Belfast Zoo Belfast
- Thread starter Chris79
- Start date
yes i'd love to hear them too!
i look after that area of the zoo and is indeed a quiet area. although next year we will be starting our bongo experience, where public will have the ability to come and hand feed our growing herd and donate towards insitu consevation. In the bottom paddock we are currrently exhibiting mixed bachelor group of nile lechwe, blesbok and sitatunga which will hopefully be joined by some ostrich later in the year. Lots of ideas of new species are alwayas being thought of but as with many zoos it comes down to money and resources! I would love a big cat species perhaps a leropard down there, drill and pygmy hippo! all which havbe been talked about at one time or another. i'd love also to mix yellow backed duiker, wattled cranes and ground hornbills with the bongos! i can but dream for the time being!
i look after that area of the zoo and is indeed a quiet area. although next year we will be starting our bongo experience, where public will have the ability to come and hand feed our growing herd and donate towards insitu consevation. In the bottom paddock we are currrently exhibiting mixed bachelor group of nile lechwe, blesbok and sitatunga which will hopefully be joined by some ostrich later in the year. Lots of ideas of new species are alwayas being thought of but as with many zoos it comes down to money and resources! I would love a big cat species perhaps a leropard down there, drill and pygmy hippo! all which havbe been talked about at one time or another. i'd love also to mix yellow backed duiker, wattled cranes and ground hornbills with the bongos! i can but dream for the time being!
Hi,
Have just joined the forum - grew up in Belfast and now based in London. Belfast is still one of the best zoos I've ever been to. Agree that the area at the bottom of Belfast Zoo has lots of potential - I reckon London Zoo would kill for that kind of space! My own view is that it would take the likes of a big cat or pygmy hippo to get many people to visit it - it's so quiet largely because you have to go back on yourself to see the rest of the zoo, which can be done in a circuit.
Have just joined the forum - grew up in Belfast and now based in London. Belfast is still one of the best zoos I've ever been to. Agree that the area at the bottom of Belfast Zoo has lots of potential - I reckon London Zoo would kill for that kind of space! My own view is that it would take the likes of a big cat or pygmy hippo to get many people to visit it - it's so quiet largely because you have to go back on yourself to see the rest of the zoo, which can be done in a circuit.
Mr Saxon
Well-Known Member
Well it would definatly be easier to be able to show you, like being at the zoo and actually showing ya. Anyway I'll give it a shot.
We all know of the main path leading to that part yeah? Well at the very end, where it curves down you could and another path going up through to join the path that takes you through the lemurs free-roaming area. The bottom area leads to the cafe. That way you don't have to double back and can go straight up to the lemurs. I obviously have no idea what this would do to the lemurs, by adding a new path I'm curious to know would they start exploring down there or have they already been down there and it's is of no interest?
Another one is the thin small path near the start of the main path. It leads directly to the Tapirs and winds down through loads of overhanging trees. Well
A) I'd like to see that as a walkthrough area for some sort of small, harmless monkey. Like the lemurs, except they'd be restricted.
B) Or an exhibit on the other side that "connects" somehow to the Tapir exhibit. A form of deer or antelope that can socilize with the Tapir. I know Tapirs are solitary mostly but I don't think they'd be really annoyed with it.
C) An exhibit that doesn't connect. This could be done up and widened (not sure how big it could be) and place animals such as Rhino, hippo or pygmy hippo. Or possibly a monkey or ape such as the orang-utans or a bit cat like a snow/leopard.
D) Or just clear away all the trees and place several info boards around. The easy option
I have other ideas aswell for the zoo such as the little empty exhibit between the maned wolves and lions. Are the black-footed cats going there?
We all know of the main path leading to that part yeah? Well at the very end, where it curves down you could and another path going up through to join the path that takes you through the lemurs free-roaming area. The bottom area leads to the cafe. That way you don't have to double back and can go straight up to the lemurs. I obviously have no idea what this would do to the lemurs, by adding a new path I'm curious to know would they start exploring down there or have they already been down there and it's is of no interest?
Another one is the thin small path near the start of the main path. It leads directly to the Tapirs and winds down through loads of overhanging trees. Well
A) I'd like to see that as a walkthrough area for some sort of small, harmless monkey. Like the lemurs, except they'd be restricted.
B) Or an exhibit on the other side that "connects" somehow to the Tapir exhibit. A form of deer or antelope that can socilize with the Tapir. I know Tapirs are solitary mostly but I don't think they'd be really annoyed with it.
C) An exhibit that doesn't connect. This could be done up and widened (not sure how big it could be) and place animals such as Rhino, hippo or pygmy hippo. Or possibly a monkey or ape such as the orang-utans or a bit cat like a snow/leopard.
D) Or just clear away all the trees and place several info boards around. The easy option
I have other ideas aswell for the zoo such as the little empty exhibit between the maned wolves and lions. Are the black-footed cats going there?
For those interested, here is a page from the Belfast site showing a few drawings of the new reception and entrance area.
Belfast City Council. Belfast Zoo. New reception area.
Belfast City Council. Belfast Zoo. New reception area.
Vulpes
Well-Known Member
I think down that walk should be turned into a congo forest area. move the gorillas, bongo and red river hogs down bring in okapi and mandrill and even try a few pygmy hippos, there is a stream runs down through there if my memory serves me right divert this into the hippo pool, could even put up a leopard enclosure. would be cool. perfect place for it too!
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Its was the best Polar Bear enclosure that i had seen in the U.K and most certainly the biggest,and was not a concrete pit.Please don`t comment on things you haven`t seen with your own eyes.
Mr Saxon
Well-Known Member
MD it is nowhere near that
It is a large exhibit and very well done (Only critical thing is that the bloody guests stop chucking their rubbish in the beautiful pool) with alot of logs to climb and areas to lie in the shade.
When were the polar bears moved again? I remember them but only when I was very young and only the once so....
It is a large exhibit and very well done (Only critical thing is that the bloody guests stop chucking their rubbish in the beautiful pool) with alot of logs to climb and areas to lie in the shade.
When were the polar bears moved again? I remember them but only when I was very young and only the once so....
They were moved at a time when we had only two females and a new enclosure was being built for the species in holland. It was decided that we would concentrate on the smaller neotropical species such as the spectacled and sun bears. The existing enclosure is indeed very large and more than adequate if we had decided to continue with the species.
Hi Al,
Perhaps you can elaborate on recent comings and goings?
I see from ISIS listings the female Mhorr gazelle has departed?
Was it Madrid Zoo in the end?
Re: the elderly elephants' home. What is the rumour re Hannover's Jenny and Dunja coming to join the 2 elderlies already in residence at Belfast?
What about news on the tree kangaroos?
Cheers,
K.B.
Perhaps you can elaborate on recent comings and goings?
I see from ISIS listings the female Mhorr gazelle has departed?
Was it Madrid Zoo in the end?
Re: the elderly elephants' home. What is the rumour re Hannover's Jenny and Dunja coming to join the 2 elderlies already in residence at Belfast?
What about news on the tree kangaroos?
Cheers,
K.B.
Any news about the francois langurs? ISIS lists 0.5 since at least a year or more and should be correct if I remember right. Surely Belfast wants to start breeding this species again? Are the 2 males in Twycross or the 2 young males in Rotterdam related to the Belfast group? While an unrelated male would be best, I think inbreeding is better then no breeding and given how rare these langurs are, I really really hope Belfast will get a new male soon!!!!
Hi All,
I dont have a date of the top of my head but know the polar bears have been gone for more than 10 years.
The mhorrs gazelle is now at Woburn safari park with the two males from twycross.
Our tree kangaroo female is doing well and will be out of quarantine soon. No male as of yet , may be abit of a wait!
We will receive a new male francois soon which will bring much needed new blood to the population. Other females should also be available within the next year also!
The two black-footed cat kittens are nearly six weeks old and are both female!
We recently receioved a young male sloth from antwerp to pair with our female.
Two male northern helmetted currasows arrived from stuttgart tonight!
I dont have a date of the top of my head but know the polar bears have been gone for more than 10 years.
The mhorrs gazelle is now at Woburn safari park with the two males from twycross.
Our tree kangaroo female is doing well and will be out of quarantine soon. No male as of yet , may be abit of a wait!
We will receive a new male francois soon which will bring much needed new blood to the population. Other females should also be available within the next year also!
The two black-footed cat kittens are nearly six weeks old and are both female!
We recently receioved a young male sloth from antwerp to pair with our female.
Two male northern helmetted currasows arrived from stuttgart tonight!