Best UK Giant Tortoise enclosure

[britishzoofan]

This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Giant Tortoises 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 perhaps list the enclosures in order of what they determine to be the best.

There are a few collections with no photos in the gallery so if anyone has visited these collections could they provide a brief summary of the enclosures/photos if you have them.

If you want to vote for one of the collections not explicitly mentioned in the poll please vote for the other option and state who you are voting for in the thread.

Birmingham WCP (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Bristol (Aldabra)

Cotswold (Aldabra)

Colchester (Aldabra and Seychelles)

Eagle Heights (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Lincolnshire WP (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Paultons Park (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Linton (Aldabra)

Paignton (Aldabra)

Twycross (Aldabra)

Wingham (Aldabra)

Woburn (Aldabra)

Noah's Ark (Aldabra)

Crocodiles of the World (Galapagos)

London (Galapagos)

Jersey (Galapagos)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Blackpool (Seychelles)

 

[pipaluk]

This is a difficult one, there are several with good indoor housing but not the best outdoors, whilst some of the better outdoors don't have the best housing(certainly from a visitor point of view)
Paignton has to be a contender as both indoor and outdoor are good, though there are probably better for both.

 

[Benosaurus]

Birmingham WCP (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Do BWCP have giant tortoise? I thought they just had African spurred tortoises.

 

[The_melford_manatee]

I believe Paignton’s enclosure is not as well-planted as shown in the images though I could be mistaken.I have always liked London’s exhibit partly due to the fact that native Mallards(don’t think that really improves the exhibit though)often come and rest in the pond and partly due to the foliage but the indoors is comparatively barren.

I am not sure what I will be voting for,but probably Cotswold or Paignton.

Also,don’t Tropiquaria have Giant Tortoise(not sure which species)?

 

[britishzoofan]

Do BWCP have giant tortoise? I thought they just had African spurred tortoises.

According to zootierliste they do. Although, of course that could be incorrect.

 

[zoogiraffe]

To the best of my knowledge Birmingham doesn't keep giant tortoise, they certainly do keep sulcatta

 

[Javan Rhino]

I’ve gone for Bristol, a very tough choice and between a few of them I can’t really justify any over the others, but Bristol I think is my favourite. Both indoors and outdoors look good, adequately sized (especially for such a small site), mix of substrates and well planted.

 

[zoogiraffe]

I believe Paignton’s enclosure is not as well-planted as shown in the images though I could be mistaken.I have always liked London’s exhibit partly due to the fact that native Mallards(don’t think that really improves the exhibit though)often come and rest in the pond and partly due to the foliage but the indoors is comparatively barren.

I am not sure what I will be voting for,but probably Cotswold or Paignton.

Also,don’t Tropiquaria have Giant Tortoise(not sure which species)?

Tropiquaria most certainly don't keep giant tortoise they do have some very big sulcattas. Which are a very large normal tortoise species

 

[zoogiraffe]

According to zootierliste they do. Although, of course that could be incorrect.

I wouldn't put too much faith in ztl for the UK, the rest of Europe yes, the UK no. There are species that haven't been held by some collections, for over 10 years yet they are still listed on ztl

 

[Benosaurus]

Does anyone else think that the pool in Paignton's tortoise house is a bit too deep and the sides fairly difficult for the tortoises to get in and out of? Compare this to nearly every other tortoise enclosure at other UK collections where the pools are fairly shallow in depth and have shallow sloping sides.

 

[TNT]

Whilst I've voted for Paignton, which happens to be on the site of the old giraffe house/paddock, I think Noahs Ark deserve some props for their relatively new exhibit; They have a large and open house, and a very sizeable paddock. Another exhibit worth mentioning is Linton, whilst I can't comment on their housing, they have a *very* large paddock which offers ample grazing opportunities.

 

[The_melford_manatee]

Whilst I've voted for Paignton, which happens to be on the site of the old giraffe house/paddock, I think Noahs Ark deserve some props for their relatively new exhibit; They have a large and open house, and a very sizeable paddock. Another exhibit worth mentioning is Linton, whilst I can't comment on their housing, they have a *very* large paddock which offers ample grazing opportunities.

The pool at Noah’s Ark seems too artificial but asides from that I agree,it is a good exhibit.I also think Bristol has good indoor and outdoor accommodation(although the outdoors is a bit small).I believe they share with Rhinoceros Iguanas.

 

[Leopardus]

Do BWCP have giant tortoise? I thought they just had African spurred tortoises.

To the best of my knowledge Birmingham doesn't keep giant tortoise, they certainly do keep sulcatta

BWCP hold two juvenile Aldabra Tortoises, one of which is off-show and the other has recently moved in with the Sulcata.

 

[Benosaurus]

BWCP hold two juvenile Aldabra Tortoises, one of which is off-show and the other has recently moved in with the Sulcata.

Excellent news! BWCP just gets better and better.

 

[Benosaurus]

...the other has recently moved in with the Sulcata.

This is the sulcata enclosure @Leopardus is referring to that now contains a juvenile Aldabra;

AFRICAN SPURRED TORTOISE ENCLOAURE - ZooChat

 

[pipaluk]

OK, call me a hypocrite if you like, I've always said size of enclosure should not be the only consideration unless an enclosure is clearly under sized.

But this time, despite good indoor areas I would class the following as substandard outdoors :
Colchester
Crocodiles of the world
Twycross
Probably Bristol and London too!

Linton has the best outdoors by a distance
Cotswold not far behind
Neither have a good indoor viewing house

Paignton is probably not too far behind outdoors, but has good indoor viewing.

 

[Javan Rhino]

This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Giant Tortoises 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 perhaps list the enclosures in order of what they determine to be the best.

There are a few collections with no photos in the gallery so if anyone has visited these collections could they provide a brief summary of the enclosures/photos if you have them.

If you want to vote for one of the collections not explicitly mentioned in the poll please vote for the other option and state who you are voting for in the thread.

Birmingham WCP (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Bristol (Aldabra)

Cotswold (Aldabra)

Colchester (Aldabra and Seychelles)

Eagle Heights (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Lincolnshire WP (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Paultons Park (Aldabra)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Linton (Aldabra)

Paignton (Aldabra)

Twycross (Aldabra)

Wingham (Aldabra)

Woburn (Aldabra)

Noah's Ark (Aldabra)

Crocodiles of the World (Galapagos)

London (Galapagos)

Jersey (Galapagos)

Unfortunately, there are no photos of this enclosure in the gallery. It would be extremely useful if someone who has visited can describe the exhibit and give an evaluation on its quality.

Blackpool (Seychelles)

Off the topic a bit of what enclosure is best, but looking at the Paignton outdoor enclosure photo is that child supposed to be behind that wall?

 

[ian999]

There is a footpath there that leads you into the indoor viewing, but because of the angle that photo was taken, it does give the impression that the boy is in the enclosure

 

[Javan Rhino]

There is a footpath there that leads you into the indoor viewing, but because of the angle that photo was taken, it does give the impression that the boy is in the enclosure

Thanks, assumed it would be just the angle but like you say the way the photo is made me double take when I noticed it.

 

[TNT]

The pool at Noah’s Ark seems too artificial

It's not all that different to the rest of them?