The Lubetkin designs were pretty avantegarde for their time but not very suitable for animals I don't think. All the ones at London, Whipsnade & Dudley seem littered with faults, at least to our modern eyes.
I am going to Dudley in July, I have always been put off visiting before, following things I have read in the past but really want to see the Lubetkin buildings and the hunting dogs from Colchester (we miss them )
I have a been looking through Zoo A history of zoological gardens in the West (I am sure most of you have a copy ) most of the buildings look amazing, the exhibits and animals seem to be more of a status symbol.
Shame no one thought of animal conservation back then! They were either hunting them and stuffing/skinning them or sticking them on show.
Wonder what they will make of our efforts in the future of trying to preserve what we have left!
I haven't been for a number of years but I always used to find it that way in the past Even though they have tried to upgrade some of the exhibits it never seem to get past its surroundings somehow.
West Midlands I thought was okay for what it was- a commercial SafariPark with lots of 'white' carnivores and rather ugly backdrops to the reserves. The central hoofedstock animal paddocks are in attractive settings. I'd hate to go there on a busy day though.
West Midlands I thought was okay for what it was- a commercial SafariPark with lots of 'white' carnivores and rather ugly backdrops to the reserves. The central hoofedstock animal paddocks are in attractive settings. I'd hate to go there on a busy day though.
I've only been to WMSP once, in a 'two zoo' day coupled with Twycross. It was a midweek day -Twycross was heaving with Primary school groups in the morning- West Mids was thankfully really quiet in the afternoon- I'd absolutely hate to be in a traffic jam in those reserves.
To keep a link with Whipsnade- which despite having no Gorillas or large Primates other than Chimps, is probably my all time favourite UK zoo(I've been going there for decades!!)- I have never had a visit there spoiled by huge crowds of people- it just doesn't seem to happen. Every visit I've made there has been a pleasure.
Went to whipsnade yesterday and had a nose around at the elephant house! The windows down the front were all blacked out so couldnt see anything and the otherside was all fenced off but you can get a good view of the outside from all angles.
I was surprised seeing now (after seeing this picture of the insides) how small it is for 4 elephants!
The structure (to my untrained eye) doesnt look in bad nick its a real shame they cant open it so you could at least have a look inside.
Spent a lovely half hour watching the elephants being bathed out in theior paddock before there walk around the park - total contrast to how it must have been!
We are hopefully doing west midlands on the friday and Dudley on the saturday (and possibly back to west midlands in afternoon) and twycross on the way home so hopefully west midlands will not be to busy on the Friday
