Birmingham Nature Centre Birmingham Nature Centre News 2012

Brum said:
You gonna do the Dudley double as well? :p
The only drawback is given the small size of the place it seems fuller than it actually is and some exhibits do get crowded. Off-peak it can still seem quite busy, yesterday for example was quite quiet but the cafe was absolutely full when it started raining. Compared to the larger zoos it's not easy to lose the crowds.
Hopefully you enjoy your visit, if you fancy a zoochat meet up then send me a PM and I'll see what I can do. This applies to anyone, just try and give me a bit more than 12 hours notice! :rolleyes:
(You know who you are... :p)
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2 zoos in a day?? I'm an open to close girl :)

I'll let you know when I'm around, maybe we could all meet up karoocheetah?
 
mazfc said:
2 zoos in a day?? I'm an open to close girl :)

I'll let you know when I'm around, maybe we could all meet up karoocheetah?
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As much as I love my 2 locals, I find it hard to stretch out a day at eithet. :)
And just drop me a pm whenever you're in the vicinity! :D
 
Brum said:
Hopefully you enjoy your visit, if you fancy a zoochat meet up then send me a PM and I'll see what I can do. This applies to anyone, just try and give me a bit more than 12 hours notice! :rolleyes:
(You know who you are... :p)
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Next time I may not remember to contact and let you know,that I'm visiting and have sorted out seeing a few things that aren't always on-show:p:D
 
zoogiraffe said:
Next time I may not remember to contact and let you know,that I'm visiting and have sorted out seeing a few things that aren't always on-show:p:D
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Alright, alright, point taken! :p It was a thoroughly enjoyable visit last time, even if it was a little rushed and I had to call in a favour or two at work to make it on time! :D
 
Visited today, so a few notes / questions. Open topped lemur enclosure has a few more wooden climbing frames in it, still dont see how they are going to stop the lemur's getting out unless some more trees are felled.
There's a semi finished new enclosure by the bee hives / organic garden, no idea what it's for.
Other new enclosures dotted around the place so many empty areas and animals either moved or missing, but it will all look good when it's finished.
Didn't see the old lynx with one eye, hope she is ok.
Cafe looked good but due to it being full I didn't go in.
Main entrance is shut with work being done inside .
 
Nature Centre update

2 male Golden Lion Tamarins are now onshow along with 3 female Cotton topped tamarins in the new tamarin house. The outdoor facility will be completed in the next 2 weeks. A large aviary is almost complete and should be ready to receive Reeves pheasants and Demoiselle cranes in the next few days. The new red squirrel enclosure will be ready to house these animals during the next 10 days. The 3 Emperor Tamarins are now living with our 2Golden Headed Lion Tamarins. Our new nocturnal house will be open to the public in the next 3 weeks.A new ocelot complex is in the process of being developed and will house a pair of these spectacular cats in the near future. Ling Ling and Amba our red pandas have settled into their new open topped enclosure. In the next 3 - 4 weeks a new harvest mouse open topped enclosure will be completed and will take the place of the small ornamental fish pond. During July 2 new glass fronted enclosures will be completed opposite the present European lynx exhibit. Although there has been a small amount of disruption during this development process; once finished, these facilities will give more spacious and complex environments for the species presently being managed.
 
I'll be heading down over the next 2 weeks, can't wait to see the improvements for myself.
Pity that the ocelot enclosure won't be done though. :(
 
Was wondering if anyone had any dtls about the lynx (if they are still there) at the nature centre. Names, ages, where they came from and whether they have ever bred at the centre
 
I visited today for the first time (despite my family home not being too far away). It was such a pleasure. A really nice little zoo to walk round with a great list of rarities and some excellent exhibits.

The mammal house due to open within the next few weeks. A few enclosures were still unfinished but that's only an incentive to revisit soon.
 
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RTB1987 said:
Was wondering if anyone had any dtls about the lynx (if they are still there) at the nature centre. Names, ages, where they came from and whether they have ever bred at the centre
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As of June 24th they still had three lynx.
 
Anyone been lately and what are the new enclosures like as I haven't been for quite a while and was wondering if the new enclosures have species within them or are they still under construction hoping to do both this collection and Dudley on the same day shortly
 
adrian1963 said:
Anyone been lately and what are the new enclosures like as I haven't been for quite a while and was wondering if the new enclosures have species within them or are they still under construction hoping to do both this collection and Dudley on the same day shortly
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I haven't been for a couple of months but I'm hoping to rectify that with a visit over the next 2 weeks, the in-laws want to do something local and it's a damn sight cheaper than our other option, Sea Life. If I get there before you then I'll definitely give you an update! If you beat me then you can give me a run down on current events! Do we have a deal? :D
 
I was there yesterday and they have certainly been busy! In the six months or so since I was last there the following has been done:

  • The Cameroon Sheep have moved to the long paddock near the entrance ... the wallabies have moved to the old Mouflon paddock opposite ... a new open-topped lemur enclosure is under construction in the former Cameroon Sheep paddock.
  • A new Red Squirrel enclosure has been built on the site of the old pig yard.
  • The Reeves' Pheasants have a new aviary near the Pied Tamarins.
  • Two new enclosures are under construction alongside the path that runs past the lynx enclosure: the first for Azara's Agouti and the second (on the footprint of the old beaver enclosure) for Alaotran Gentle Lemurs.
  • The Golden Lion Tamarins have moved into their new enclosure (the old parrot aviary and new indoor enclosure behind the café) with a couple of Cotton-top Tamarins.
  • The Spurred Tortoises are in their new enclosure.
  • The small rock feature in front of the ibis aviary has been turned into an outdoor Harvest Mouse enclosure! (and no, I didn’t see any)
  • The Ocelot enclosure is being redeveloped (it looks like this will encompass the whole run of enclosures opposite the café)
  • The café and shop have both been renovated
  • Best of all, the rodent house is now "Moonlight" (I suspect that this has only opened in the last few days as there were no labels). The first exhibit holds Cotton-top Tamarins, Golden-headed Lion Tamarins and Pygmy Marmosets with Wild Cavies on the floor – this connects up to the outdoor enclosure formerly used by the Goeldi’s Monkeys (they have moved to the second house of the ruffed lemur enclosure). I only saw Malagasy Jumping Rats in the second exhibit but the Grey Mouse Lemurs would be an obvious fit in here. The third exhibit has Two-toed Sloth, Douroucouli (presumably Aotus lemurinus griseimembra) and more Wild Cavy. Finally there is a smaller central exhibit for Pygmy Slow Loris. This house is done in what has become the "house style" for BNC with glass fronted enclosures and wooden panelling, and very nice it is too.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable visit and their furious pace of development seems to be continuing unabated.
 
Thanks Robmv, I've been waiting for news on the small mammal house for a while, now I can't wait to see it! Are the mouse lemurs still in the house by the b & w ruffeds? I know they were intended for the nocturnal exhibit originally along with the Goeldi's, but I guess plans change.
Also the ring-tailed lemur exhibit should become home to a new world primate not currently housed at the centre.
Thanks for the recap! :D
 
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The mouse lemurs are still labelled in the old enclosure, but I didn't see any (I've never seen one there in fact).

The sign for the new lemur enclosure had photos of Black-and-white Ruffed, Ring-tailed and what looked like a Eulemur species.
 
robmv said:
The mouse lemurs are still labelled in the old enclosure, but I didn't see any (I've never seen one there in fact).
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I have only ever seen them twice myself and I visit quite regularly, first time was in January and the second was about two months ago around feeding time. Some people (I'm looking at you TLD :p) have much better luck than me!
 
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