I thought this park was so irresponsibly run: No one guarding the free range lemurs, this mix of species (especially the 2 tapirs who seemed terrified), unsupervised walk in penguin exhibit, walk in vulture aviary, and one of the keepers left a huge anaconda on the floor and didn't even watch it whilst kids attempted to pick it up and touch it's head. A lemur jumped above it at one point, it went into an S bend to strike and scared the life out of the lemur. Something about that park I really didn't like.
On the day I went the 2 tapirs were as far away as they could get from the bears. When the male bear walked towards them one stood up and looked very worried
Also, on arrival at the park, a group of lemurs had made an escape and were heading for the pay booths, with a group of keepers in hot persuit.
Also, referring back to the tapirs, did you see their house - it had no windows!
It seems to me that South Lakes put different animals together and let them get on with it whether they really are compatable or not. Like the Hippos/Mandrills exhibit, this is another over-used paddock with too many animals using it so large areas of bare earth are showing. Compare it with the landscaped and heavily vegetated enclosures for Spectacled Bears at Chester/Jersey/Zurich, even Belfast. All far more natural for an endangered montane forest species.
This is horrible- a 'cheap' attempt at a mixed exhibit display which shows little respect for the animals' true environmental needs, which the owners/management of South Lakes should be ashamed of.....Don't they ever get any complaints about these overused enclosures? Probably the visiting public think its wonderful....
read the reviews about this place on google, they all say its wonderful, "excellent zoo, so much hands on" "great day out you can get so close to the animals". its comments like these that enable this monstrosity of a place to remain open, ignorance is bliss they dont see the bad just the cute animals, I was disgusted when I left, asked to speak to someone to complain to and they said no one was available! not even a comments book!
