South Lakes Wild Animal Park A first time visit

Waddi said:
How Long have the Spider Monkeys been mixed in the "South American Animals & Asian Otters enclosure"

I seem to remember Coati and Capybara in this mixed enclosure, have they gone?
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Not sure about the Spider Monkeys. But saw no sign of the Coati. There was a pair of Capybara but they were enclosed in the dreadful indoor enclosures.
 
LeeMac13 said:
Not sure about the Spider Monkeys. But saw no sign of the Coati. There was a pair of Capybara but they were enclosed in the dreadful indoor enclosures.
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Thanks, come to think of it, I dont remember seeing and Coati on my last visit, but Coati x Speccy Bear was the original mix of this enclosure.
 
I can only say that the reviews and comments on this thread would certainly discourage any readers from visiting this facility.
Is there anything good about the place?
 
dublinlion said:
I can only say that the reviews and comments on this thread would certainly discourage any readers from visiting this facility.
Is there anything good about the place?
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When I went in January, I thought that the conservation talks about the tigers was pretty good (Sumatran and Amur) and well presented, albeit one of them seems to do a 'timeshare' in the enclosure with a jaguar. I also really liked the macaw collection they have and the fact some of them fly freely around the zoo, maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think the macaws their looked in good condition and seemed very cheerful. I am not saying it is great at all, there are several faults, but the above I feel are positives about the place. They do after all operate on a fraction of the costs of many other zoos in the UK, although this is no excuse for some enclosures present.
Also whoever said the train was dangerous, I totally agree, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
 
Pootle said:
Also whoever said the train was dangerous, I totally agree, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
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It was me who mentioned the train. I just can't see the point of it. Is it really just another way for the zoo to make money? It literally takes all of a minute to travel on the train which actually takes you no where apart from a few yards down a pathway then back again. The pathway incidently cutting right through a public pathway right outside the cafe and several other enclosures. As mentioned earlier in the thread due to the Lemur being free roaming as well as the Tamarins it is only a matter of time before either one of the animals or a person is injured by the train.
 
dublinlion said:
:):)
Well I would have hoped for a bit more than that. Is the entrance below standard too.
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Well a garden shed and a rusty gate isnt exactly glamourous not to mention the washed out Tiger picture which from a distance makes it look like a white Tiger.

Not to mention that you have to pay for a map :P
 
TARZAN said:
The public feeding the animals, I remember at London when Guy the gorilla died under the anesthetic while having dentistry done which was necessary due to tooth decay caused by the public feeding him, after which the feeding of all animals at London Zoo was banned. Here we are in 2012 and a zoo is selling food for the public to feed to the animals......
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I agree, in principle, with your views on visitors feeding animals although the details you provide are not strictly accurate.

The famous gorilla “Guy” died in 1978, but London Zoo actually banned all visitor feeding ten years prior to this is in January 1968. The ban was introduced because the African elephant “Diksie” died after falling into the moat in 1967.
 
Pootle said:
When I went in January, I thought that the conservation talks about the tigers was pretty good (Sumatran and Amur) and well presented, albeit one of them seems to do a 'timeshare' in the enclosure with a jaguar. I also really liked the macaw collection they have and the fact some of them fly freely around the zoo, maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think the macaws their looked in good condition and seemed very cheerful. I am not saying it is great at all, there are several faults, but the above I feel are positives about the place. They do after all operate on a fraction of the costs of many other zoos in the UK, although this is no excuse for some enclosures present.
Also whoever said the train was dangerous, I totally agree, it’s an accident waiting to happen.
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Thanks pootle, at least a few positives then.

re the train, I have found that these are poor in most zoos and are only useful for shortcuts or saving on walking.
In todays litigation and pc crazy world I would guess that they discontinued the trains in some zoos because of too many dodgy injury claims.

Is south lakes any way similar to Marwell or Howlets in their early days?
 
LeeMac13 said:
Well a garden shed and a rusty gate isnt exactly glamourous not to mention the washed out Tiger picture which from a distance makes it look like a white Tiger.

Not to mention that you have to pay for a map :P
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lol that sounds grim.
With so much adverse comment on this Zoo I am curious and will probably make a point of visiting to see it for myself.
 
dublinlion said:
lol that sounds grim.
With so much adverse comment on this Zoo I am curious and will probably make a point of visiting to see it for myself.
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If you shop at Tesco use your clubcard points to pay for you ticket rather than paying cash will make it feel less of a waste of money lol
 
LeeMac13 said:
It was me who mentioned the train. I just can't see the point of it. Is it really just another way for the zoo to make money? It literally takes all of a minute to travel on the train which actually takes you no where apart from a few yards down a pathway then back again. The pathway incidently cutting right through a public pathway right outside the cafe and several other enclosures. As mentioned earlier in the thread due to the Lemur being free roaming as well as the Tamarins it is only a matter of time before either one of the animals or a person is injured by the train.
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As somebody that over the years,has had more than a little involvement with Railways of varying gauges,from working on Steam special's on British Rail,and working as a driver on a Railway as the same gauge as the one at SLWAP.I think it is one of the most un-safe Railways in the country,as I'm struggling to think of any other minature Railway of this gauge that is in a zoo,that has no protective barrier to stop visitors from walking along the track,also I know for a fact that if a kid was to fall on the track within 6 foot of the train,coming towards them there would be no chance of the train stopping,before it hit the kid,I dread to think what injurys they would have if it did happen thats if they survived,and thats just from a minature train.
 
dublinlion said:
lol that sounds grim.
With so much adverse comment on this Zoo I am curious and will probably make a point of visiting to see it for myself.
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I think its a good idea for people to visit any place to make their own minds up.I heard many negative comments about the old Southport Zoo,so visited to see for myself and was surprised that I didn't think it was as bad as somepeople were making out,so yes visit and make your own mind up.
 
I'm in 2 minds about South Lakes, as a "Zoo Geek" I see the bad points, i.e the strange mix of animals in the south America paddock, but as a visitor a see the good points i.e the strange mix of animals in the south America paddock. lol

I can see all the accidents and incidents waiting to happen, but I'm sure David Gill can too and has risk assessed all those could happens.

I would highly reccomend visiting, its unlike any other zoo I have been to.

The only things I see really wrong are;

The Tapirs and Capybara need their own enclosure away from the bears.

The Amur Tiger and Jaguars need an enclosure each, instead of time sharing the one.

The young tiger that shares with the lions needs an enclosure of his/her own.

Drainage needs improving to stop the enclosures from turning into mud pits during poor weather.

Maybe this is all to come with the expansion.
 
LeeMac13 said:
Not sure about the Spider Monkeys. But saw no sign of the Coati. There was a pair of Capybara but they were enclosed in the dreadful indoor enclosures.
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Probably been eaten ;) the coati and capybara were certainly in the enclosure back in January. The spider monkeys have been added since, I think.
 
and if the Spider Monkeys are now in with the Bears etc, whats where the Spider Monkeys where?

Corner Primate house enclosure opposite the bears.
 
I've not seen the Coatis there since I first visited in 2008. I know they did use to house them but they don't/didn't last time I was there in November. I believe the Spider Monkeys are the two young females imported from Germany (Wuppertal?) last year they have access to the Bear/Tapir enclosure in the summer. The main group stay in their normal exhibit.
 
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