Best of British

kiang

kiang

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
A bit of fun for the British zoobeaters, a list of what you consider to be the best collections in the UK for the following groups of animals.
Marsupial - South lakes
Lemurs - Banham/Kessingland
Marmosets/Tamarins - Belfast
Old world monkeys - Howletts/Port Lympne
New world monkeys - Twycross
Gibbons - Monkeyworld
Great apes - Twycross
Edentates - Amazon world IOW
Rodents - Marwell
Bats - Chester
Dogs - RZSS
Otters - Chestnut centre
Other mustelids - RZSS
Bears - Belfast
Small cats - Howletts/Port lympne
Big cats - Colchester
Pinnipeds - Gweek seal sanctuary
Elephants - Howletts/Port lympne
Rhino - Whipsnade
Equids - Marwell
Tapir - Howletts/Port lympne
Hippo - Whipsnade
Wild pigs - RZSS
Deer - Woburn
Giraffe family - Marwell
Wild cattle - West Midlands SP
Antelope - Marwell
Wild Goats/sheep - RZSS.

I have based my choices on size and variety of collections and presentation too, please feel free to choose your own and add other groups of animals too
I haven't visited many zoos on my list so this is also judging from sources on the net and here too.
 
Good list there Kiang

I would change Great Apes from Twycross to Chester (presentation, multiple species, breeding success etc)
 
kiang said:
A bit of fun for the British zoobeaters, a list of what you consider to be the best collections in the UK for the following groups of animals.
Marsupial - South lakes
Lemurs - Banham/Kessingland
Marmosets/Tamarins - Belfast
Old world monkeys - Howletts/Port Lympne
New world monkeys - Twycross
Gibbons - Monkeyworld
Great apes - Twycross
Edentates - Amazon world IOW
Rodents - Marwell
Bats - Chester
Dogs - RZSS
Otters - Chestnut centre
Other mustelids - RZSS
Bears - Belfast
Small cats - Howletts/Port lympne
Big cats - Colchester
Pinnipeds - Gweek seal sanctuary
Elephants - Howletts/Port lympne
Rhino - Whipsnade
Equids - Marwell
Tapir - Howletts/Port lympne
Hippo - Whipsnade
Wild pigs - RZSS
Deer - Woburn
Giraffe family - Marwell
Wild cattle - West Midlands SP
Antelope - Marwell
Wild Goats/sheep - RZSS.

I have based my choices on size and variety of collections and presentation too, please feel free to choose your own and add other groups of animals too
I haven't visited many zoos on my list so this is also judging from sources on the net and here too.
Click to expand...

Plenty I agree with there, definitely RZSS for the caprid style ungulates. I'd say Chester probably specialise in a bit more than bats (not necessarily mammals) and I'm not sure i'd have Twycross #1 for great apes (though that depends on your criteria for best.)
 
Jimmy variety was the overwhelming factor in choosing Twycross and they do well breeding their orangs and bonobos and the odd gorilla here and there, but you are right about presentation of the apes it is awful:eek:
 
Parrots - Chester, theres also another zoo (Paradise Park??) that has a large parrot collection, the name escapes me though.
 
I would have said West Midlands for hippos as their group is one of the most successful in Europe but i suppose the 'Hippo' section would include the pygmy hippos which West Mids have none of.
 
Bobby_21 said:
I would have said West Midlands for hippos as their group is one of the most successful in Europe but i suppose the 'Hippo' section would include the pygmy hippos which West Mids have none of.
Click to expand...

Whipsnade no longer keep Pygmy Hippos, so I agree with Kiang that Whipsnade edges WMSP out based on the exhibit and accommodation.
 
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ZooMania said:
Parrots - Chester, theres also another zoo (Paradise Park??) that has a large parrot collection, the name escapes me though.
Click to expand...

Paradise Park(Cornwall) does have a large Parrot collection- so did Paulton's Park in Hampshire at one time- not sure if they still do...
 
I think Paultons' reduced their parrot collection due to theft at some point, and the wildfowl collection was disbanded after all those mink were released and killed so many birds. I think now the majority of the collection are 'softbills', and more common wildlife park species such as meerkats and rheas.

The 'national parrot sanctuary' in lincolnshire holds about 1500 birds.
 
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