Basildon Zoo

J

Jacobea

Well-Known Member
I was flicking through an old Reader's Digest atlas of Britain yesterday and noticed a "Basildon Zoo" on the Essex page.

Anyone know anything more about this place? When did it open, when did it close? Why did it close? What it was like? Species held there? Photos, links?

Thanks :)
 
Basildon Zoo opened in the 60's and was then re-purchased it housed the basic zoo animals and closed about 7 or so years ago as the zoo was basically falling apart and it was being attacked by animal rights groups they where prosecuted for several things included the selling of their Lioness Carla without a lisencse.If you go onto the CAPS website its easy to find.
I have a few leaflets on Basildon Zoo i will dig them out and put a species list that i can get vaguely get from them in the years.
I will post more info soon,
Hope this helps you.
Regards
 
Ah the "lion steaks" zoo. Saw this on Britain's worst pet shop. They also said they would be obtaining tigers if the bloke buying the lioness was interested, even though it had been closed for ages.
 
Ahh i see youve heard of it before then that was a rather famous qoute from the owner when handing the lion over, I will dig some more info out soon Jacobea.
 
where did the lioness end up? I remember they had a leopard for sale in Cage & Aviary birds magazine years ago.
 
Someone undercover took her and she ended up at WMSP. It turns out that she was born at WMSP and Basildon had passed her off as another lioness with a different name.
 
Riziki said:
I will dig some more info out soon Jacobea.
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Cheers :) I had a feeling it must have been a horrible place, since it'd closed. I presume the zoo grounds themselves have been swallowed up by some god-awful housing estate (pols to any Basildon natives ;) ) ?

ashley-h said:
They also said they would be obtaining tigers if the bloke buying the lioness was interested, even though it had been closed for ages.
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I have a sneaking suspiscion that I saw this video (or a glimpse anyway). Poor lioness (poor all the animals) :(
 
is this the place that sold the puma to a channel 4 reporter also? They bought the puma and no where to put it then so they gave it to the late Pete James at santiago rare leopard collection.
 
this place was run as a pet shop / zoo. we took a few animals in from there over the years before it finall closed. i was 11 the first time i went, i kept asking my dad why we could not rescue more of the animals. he was called by the zoo when it closed, they wanted him to take the lion and leapord but we don't have anywhere near that kind of space, apparently both were going to be pTS if we didn't take them, then the next thing they were on TV.
I only went once but from what i remember they housed,
1 Squirel monkey, Coati mundi, brown lemur,leapoard,lion, jungle cat, 1 zebu, snowy and european eagle owl, a few reps, raccoons, 1 bush baby, carn't remember the rest i'm afraid.
 
Trigger said:
I only went once but from what i remember they housed, 1 Squirel monkey, Coati mundi, brown lemur,leapoard,lion, jungle cat, 1 zebu, snowy and european eagle owl, a few reps, raccoons, 1 bush baby, carn't remember the rest i'm afraid.
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S'ok :) Thanks. I'm surprised the likes of Colchester or London didn't step in to help, since neither are that far away.
 
I think it was a big risk at the time due to Animal rights to of helped out the park, Im not sure though i dont think it was a zoo others wanted to be apart of due to the Lion Steaks incident etc.
 
Vulpes said:
is this the place that sold the puma to a channel 4 reporter also? They bought the puma and no where to put it then so they gave it to the late Pete James at santiago rare leopard collection.
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It was dartmoor that sold the puma, does anybody know what happend to that puma after pete james died?

I went to basildon many times over the years, and have some pictures that i will try and dig out.
 
jacks zoo said:
It was dartmoor that sold the puma, does anybody know what happend to that puma after pete james died?

I went to basildon many times over the years, and have some pictures that i will try and dig out.
Click to expand...



I visited Pete james's place a couple of years back, just as he became ill. There was an adult feamle Puma there then, think she was getting on a bit. I belive (don't quote me) his wife took over.
 
Im pretty sure his wife took over the site but Peter Sampson the owner of Paradise Wildlife park which is about 30 mins away from Santago was helping them continue looking after the leopards with feeding and transporting etc.
Im pretty sure this is correct.
 
Riziki said:
Im pretty sure his wife took over the site but Peter Sampson the owner of Paradise Wildlife park which is about 30 mins away from Santago was helping them continue looking after the leopards with feeding and transporting etc.
Im pretty sure this is correct.
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Some of the cats have definitely been sold/returned to other collections: Exmoor (black leopard), no doubt cloudeds either back to Howletts or RSCC. Maybe some cats sent down to Paradise's cat collection in Kent?
 
Im pretty sure none have gone to Paradise's Wildlife Heritage Foundation as they mainly hold Tigers,Lions and Leopard and the Leopards came from other collections.
2 Pumas arrived last year how ever i dont know where they came from i think its a pretty firm possibility they came from Santago.But they are the only cats that would of come from there.
I will try and dig out some new info....
 
Riziki said:
Im pretty sure none have gone to Paradise's Wildlife Heritage Foundation as they mainly hold Tigers,Lions and Leopard and the Leopards came from other collections.
2 Pumas arrived last year how ever i dont know where they came from i think its a pretty firm possibility they came from Santago.But they are the only cats that would of come from there.
I will try and dig out some new info....
Click to expand...

The 0.2 Pumas at WHF came from Saltzburg. WHF also holds Serval, Lynx, Pallas Cat, Cheetah and Snow Leopard as well as two subspecies of Leopard, three of Tiger and Lions.
 
Thanks for that paradoxus i visited WHF last year for the second time as i know their female Tiger Indy, who i have adopted its a brilliant place.
 
Hi, I have just found out that the pony I own was imported from America to this zoo, I am after any info or pictures on him please. He is grey and white , small, I do have pictures but can't seem to post on here, if anyone used to work there it'd all be a great help, thanks x
 
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