best zoo near portsmouth

camel leopard

camel leopard

Well-Known Member
Hiya i am visiting portsmouth for a few days and was wondering wat was the best zoo/animal collection to visit, thanks .
 
Probably Marwell Zoo I think. I haven't been myself but it's supposed to really good. Lots of different species. Here is the website if you want it.
Marwell Wildlife: Home
 
I was disappointed with Marwell, sorry Marwell fans. It wasn't a patch on Paignton imho as i was lead to believe. The enlosures for a start were far to big, a strange criticism i know, but they were. As for that African plain or whatever it was called, two male ostriches in the farthest corner away, in a field the size of about 50 football pitches, really let me down. In short of my recent holiday to the new forest, the only animal collection i'll rush back to would be the Otter and Owl collection.
 
The African Valley usually offers good views, as the giraffe, zebra and waterbuck tend to stay near the waterhole while, yes, the ostriches do strech out but you can see them elsewhere in the park, and more animals will be added to the valley in the near future. It is a very strange complaint of big enclosures; it's the reason Marwell has thriving herds of hoofstock that breed so well!
 
Marwell Dalek said:
The African Valley usually offers good views, as the giraffe, zebra and waterbuck tend to stay near the waterhole while, yes, the ostriches do strech out but you can see them elsewhere in the park, and more animals will be added to the valley in the near future. It is a very strange complaint of big enclosures; it's the reason Marwell has thriving herds of hoofstock that breed so well!
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there was only two ostriches in the whole african valley, that was it, nothing else. I know it's a strange complaint about the size of the enclosures, that's why i pointed it out, but do the pigmy Hippos need as much space as they have? also, some animals seemed to have 2 or three enclosures, if they weren't in the one they were in the next, or maybe the one after that., The capybara encloure also seemed way to big. Iwouldn't let guinea pigs have the run of my Humble back garden, but these fellas seemed to be running around a small county in comparrison., Don.t get me wrong, Marwell seems a wonderful place, but something and i'm not quite sure what is missing. actually that's not quite true, there wasn't one species, where i said, "wow", and stayed to watch for a while, i don't think that's happened at any other collection i've visited. For instance at the Owl and Otter collection, i loved the butterfly exhibit, possibly the best i've seen, and i'm not normally into butterflies. Bristols Aquariumm really fascinates and i'm not a fan of fish. Even living coasts and i really was disappointed with this collection, had a wow moment with the waders estuary. The only wow i had at marwell was the african valley, and that was just because of the sheer size of it, but only having 2 ostriches run around in it doesn't do it justice,
 
Johnny Morris. said:
I was disappointed with Marwell, sorry Marwell fans. It wasn't a patch on Paignton imho as i was lead to believe. The enlosures for a start were far to big, a strange criticism i know, but they were. As for that African plain or whatever it was called, two male ostriches in the farthest corner away, in a field the size of about 50 football pitches, really let me down. In short of my recent holiday to the new forest, the only animal collection i'll rush back to would be the Otter and Owl collection.
Click to expand...

Marwell is my local zoo now and I grew up near Paignton (still have family near there so still visit at least once a year). The reasons you have given for preferring Paignton are the same reasons for why I prefer Marwell. To me Marwell gives the impression that it is animals first whilst Paignton is visitors. That is in terms of species kept and enclosure design. Having said that though Paignton has improved substantially over the last 10-15 years but it is still behind in my opinion. I also prefer Marwell's animal selection as it has more unusual animals and less commonly seen species.

I can though see why some people would prefer Paignton. The main reasons I can see is that Marwell does lack a number of big draw animals that Paignton has (elephants, lions, great apes for example). I wouldn't previously have thought anyone would have a problem with the large enclosures themselves but there are some consequences of them I can imagine some people not liking. Firstly, although Marwell is the larger of the two zoos you get the impression there is more to see and do at Paignton. Secondly in places you can walk some distance without seeing many different species.
 
You must've been very unlucky to see just two ostriches in the valley. Most of the time there is 1 to 3 giraffes (4's the most they've had, but they're aiming to get the whole herd in there) a dozen zebra, 35 waterbuck and four ostriches.
And it turns out the pygmy hippos spend more time grazing then wallowing in their pools, so they've given them plenty of this. This has lead to undoubted breeding success that other zoos with smaller concrete or woodchip lined enclosures have failed to result. Marwell definately has an 'Aspinall' feel to it (indeed the parks have worked closely together, when Howletts first opened a lot of their stock was on loan from Marwell), where the benefit goes to the animals, not the people, which tends lead to a more successful rate in breeding rare species, four of which have been released back into the wild in protected ranges: Prezwalski's Horse, Scimitar-Horned Oryx (along with Whipsnade and Edinburgh, Marwell was one of the three zoos who underwent this massvie project) Golden Lion Tamarin and Roan Antelope. When John Knowles' (Marwell's founder) book comes out this October, it may give you a different perspective. ;)
 
I would say Marwell to :)

I can kind of get what you mean Johnny Morris, the fact you have such big enclosures is one of the reasons we enjoy visiting, a couple of circuits of Marwell in a day is a lovely walk. Also the fact you can walk round and not have the animals handed to you and close together always makes every visit different.

I tend to like a lot of different zoos for different reasons, Marwell and Whipsnade as well I have never felt crowded and rushed, unlike other zoos in the summer where you feel you have to 'jossle' to get a look at the animals.

Definately worth a visit, lovely surroundings, very pedestrian friendly, a road train if the ? 5miles round the park is to much :p
 
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