Best UK White Rhino enclosure

Best UK White Rhino enclosure?

  • Cotswold

    Votes: 6 20.0%

  • Chessington

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Colchester

    Votes: 3 10.0%

  • South Lakes

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Whipsnade

    Votes: 10 33.3%

  • Africa Alive

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Flamingo Land

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Marwell

    Votes: 11 36.7%

  • Noah's Ark

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Manor WP

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .
B

britishzoofan

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for White Rhino's 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.

I then hope to put up another poll to judge the best rhino enclosure in the UK by taking the winner of the Black, Indian and White categories.

Cotswold

full


Chessington

full


Colchester

full


South Lakes

full

full


Whipsnade

full

full


Africa Alive

full

full


Flamingo Land

full


Marwell

full

full


Noah's Ark

full

full


Manor WP

full
 
Flamingo land's has now changed quite dramatically to facilitate the mixing of the cheetah.

Aesthetically I like Cotswolds and Marwells most. Always a fan of the mixed exhibit with Whites, A shame the Zebra's at Cotswolds chose otherwise!
 
Bubalus said:
Flamingo land's has now changed quite dramatically to facilitate the mixing of the cheetah.

Aesthetically I like Cotswolds and Marwells most. Always a fan of the mixed exhibit with Whites, A shame the Zebra's at Cotswolds chose otherwise!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that information about Flamingo Lands enclosure. That certainly adds an extra dimension to their exhibit.
 
I haven't seen Manor WP or South Lakes exhibits, so can't really judge those.
For me the choice is between Cotswold, for obvious reasons and don't fall off your seats.... Africa Alive! Africa Alive have a spacious mixed exhibit with giraffe, blesbok, zebra and ostrich it also is more than a standard flat grass paddock, with trees and hills in it. It provides good barrier free views of the rhino outside and indoors. I'm seriously considering it. Overall I prefer it to both Whipsnade and Marwell's offering
Marwell's indoor viewing was terrible last time I was there, Whipsnade's outdoor is big but fairly standard, as is the house but their house is better than Marwell's which for some reason is walking this!
 
Last edited:
zoogiraffe said:
I am afraid all the photos you have used for South Lakes are of the old Rhino enclosure as they have moved to the new enclosure by the entrance!
Click to expand...

Thanks for alerting me to this change. I will see if I can find any photos of the new exhibit.
If anyone has seen the new exhibit is it as good as or better than some of the other enclosures shown.
 
Marwell currently winning with 50% of the vote and 5 votes ahead of Whipsnade and Cotswold. It is interesting how similar most of the White Rhino exhibits are with the majority keeping them as part of a mixed species exhibit.
 
I wonder how using more recent photographic material for Flamingoland and SL would alter perceptions!
 
Marwell is currently leading this poll with 11 votes. Whipsnade in second who are clearly have a strength in displaying Rhinos (currently winning Indian Rhino poll). Cotswold are in third with perhaps the most distinctive enclosure in this category.
 
The main bulk of the Flamingo Land exhibit has not changed all that much other than the additional fencing added for the Cheetah. They have lost the bottom corner towards the Giraffe which now serves as a Cheetah only area where the cats can separate from the Rhinos when mixed, which I do not have a picture of at this time

486c07cb-f360-492e-9c58-fb3e5ff43698.jpg
 

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Africa Alive is clearly a wasted vote so it's either Cotswold or Whipsnade for me as both are better than Marwell imo, as I said before, I really don't like Marwell's obscured indoor viewing, for a new building it is terrible!
 
Poll closed. Congratulations to Marwell on its extremely narrow victory by 1 vote over Whipsnade to win the accolade of Best UK White Rhino enclosure. This along with the Gorilla vote has been the closest so far. Marwell perhaps edged it due to better viewing opportunities in the outdoor enclosure and a more attractive exhibit. This another strong showing from Whipsnade in the Rhino category having previously won the Indian Rhino poll. A mention should also be given to Cotswold who did well to come third with their picturesque exhibit.

Marwell: 36.7%
Whipsnade: 33.3%
Cotswold: 20.0%
Colchester: 10.0%
 
Whereas the redesign Marwell did is fine functionality, animal welfare, husbandry and breeding success need to be taken into account. On that basis, it is surprising to note most votes have gone Marwell's way for now. Whipsnade has had considerable advantage over the SW facility and particularly when breeding and husbandry are taken into account. That said, the Whipsnade grassland exhibit does like well, .... rather dated. Both facilities have not seen any rhino births for a good few years now .....
 
All the UK zoos are suitable/good homes for the species. The safari parks across the UK are more suited to these animals, especially in warmer months when they can roam across more land, create longer lasting middens, spray here and there, make their own mud baths and have more choice on scratching trees/stones.
 
The Colchester picture is a bit outdated because there is no longer that much grass (I'm sure you can guess why) and that mound is fully accessible without the plants and is quite flattened out.
 
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