Best UK Capybara enclosure

Best UK Capybara enclosure?

  • Total voters
    35
  • Poll closed .
felis silvestris

felis silvestris

Well-Known Member
This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Capybaras in the UK. I have added a few photos from the gallery to make it easier for members to compare the different exhibits. If anyone wants to make an argument for a particular enclosure, please feel free to do so. Also, I would encourage people to list the enclosures in order of what they think is best.

If you want to vote for Lotherton, Drusillas, Axe Valley, Curraghs, Lake District WP, Howletts, Belfast, Birmingham WCP, YWP, Exmoor, Paradise WP, Cotswold, Chessington, Chew Valley, Conwy Water Gardens, Tilgate, Amazona, South Lakes, Greenacres, Dudley, Hemsley, Lincolnshire WP, All Things Wild, Wolds WP, Avon Valley, Kirkley Hall, Hanwell, Flamingo Land, Woodside, Amazon World, Rodbaston, Five Sisters, Porfell, Wild Discovery, Reaseheath, Shepreth, Drayton Manor, Telfor, Hoo Farm, Longleat, Cassiobury, Jimmy's Farm, Woburn or Noah's Ark please vote for the "other" option in the poll.

Lotherton

full


Drusillas

full


Axe Valley

full


Curraghs

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Lake District WP

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Folly Farm

full


Howletts

full


Belfast

full


Birmingham WCP

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Blackpool

full


YWP

full


Exmoor

full


Paradise WP

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Cotswold

full


Chessington

full


Chester

full


Chew Valley

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Conwy Water Gardens

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Tilgate

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Amazona

full


South Lakes

I an not entirely sure what exhibit they are in because they seem to be everywhere in the zoo :p

Greenacres

full


Dudley

full


full


Hemsley

full


Northumberland

full


Lincolnshire WP

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

All Things Wild

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Wolds WP

full


Avon Valley

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Kirkley Hall

full
 
Last edited:
Knowsley

full


Hanwell

full


Port Lympne

full


Flamingo Land

full


Woodside

full


Amazon World

full


Newquay

full


Rodbaston

full


Five Sisters

full


Porfell

full


Wild Discovery

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Reaseheath

full


Shepreth

full


Dartmoor

full


Drayton Manor

full


Telford Exotic Zoo

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Hoo Farm

full


full


Longleat

full


Cassiobury

Unfortunately there are no photos of this exhibit in the gallery. If someone can describe the enclosure or provide a photo that would be great.

Jimmy's Farm

full


Wingham

full


Woburn

full


 
Having visited quite a few of these enclosures I have found this to be difficult to choose my favourite. My top three, were
Drayton Manor
Cotswold Wp
Newquay
I chose Drayton as top because it was the first one to have natural running water
I do have to say that the photo of Wingham with the two Capybara admiring their domain is lovely
 
The enclosure at reaseheath is now holding sulcata tortoises in one half the other half is now vacant after holding geese which have now moved on. The new Capybara live in one of the hoofstock paddocks
 
I'm surprised by this voting, obviously with so many collections on other, I think anyone who votes other should have to comment and say for which park, otherwise how can you distinguish between 10 votes for other based on about 20 zoos and 5 votes for another zoo?

For me, it's easy. It has to be Dartmoor, and I'm shell shocked it's got no votes.

In a 6 acre paddock with tapir and rhea, they have a nice house, hard standing area, then three sections, one wooded, one plains and then the big one where the massive lake is. They can be seen all the way up the entrance walkway and often seen in the water, or out in the grass. They have loads of room, and it's set up is brilliant and the mix with Tapir whilst common, see's that they have by far the biggest exhibit in the UK for the mix. Far more water access than the likes of Port Lympne or Chester and whilst not as much water as Flamingo Land or Folly Farm where again they share with Tapir, there is a lot more grazing for them at Dartmoor, as both the previous offer little.

I must admit, I am really surprised Chester has 3 votes. The exhibit there, is a mix with Anteater, and is very open, with no planting, and very little water for a semi-aquatic animal, so it is by no means the best for the species by a long way. I wonder if some people just vote Chester on everything as it's local zoo or the one they go to most? Or perhaps don't go to many other zoos?

But personally, Chester would not be in my top ten for Capybara, by a long shot. For a semi aquatic animal, they have next to no water!

Dartmoor's is a lovely exhibit and easily for me the best one for Capybara and more to the point, it's probably the best exhibit in the whole zoo.
 
Flamingo Land for me. Huge in size, maybe one of the biggest in the UK. Natural shelter, undulating terrain, a large lake and a large range of other South American species for enriching interaction. The lake-side can also be shut off with the Capys in or out, which I don't think many other collections can do.
 
The Conwy Water Garden Capybara enclosure has been empty for about four years now. As the place is for sale I doubt whether it will ever be restocked under the present owners.
 
Jennings said:
The Conwy Water Garden Capybara enclosure has been empty for about four years now. As the place is for sale I doubt whether it will ever be restocked under the present owners.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for letting me know. ZTL must just be out of date because it still lists them a a holding
 
felis silvestris said:
Ok thanks for letting me know. ZTL must just be out of date because it still lists them a a holding
Click to expand...

I find ZTL is out of date on a lot of collections, especially smaller ones. Their listings for Axe are very outdated, as well as some of the smaller college zoos. But ZTL is updated by public / enthusiasts, so it's not an official platform, so can only be used as a rough guide and not gospel. I went to a zoo 4 months ago to see a couple of animals that ZTL said they have, only to be told when asked where they were, that the zoo hadn't had them for over 2 years since their last ones died, so in some cases, it can be very out of date.
 
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