I'm not suggesting that at all. I'm simply saying that the substrate may have appeared important, as it alleviated their boredom; I've seen naturalistic sun bear exhibits where the bears don't dig.
Isn't the entire conservation centre only a few acres in size? For those of you that have visited, what would be the most spectacular exhibit at the zoo?
In all honesty with 15 years zoo keeping experiance, none of them!
I have spoken out about this place in the past, and I'm pleased its bland, uninspiring, boring tiny enclosures are being shown to users of this forum.
If you go on google earth and type in the postcode / ZIP code CT130DG and zoom in you will see the zoo.
I wanted to like the place I really did, but after 2 hours I had to leave a very disapponted person, stock list is amazing, enclosures and facilities terrible!!
Rather then continuing to invest in this site the owner should be looking at a bigger more appropriate site, perhaps trying to acquire wingham wildlife park not far from the exisiting site.
I think there is land he can expand onto, but he just doesn't want to apparently. The collection needs the extra space though, even if it was only another half acre.
And I'd say the best enclosure was the Gibbon's, but even that was a bit low roofed and lacked climbing structures. And the Clouded leopard enclosure was ok, although it doesn't look very big on my photos and that also lacked climbing opportunities.
I did like this place, but I think the sun bears were maybe a step too far. Should have expanded this place before they got them.
Doesn't it sound great when I say I can't remember it all ? It's not on the website either, great.
But I think they're supporting an Asian rescue centre (hence the sun bears), and they're also doing something for Madagascar, didn't take a pic of the sign though, so I can't remember.
They also mentioned possibly returning any sun bear cubs they breed to the wild, but I doubt that would happen. Would be good if they did though.
Firstly I have worked in the zoo industry for a number of years and have visited over 100 zoos to date around the world. I visited the RSCC last week and worked along side there staff for a couple of days. I must say that I really enjoyed the place and would rate it as one of the best small zoos in the country. The owner and keeping staff have put a great deal of time and money in developing the zoo. There are indeed areas that are due for renovation like the rainforest house area but what they have done with the small outside area is very nice. In regards to the sun bear and tapir enclosures I will happily give my professional opinion.
The sunbear enclosure is actually larger than a number of ones i visited in australia and the bears seemed in very good shape and where extremely active, anyone who knows anything about keeping bears in a smaller grassed enclosure in the uk in winter will know that grass will get destroyed. The tapir paddock is more than adequate again if you can compare it to that of san diego it is more than double the size. The enclosure will indeed however increase when the zoo expands.
The zoo supports alot of conservation projects insitu for clouded leopards, sunbears, cambodian wildlife, rare lemur consortium and sri lankan golden palm civet project to name a few! so they do a hell of alot compared to alot of other small zoos.
Collection wise they work with alot of interesting species, the smooth coated otters may be the only ones in the country but the zoo plans to import further pairs to establish this vunerable species in captivity, indeed belfast in first on the list to receive they next pair. The owner has alot of passion which is a very important thing in the zoo industry.
So for all those critics who feel they can rate a zoo on a few photos please visit the place, ask some questions and keep an open mind, sometimes suggestions of improvements are very welcome thing from well educated and knowledgeable people with similar passion, also please remember rome wasnt built in a day and no zoo is perfect!
Ah so it was you i saw there lol.
I agree with everything you just said, some of the enclosure were a bit small but none were unacceptable (except maybe the Ocelot and indoor gibbon cages).
When are they going to refurbish the rainforest?
