Chester Zoo Chester 2011 #2

[TARZAN]

I'm pleased I've stirred up a healthy debate! I am surprised anyone likes Chester's catering and doesn't like WMZ's (I never had a school meal, so I don't know about that). As far as Elephants go there are so few collections with them these days I suppose people are just happy to see them - I'm from the days when a zoo was not a zoo if it did not have at least one Elephant. It never entered my head that shackling was in any way wrong (I've still got a toy Elephant with string tied around one of its forelegs!). I'd go back to the Flamingo Park of the late 1960s now if I could, although I admit it is hard to imagine a Killer Whale in what is now the Sealion Centre. Again I never thought anything about that at the time and the pool did dwarf the two connecting ones in the old Dolphin House where "Tiny" the Beluga and "Winnie" the Pilot Whale had such short careers. I don't dislike all modern exhibits, but I'd love to see an old style Lion House again with proper iron bars and cages with wooden floors. Where the animals any worse off? I'd recommend the books of the late Clinton Keeling for sound arguments in favour of the old ways.

A zoo nostalgia thread - I like the sound of that. Before anyone else says it, I know I don't belong in the modern world - mind you, here I am using a computer.

P.S. I think I'd better withdraw from Chester threads.

You are correct, a zoo was not a zoo, or indeed a circus was not a circus in the sixties if they did not at least have one elephant, fortunately things have certainly improved since then. You still have a model elephant with a piece of string around its leg, well I still have my Britains elephants as well as several hundred other animals in the cupboard, I recall in the early seventies during the six week summer holiday an enterprising friend and myself opened the back garden as a ride through safari park with these animals and at the end they could see my pet animals in the pets corner, we must have enjoyed good business with kids riding through on their Raleigh Choppers etc, as I recall going to the toy shop with the proceeds of our first days takings with enough money to buy a tapir, lion and African elephant, total price 50 pence in new money. Talking of money my first ever memory of visiting Flamingo Park Zoo in the sixties, it peed down all day and I remember sitting in my Dad's Morris Oxford with a tray of chips and a wooden fork, look at that my Mam said they charged a shilling for that, that's a penny a bloody chip the tight Yorkshire gits, happy days

 

[SMR]

I am surprised anyone likes Chester's catering and doesn't like WMZ's (I never had a school meal, so I don't know about that).

With respect, if you haven't visited since 2008 then you're not in a position to judge as all the outlets have changed significantly since then, with the possible exception of Oakfield House.

Folks, any chance we can drag the thread back on-topic? A zoo nostalgia thread seems like a good solution.

 

[Parrotsandrew]

Fair enough. They did need to change though.

 

[Parrotsandrew]

Parrots, if your still so keen on that, the Lion House at Dartmoor Zoo is currently still like that. As it the Tiger house.

Briefly, so people can get back to Chester 2011, it is a Lion House like the old one at Regent's Park I'd like to see, not that I shall of course.

 

[Parrotsandrew]

I recall in the early seventies during the six week summer holiday an enterprising friend and myself opened the back garden as a ride through safari park

Sorry to take up more space off-topic - this is it now. I once chalked "zoo" on the pavement along our road with arrows to our house - not that my dream of a Porpoise in a little pool in the garden materialised. My Elephant is a Britain's one.