Blackpool Zoo Blackpool Zoo, UK

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Hadley said:
The problem with Gorilla haven is that the eventual plan is to act as a 'bank' for animals that may be moved back out into the zoo population should their genes be required. An entirely reasonable process apart from the fact that, compared to the facilities there, many zoos have appalling accomodation for their gorillas. So, in welfare terms you have a potential situation of gorillas spending time at a first-class facility only to be exposed suddenly to high visitor volume, far inferior enclosures in order to breed from them.
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Yes, there is some truth in that. But some of Gorilla Haven's residents will never re-enter the population. An example would be 'Joe' -one of their two existing gorillas. Also, very few Gorilla exhibits nowadays are appalling anymore. I imagine in reality, most of the future candidates for Gorilla Haven will be 'misfits' that can't be kept elsewhere- so I would think the 'bank' idea of holding gentically valuable males temporarily is rather less important than the 'permanent residency' part.

We could absolutely do with a European version of Gorilla Haven to house these problem adult males though.
 
Chlidonias said:
not to be picky but in the wild male gorillas do often live solitarily [before anyone argues that, I'm not saying it is standard for male gorillas to live solitarily, just that some do]. It is of course different for a gorilla to "choose" to live alone in the wild, and one being made to in captivity. My point is just that it is not "unnatural" for it to occur.
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You are absolutely right. Surprisingly,what seems to be unnatural(or at least not recorded in the wild) is the batchelor group concept-though it seems to work okay in captivity. Researchers say that outside of groups, wild lone male gorillas actually give each other a wide berth!

People just hate the idea of 'longerm' solitary male gorillas in captivity though....
 
grantsmb said:
Berlin have 'Ivo' another non-satisfactory male- now they are probably going to form a subgroup with him and their two very old females- again, it solves the issue of where else he could go.
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I was thinking along these lines. In great ape exhibits often there are separation enclosures. Could not some zoos with bigger acco be stimulated to provide for a family group and a solitary non-breeding male - instead of having to sent them away?

It would also make it easier to maybe try and breed the non-breeding solitary male at a later date with other gorilla females. :cool:
 
grantsmb said:
People just hate the idea of 'longerm' solitary male gorillas in captivity though....
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I suppose that if we educate zoo-goers of the necessity of keeping some males in solitary and why this also happens in the wild, it might not be so difficult as imagined.
 
jelle said:
I was thinking along these lines. In great ape exhibits often there are separation enclosures. Could not some zoos with bigger acco be stimulated to provide for a family group and a solitary non-breeding male - instead of having to sent them away?

It would also make it easier to maybe try and breed the non-breeding solitary male at a later date with other gorilla females. :cool:
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Yes, I would like to see the zoos with more complex accomodation, perhaps be asked to take on these 'problem' silverbacks as 'lodgers' They could perhaps be allowed to view/see some of the other gorillas so would not be living entirely alone.

Its an ongoing problem -apart from males which prove 'no good', there are also others that need to be removed from breeding groups when they've fathered enough offspring too.

Your point about public education is a good one. It has been done with single adult male Orangutans in some instances- the general public will usually accept a situation if it is explained to them fairly.
 
Hi all, long time away I know. Blackpool is fantastic. Not too big, not too small. The only gripe I had was that they had coypu everywhere!
There were also THREE enclosures with King Colobus and another THREE with Ring Tailed Lemurs as well as the Lemur walkthrough. You would have thought they would have reduced the groups and exhibited different species. Ah, weel you can't have anything and the zoo really is fantastic.
If I can figure out how to post photos I will add some Blackpool ones.

Paul
 
I thought the only Coypu left in the UK were a single-sex group at Wildwood? I'm sure DEFRA would be on Blackpool's back if they really were overrun with Coypu. Maybe their quokkas escaped and formed a feral population unbeknown to them all these years until now :)
 
To put things into perspective: coypu are endangered in native South America. European zoos should really be looking at ways how they can contribute to re-establishing wild coypu populations in Chile and Argentina. :(
 
I couldn't agree more, which is why the way in which they were eradicated from Norfolk at the end of the 1990's was so tragic. I just mean that loosely having former 'invasive' species only recently eradicated is unlikely in this country.
 
Nigripes said:
has anyone else heard the rumours that blackpool will go into dolphins?
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I think that rumour has been round a bit. Somewhere in the UK applied for a license to house cetaceans and it was around the time when Blackpool changed management (+ the company that took over Blackpool do keep dolphins at one of their Spanish parks I think). Whether there is any more evidence to suggest it was Blackpool applying for it, I don't know, I'm only repeating what I have heard on these forums.

As far as I know the next big development is giraffes at Blackpool. I don't know how that's going, but a news report said 4 giraffes will arrive this year.
 
Off course CAPS and zoocheck and all that rubbish will have a field day with that if they get dophins.
 
What is happening about the male tiger at Blackpool? Is he getting a new mate or is he maybe going to another collection?
 
I went in August last year and there was a sign on his den saying he was quite old and did not like to be disturbed. I can't see him moving anywhere.
 
Has anyone heard the outcome of the enquiry into orangutan Beau's death in the moat in December?
 
What kind of moat do the orangs have there now? Years ago I remember it just being steps down into a concrete ditch.
 
The moat is filled with water (I've not seen it myself). There was a discussion about it at the time on the "Any News about Orangs in the UK" thread.
 
Orang enclosure is a very basic ape design. Old brick building with a small grassed paddock with wooden climbing frame surrounded by concrete stepped moat filled with water. Very poor when compared to the gorillas.

Dolphins are unlikely. The current sealion pool was originally designed with dolphins in mind, which explains why it is a decent size (for sealions) - that would be my guess at why the idea was being mooted. There was talk of having underwater viewing for the sealions when the first takeover was happening, however whole enclosure will need scrapping in the near future due to concrete cancer.

If you think keeping polar bears and elephants in captivity gives the animal 'rights' groups ammunition...

Blackpool has never had much money thrown at in the days of being council-run. One only has to look at the state of many fences (state of near collapse). The design of enclosures throughout the zoo also reflects this lack of modernization since the '70s. The current management regime also hinders development and moving forward. Compare Blackpool to Marwell which are both the same age! I realise that the buyout was intended to overcome some of these problems and although I haven't been back up there since the takeover I see little improvement/change (plastic dinosaur amusement parks aside). It will be interesting to see if the second new owners pump the capital in. My thoughts are that they will always struggle. The 'clientel' coming to Blackpool was the worst I have ever seen at a zoo that I have worked in. And also Chester is just down the road...
 
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