UK enclosure breaches
- Thread starter Mr T
- Start date
why? Zoochat is only a "pro-zoo" site in that the members are all zoo enthusiasts. That doesn't mean that only "good" things can be said about zoos. It is for discussing all aspects of zoos.
In NZ all escapes and incidents have to be reported to the relevant authority (MPI in this case) - I assume the same would be applicable in the UK. Anybody can obtain the records to see what breaches have occurred; in fact in the case of NZ zoos the annual reports are available on the internet.
Couldn't agree more. If we can't accept that zoos have faults, we're no better than those who can't accept they have benefits.
overread
Well-Known Member
Plus open discussion of the facts is better than suspect speculation and many bits of info are often publicly accessible but not easily known about. Thus discussions like this can reveal new insights to people who otherwise might have no idea how to go about obtaining such information (accepting that zoos, in part, are commercial ventures and thus are not going to want to shout about their mistakes or failings).
I've now remembered because of it coming up on time hop that 7 years ago today me and my family were evacuated from Chester Zoo because the chimp escaped into the kitchen. There were rumours going around that they had swam across the moat....
Gigit
Well-Known Member
In the early 2000s, orangutan Theodora climbed out of the enclosure at Twycross. She'd been collecting stones to build a 'ladder' against the wall and had been making fingerholds between the bricks further up. She sat on top of a zoo vehicle nearby for a while but the cries of her daughter, Satu, made her climb back into the enclosure. Sadly, I didn't witness this but was told about it by a keeper. As an orang fan, what I love about this, in view of its happy ending, is that she planned it all in advance. They made sure that there weren't any stones lying around afterwards (the orangs had also been taking them indoors to crack the windows).
Orangutans do seem to be good at escaping because of their ability to think and plan but they do seem, in the incidents I've heard of, to mostly go back either of their own accord or with due bribery and persuasion.
There was Babu the red panda from the Birmingham Nature Centre
BBC NEWS | UK | England | West Midlands | Missing red panda spotted in tree
BBC NEWS | UK | England | West Midlands | Missing red panda spotted in tree
littleRedPanda
Well-Known Member
One of the baby ring tailed lemurs was in the trees on the wrong side of the fence when I left today. I'm surprised this doesn't happen quite often when it's busy (loads of school trips today)
Forgot to say, Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Forgot to say, Yorkshire Wildlife Park
A very recent UK enclosure breach: Lynx on the loose in Devon after escaping from Dartmoor Zoo
overread
Well-Known Member
Why is it when certain animals are earmarked for reintroduction they seem to get a spike in escaping from zoos 
*totally tongue in cheek post - esp since many cases those escapes happen will in advance of any reintroduction and some - like the wild boar - without even any plans on the table for reintroduction before escaping)
*totally tongue in cheek post - esp since many cases those escapes happen will in advance of any reintroduction and some - like the wild boar - without even any plans on the table for reintroduction before escaping)
He used to escape pretty regular through the trees over hanging the enclosure,
I was there on 3 occasions when he was just outside the enclosure.
Wonder how long before one of the Tamarins get the idea to jump from the roof of the indoor viewing area onto the path outside.
I think some animals escaped from South Lakes, but the word from management is that everything is fine. Nothing to see here...
Truth is that every zoo has escapees, but usually they are recaptured quickly, not high profile/dangerous and not leaked to the media.
Truth is that every zoo has escapees, but usually they are recaptured quickly, not high profile/dangerous and not leaked to the media.
Absolutely, well said.
I don`t really see the point in adding any of the ones I know about.
They happen in zoos, for variety of reasons, quite commonly, but there isn`t really any value in discussing it, or anything to be gained from going over it all here.
I also think that many bird escapees are not reported as they are considered not to be a danger to the public.
Over the years there have been too many to mention but 3 years ago we did have a European Eagle Owl in our area for about 2 months before it was recaptured.
Over the years there have been too many to mention but 3 years ago we did have a European Eagle Owl in our area for about 2 months before it was recaptured.
Isn't there a bit of an argument that all of the original free-ranging Eagle owls in the UK are descended from escapees, despite the fact they could conceivably cross the North Sea/Channel?
overread
Well-Known Member
I believe I've heard that same argument as well although never looked into it to see if there's much fact behind it
I have heard this said on many bird trips but the problem with escapee birds is that unless they are reported correctly then unfortunately we will never know.
Many UK bird species are said to have been originally from escapee species but we will never know.
I do know that the more endangered species of Owl or for that matter any species of bird are now or have been ringed in the past so as to be able to say they are original species or not.