

On my visit/OC meeting today, I got to try out Cafe Graze (brilliant Fish n Chips btw) but I've seen they've clearly developed the valley ready for when the animals move in. A large, brilliant waterhole has been dug in the centre of it, and I already saw ducks there when I went both at lunch and later on the tour with other club members. They've also cut down the row of trees that used to line the centre, giving the area a much more open feel. Apparentley they plan to start the short-term strategy of giving animals such as the giraffes access to the paddock early next year.
 
haha were the ducks the highlight of your visit? anything else you found out?
 
I dont paticuarly like the anoa enclosure
Hopefully, with the addition of the vally, they will expand the trail into somthing like Trail of the asian jungle. the current bits would stay the same, exept the anoas, that becomes an expantion from the otter exhibit. An expansion to the gibbon enclosure, with more vines, trees and gibbons. there will also be an enclosure for orangs. next on the trail will be a mixed exhibit for Anoa and Babirusa. After that will be enclosures for Sun bears, Sumartran tigers and Clouded leopards. After that you leave the 'rainforest feel' and it opens up into the vast swamp plains of India. The First Enclosures will be for Bengal tigers and Asiatic Lion, then comes an 'Asian Plains' exhibit. it includes Asiatic deer, Blackbuck, nilgai, Asiatic water buffalo, Guar and Indian Rhino. Oppasit to that enclosure is an Enclosures for Asian Elephants. Next will be enclosures for Dholes, Indian Leopards and Sloth Bears. Next the will be a walk-through aviary for asiatic birds, and then another Walk-Through aviary for indian flying foxes and finnaly, at the end exhibits for asian monkeys such as rhesus macacus
 
is this what you were told at the meeting?

i doubt life in trees will be expanded theres no room

and couldnt they put the otters with the anoas to make a bigger enclosure?
 
yes i no, but it is a possability, if they elliminate some other echibits as the creater the new biomes
 
No, I doubt Cat Man's theory would ever really happen. They want the zoo to represent global biomes and that would take up half the zoo, not leaving room for others.
It's a possibility, but I think giving the otters the two bits of land on either side of the pond and only a slice of the top bank would work better.
 
good idea dalek! didnt think of that, and also i dont think the anoa is very realistic either
 
I also think they should send off the two otters in the opposite enclosure (they are too closely related to be mixed with the main group) and give that space to binturongs. After all, it is the South-East Asian biome.
 
I dont think much to the new cafe (the graze)!

Not big enough, terrible accoustics very very noisy a couple of kids screaming was deafening in there, the outside seating is good but they have made the slatted fence surround to high so when they do have animals in the valley you wont be able to sit down and watch them!

I hope they also have a lower viewing platform for the animals or people are just gonna wander in and block any sort of view!

Lots of work going on with fencing etc when we were there!
 
- Yes, could be touched upon a bit, but I think the whole idea is it being an 'outdoor' restaraunt so you can watch the animals when they move in. Simon Cox, Head of Guest Services, said that they plan to build another terrace on the other side of the restaraunt.
- You can't blame Marwell for that, it's just something you have to put up with if you visit a popular attraction.
- OK, got me there too, but a viewing deck will be built below to enable full viewing of the valley, as you thought they should have. You can see the upchurned soil where this will be built.
 
Marwell Dalek said:
I also think they should send off the two otters in the opposite enclosure (they are too closely related to be mixed with the main group) and give that space to binturongs. After all, it is the South-East Asian biome.
Click to expand...

yes i dont understand why they brought in another pair of otters when they already had one, dalek do you know why?
 
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