Best Uk Zoo

Macaw16

Macaw16

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Which is Britain's best zoo in your eyes?

Please say which is the best zoo in the uk and why, please don't just say 'Oooo I like this zoo' please say why its the best and don't just say it because you like it. Take conservation, diversity, animal welfare etc. in to consideration.

The reason why I didn't do this as a poll is because A) I didn't know which zoos to include and B) I don't know how to do a poll on here:o

Thanks for any replies :)
 
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There is a difference between "best" and "favourite". Best attempts to be objective, I like to think of it as "Which zoo would I hold up as an example?" or "If I could only save one zoo, which would I save?" Favourite is personal, I think of it " If I could only visit one zoo for now on, which would I choose?"

What are you looking for?
 
I was thinking best zoo and not favourite, so I will edit it to best.
 
Edinburgh, because they have lots of species that aren't in other UK zoos such as giant pandas, koalas and Ocellated turkey


~Ozzy :cool:
 
As with all attempts at ranking zoos, this is a purposeless enquiry. Anthony Sheridan produced a well researched evaluation based on detailed parameters in his book "What Zoos Can Do" covering most of the big zoos in Europe. Even with such an objective approach, the ultimate ranking will depend on whether you agree with the weighting given to each parameter and if they are in any way comparable between the zoos. In the end the choice is subjective and if you like a zoo feel free to say so, but that is an individual opinion. Online questionaires are notoriously unreliable indicators because only those motivated with an axe to grind will be likely to participate and these are not above entry duplication - just look at the annual 'Best Giant Panda' stunt.
 
Best UK Zoos

As I'm new I'd like other members opinions which are the best UK zoos to visit this coming summer. Have any got anything special to see or something different.
 
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Rupert the bear said:
As I'm new I'd like other members opinions which are the best UK zoos to visit this coming summer. Have any got anything special to see or something different.
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Chester. It's big so you'll be there more than a few hours, large range of species, my favourite zoo, lots of good exhibits, decent food outlets at reasonable prices. Oh and Islands opens in June, check out the Chester Zoo islands thread for more info on that.
 
Wasn't there a poll on here recently and Chester then I think Twycross came top?

It depends entirely what you're into. My favourite is Monkey World but obviously I'd be in a minority.
 
The problem with asking what others feel is their best or favourite zoos is that you don't know the individual who is replying and what they are looking for.
As someone who enjoys photographing animals, has no mobility restrictions, has no children and wishes to avoid busy family days, prefers seeing rarer big cats to common meerkats, who doesn't critique the food facilities, who does care about the animals welfare ... I still can't decide on an outright favourite, but if I lived closer to it, I think Chester would do it for me.
 
Rupert the bear said:
So which should I visit first, only asked because I've been away for a while
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I would say Chester is worth going to, you can get there and back in a day it takes about three hours to get there by car, so set off early as you will need the whole day to get round, I would wait until their Island Exhibit opens in the near future as that will be worth seeing. A visit to Edinburgh is worthwhile, takes just over two hours by car from Newcastle, although the train journey is much more pleasant up the East coast, its still a good zoo although not as good as it should be. I would also highly recommend a visit to Doncaster to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, quite new on the U.K. zoo scene but very much worth a visit and it is expanding and improving all the time, again about two hours by car.
 
Rupert the bear said:
So which should I visit first, only asked because I've been away for a while
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There is a small well run zoo at Ponteland, The Kirkley Hall Zoo.It is open weekends and during school holidays, worth going to see and spending a couple of hours there, the same with The Blue Reef Aquarium at Tynemouth, like Kirkley Hall an interesting couple of hours for a reasonable admission charge. There is of coarse the Washington Wildfowl Park which is a nice place to visit on a sunny Spring day, that's just about it for the North East I'm afraid!
 
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