Best and Worst Closed Zoos/Bird Gardens

One of the collections I realy miss is the Dierenpark Wassenaar in the Netherlands. The enclosures were not all of the present-day standards but evenso it realy was a gem among the zoos in Europe and the species kept ..... wow !
Among the worst collections I've visited and which is now luckily closed is the Limburgse Zoo - Zwartberg / Genk in Belgium !
 
This isn’t a “zoo” that has closed, but the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston had bear cages from many years ago that are abandoned in the woods near the zoo. I believe if you go to the woods, you can see the ruins of the cages.
 
Another much missed collection from the Netherlands is the old Emmen Zoo - Noorder Dierenpark. This park was realy world-class esp. in its education !
 
Hi, sorry it's a bit late, but the worst zoo that I had the misfortune to visit was Southam.I went in 1978 on a job interview (there was no trip advisor then, I no real idea what the place was like).As the man ,who owned the place, and I walked round my heart sank,what awful place!.I was struggling to keep my tongue, but when he showed me an adult male chimpanzee housed with a adult Hamadryas baboon I let rip.Needless to say I was asked to leave in two words Some years ago I mentioned to Clinton Keeling about this and he told me that he had no words to describe the said owner,for Clinton to be speechless, well i .don't think it's ever been known .Maybe with a different owner it could have been better it certainly couldn't have been worse. I also saw the alleged panther/tiger cross, Pantig ,I could only see a tiger cub
 
Bele said:
I remember visiting an attractive bird collection which I think was called Midland Bird Gardens a long time ago . I think it was part of a stately home where there was also a Motor Museum . Seem to remember there were aviaries around a lake .

Does anyone else remember it ?
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I worked there from 1979 to 1984. It was a part of Stanmore Hall that had the Motor Museum attached to it. Roy Girdler was the Curator who came from Chessington.
 
Slynch said:
Hi! I was a keeper there at weekends and school holidays. Luckily I was there from the start and assisted Roy Girdler with the construction of some of the aviaries. I remember being proud that, where possible, they were planted with vegetation from the countries where the birds originated. We had Crested Curassow (Crax alector) & Guans, Roy having travelled extensively in Guyana. As well as the species you’ve already mentioned, we had several species of pheasant, pelicans, many parrots (mainly South American), trumpeters, toucans and hornbills. I was also pleased that the intention was always to breed and conserve. It was a shame that it didn’t turn out to be a commercial success. After it closed I believe it became a touring caravan site
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Hey Simon, Hows things. Long time no see. Not heard from Roy since the place closed. Shame Bob passed before his ambitions were met there. Cheers Paul.
 
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