Dartmoor Zoo Ben's Zoo (Dartmoor TV)

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kiruna

Active Member
Well, what did you think?
I'm amazed that noone has made any comments

please ve honest (I promise not to get grumpy!)

Cheers
A
 
I thought it was an excellent programme - definitly my 'TV highlight of the week', as Harry Hill would say!!! :D

Seriously, I really enjoyed it and found the whole story absolutely fascinating. I have so much respect for Ben, what he's done in buying the park is quite obviously madness - but its that rare kind of madness that is actually a very special thing, and that more people should have! I was also hugely impressed by how passionate the keepers shown were, it was good to see their emotions when the animals were suffering, and the statement that they used to pay for the animals' food blew me away.

I also couldn't believe just how run-down the zoo was... I honestly think Ben would have been better off starting from scratch in terms of simplicity. The state of the wolf pen was truly shocking and I'm amazed that the place had been allowed to get so bad when it was obviously inspected semi-regularly. I mean, things like that don't just become unsafe overnight, do they??

Looking forward to the next episode very much now. :)
 
I really enjoyed it too. How did they let the zoo get to that state?! I think it was a bit harsh showing the tiger shooting on the first episode. Although they didn't actually "show" it, I think it was a bit sad, and gave the animal activists who keep attacking the park a chance to have a field day! Still it's good that someone who realises the animals need vets etc has taken it on :-)
 
ashley-h said:
I really enjoyed it too. How did they let the zoo get to that state?! I think it was a bit harsh showing the tiger shooting on the first episode. Although they didn't actually "show" it, I think it was a bit sad, and gave the animal activists who keep attacking the park a chance to have a field day! Still it's good that someone who realises the animals need vets etc has taken it on :-)
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I personaly think its a bold move been open and honest that some times animals have to be shot if the zoo-antis start to have a go it will just show themselves as the fluffy woofy you have to keep the animal alive even though its in obvious pain idiots that they are.Having watched the programme i can see where you have improved it now because to be fair when i visited in July this year i was not impressed with what i saw,but i can now see alot of work has been done to improve it so far but as with any zoo still plenty of room for improvement.
 
We have years of work to do before we will be truly happy with the zoo, but we are proud of what we have achieved so far.
We no longer euthanase with firearms.
 
I am amazed that the previous owners obtained a zoo licence having seen the state of the enclosures. It is not fair to comment after only one programme but it seems as though a huge effort is being made to improve facilities. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
 
kiruna said:
We have years of work to do before we will be truly happy with the zoo, but we are proud of what we have achieved so far.
We no longer euthanase with firearms.
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Keep up the good work,i have no problem with any form of euthanasia being used as long as its done properly and by people who no what they are doing,but still say it was a bold move to include it on the programme so good on you for that,may even pay you another visit over the christmass period see what improvements you`ve made since july.
 
kiruna, r u the one and same Ben or are u an employee, it was good to see Bens dreams for the park, hope u get the giraffes and good luck 4 the future.
 
I caught last night's episode, so sad, I forgot how beautiful the landscape is though. Watching a Siberian tiger being carried out under anaesthetic to a van only to wake up and walk down the path was unreal, you must have been terrified. Were you not all furious with the vet after that?! When you guys were digging in the new wolf shelter, and mentioned how good it feels to actually make an enclosure better after being neglected so long, I know that feeling and it really shows how much everyone cares there. Have there been enough visitors so far? It's brave to fix all the problems before bringing it new animals or exhibits, hopefully its busy enough to support itself?
 
This program is fantastic, its great to see the challenge that goes on to run a zoo, let alone one that has been negelected by previous owners.

I wish them all the luck and hope its still going when am down that way next year so i can pop in.
 
I like the program its been years since I went to the zoo, one question I have to ask though is how was the bear allowed to get in such a state, with its claws I mean? not having a go just asking a question im sure others have wondered as well, it must of take months for it to get in that state, and that is blatent neglect.

Anyway the park seems to be on the up now, and good luck to all you guys involved I will definately be taking a trip down again sometime soon.
 
The claws were like that when the zoo was purchased.
It was one of the first things that we spent money on.
 
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