Closed Zoos

I'm from Wales and I've never heard of it, I'm sorry to doubt you but I do lol.
Edit: I don't doubt it's existance by the way, just the species list ;)
 
ashley-h said:
I'm from Wales and I've never heard of it, I'm sorry to doubt you but I do lol.
Click to expand...

A quick google search shows that a zoo did exist in that location, however I suspect that the number of animals (very specific and unrealistic numbers - 4 lion prides!) and the shooting story is probably fabrication.
 
I'm with you, see above ;)
The bit that gets me is the elephants and Indian rhinos. There were probably never that many spare in captivity.
 
How long ago was that...? I think that seals the deal that most of that species list is rumor lol.
 
Ah ok, wouldn't use the word "fantastic" when describing a zoo from that era that no one could have possibly visited or have pictures from!
 
no it's fact. As there is a picture painted by Louis Williams of St. Asaph Zoo (well at the time it wasn't st asaph) which has all of the animals listed. And the reptiles, birds, anphibians and small mammals were all in small cages connected to a small hut. Also there are bodies of three indian rhinos, two elephants, seven lions with a whole pile of old guns found in the ground as the building work of the shopping outlet.
 
I guess that makes more sense, they just would have been imports. Put all of this into the first post next time though, people will believe you more;)
 
Blackduiker

Just in the Los Angeles metropolitan area I can remember visiting, then the closings of the following institutions over the last few decades:

Lion Country Safari
Buena Park Alligator Farm
Japanese Deer Park

And under the guise of deception, Marineland of the Pacific. The then parent owners of Sea World bought this marine park/aquarium with the claim that it would be preserved and given full attention by them. Long before Sea World opened in San Diego, and Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, it was southern California's main marine attraction, and drew over a million visitors each year. By the late 1980s, it had declined from its former glory, and in attendance numbers to the more popular Sea World to the south. So when that institution's owners purchased it with promises of big things for its future, the staff and Los Angeles area patrons were ecstatic. But shortly after the purchase, the people of Sea World made a nighttime raid of the place, transporting the breeding pair of Orcas; Orky and Corky, the performing dolphins and pilot whales, and any other valuable marine life they could get their hands on to Sea World. It was a huge, well planned mission, leaving the once glorious Marineland in ruins; literally. They broke open the large aquariums with extremely heavy equipment. Can you imagine the expense of moving large marine life all in one single night? One of the reasons I've found it extremely hard to bring myself to even considering a visit to Sea World. And I haven't done such since 1976!:eek::mad::(

Here is the Wikipedia article on Marineland of the Pacific, once the world's largest marine park. [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marineland_of_the_Pacific[/ame]
 
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Blackduiker

And to add to the list of local L.A. area parks, the still standing Budweiser Brewery in Van Nuys, a suburb in San Fernando Valley, an area within the city limits of Los Angeles, once had a Busch Gardens. It was mostly a tropical bird sanctuary that was toured by boat. That once popular L.A. landmark is no more. I never had the opportunity to visit it before the closure, though the brewery is still standing and open.
 
Blackduiker said:
And to add to the list of local L.A. area parks, the still standing Budweiser Brewery in Van Nuys, a suburb in San Fernando Valley, an area within the city limits of Los Angeles, once had a Busch Gardens. It was mostly a tropical bird sanctuary that was toured by boat. That once popular L.A. landmark is no more. I never had the opportunity to visit it before the closure, though the brewery is still standing and open.
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I have found some pictures of this attraction :)

https://www.playle.com/listing.php?i=KDL46340&PHPSESSID=ooi9biv976665djtlc6h5tfch6
The Valley Observed: San Fernando Valley history and sense of place

There was also a Busch Gardens in Houston, Texas:

Busch Gardens (1971-1973) Houstorian
 
Southport zoo, thankfully :)
SHerwood Park Zoo, Hucknall, nr Nottingham,
Cleethorpes,
Gatwick,
Basildon - Thankfully lol

:) Sal
 
St Asaph had a zoo in the 1960's/ early 1970's which had elephant, allegedly dolphins which are featured on a guide book cover from the park. There was also Stanley zoo another of the parks owned by the Scotia group. There was Stapleford Lion reserve,the Birmingham Zoo which has now become Birmingham Nature Centre, Exmouth Zoo, Bideford Zoo, Tropical Bird Garden at Rode, Stagsden Bird Gardens, Flamingo Gardens and Zoological Park at Olney, Thorney Wildlife Park, Norfolk Wildlife Park, Sea Horse Aquarium at Exeter which moved to the National Marine Aquarium and then moved from there.
 
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SmileySal said:
Southport zoo, thankfully :)
SHerwood Park Zoo, Hucknall, nr Nottingham,
Cleethorpes,
Gatwick,
Basildon - Thankfully lol

:) Sal
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Southport Zoo happened to be a nice collection. Doug and Carol made the best of a bad site and shouldn't be criticised for that. The animals were all well looked after and they cared greatly for their animals.
 
"St Asaph had a zoo in the 1960's/ early 1970's which had elephant, allegedly dolphins which are featured on a guide book cover from the park."

Well someone in this thread stated that this zoo was around in Stuardian times and had 14 elephants, 6 Indian rhinos, 4 prides of lions and god knows what else.
I will leave it down to other members to decide which version they believe, I know which one I do ;)
 
heres a list of uk ones
Zoos That Have Closed


Zoo
Date Closed
Details

Cowal Bird Garden 2007 ??

Southport Zoo 2004

Glasgow Zoo 2003

Churnet Valley Wildlife Park 2002
Churnet Valley Collection was closed and transferred to the former Wildlife Park Kirkcudbright and re-launched as Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park.
Gatwick Zoo 2/09/2002 Russ Hill, Charlwood, Surrey RH6 0EG. UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: 44-01-293-862312 Fax: 44-01-293-862550
Gatwick Zoo which opened in 1973 closed on the 2/9/2002, the site was sold for housing.

Basildon Zoo March 2002
Basildon Zoo
Vange, Basildon SS16 4QA. Essex Telephone: 01268-553985
Attendance
Staff
Area
Associations

30000
7
2


Species
Specimens

Mammals
32
145

Birds
51
270

Reptiles
3
7

Totals
86
422



The Butterfly Centre Eastbourne 2001???
Building has now been demolished.
The Wildfowl Trust (Peakirk) 2001
Peakirk, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Flamingo Gardens and Zoological Park 2001
Flamingo Gardens and Zoological Park
Weston Underwood, Olney, Bucks. Telephone: 44-01-234-711451

Attendance
Staff
Area
Associations

3
6


Species
Specimens

Mammals
5
50

Birds
175
800

Totals
180
850



Bridgemere Wildlife Park, Nantwich, Cheshire
The Tropical Bird Gardens, Rode. 2001
Has Closed this Year.
Riber Castle Wildlife Park 31.10.2000

Carrick Green Wildlife Park Approx 1998
3 Taylors Road, Stotfold,Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 4AZ.UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: 44-01-462-834-788 Fax:
Windsor Safari Park 1992 This safari park is now legoland. A site dedicated to the old Safari park can be found at Windsor Safari Park • Index page
Blean Bird Park, Kent. 1990? Opened 1980 closed in the nineties? after repeated theft of birds.
Honey Hill, Blean, Canterbury, Kent CT2 9JP
Telephone: 44-01-227-471666
Stagsden Bird Gardens, Bedfordshire 1989? Closed late eighties or early nineties?
Midland Bird Garden, Bridgnorth, Shropshire. 1984 opened in june 1979 closed 1984.
Loch Lomond Bear Park 1980? Closed late 70's-early 80's
Whitson zoo, Nr Newport, Gwent 1970? closed I think in the early seventies.
Kilverstone Wildlife Park
Morecambe & Heysham Winged World 1979? Opened in 1966. This was an important bird collection that closed in the late 1970's.
Southampton Zoo Was part of the Chipperfield empire and used as a holding unit for animals being transferred between Safari Parks.
Penscynor Wildlife Park, Neath, Wales Penscynor Wildlife Park Cilfrew, Neath, Glam., SA10 8LF, S Wales
Telephone: 01639-642189 Fax: 01639-635152
Attendance
Staff
Area
Associations

216000
18
6
ISIS, FZG


Species
Specimens

Mammals
28
199

Birds
87
317

Reptiles
8
41

Amphibians
3
11

Fish
40
3000

Invertebrates
8
50

Totals
174
3618



Kelling Aviaries , Kelling, Norfolk
New Forest Butterfly Farm Longdown, Ashurst, Southampton, SO4 4UH
Telephone: 44-01-42129-2166 Fax:
Marineland, Morecambe, Lancashire
Haigh Minature Zoo, Aspull,Lancashire Haigh Mini Zoo - Haigh Country Park, Wigan WN2 1PE
Telephone: 44-01-942-832-895 Fax:
Poole Park Zoo, Poole, Dorset
Padstow Tropical Bird Gardens, Padstow, Cornwall
Aberdeen Zoo
Animal Training School & dolphinarium, South Elmsdale
Belle Vue Zoo Park Closed in 1977 after 140 years as a zoo operating within an amusement park.
Bideford Zoo
Bird Land ,Cromer
Black Mountain Bird Garden, Llanddeusant
Cleethorpes Adventure Land & Zoo
Cliftonville: Queens Hotel Dolphinarium
Clopton Bird Gardens & Fish Centre , nr Thrapston
Cornish seal Sanctury, St Agnes
Dreamland Safari Zoo, Margate
Hele Rare Breeds Farm
High Peak Garden Centre
Isle Of Wight , Dolphinarium
Marine & Freshwater Aquarium
Nuneaton Zoological Gardens
Pans Gardens, Ashover
Pinevalley, Devon Wildlife Park nr Oakhampton
Plymouth Zoological Gardens
Porthcawl Dolphinarium
Rhyl Dolphinarium
St Asaph Zoo, North Wales
Sherwood Zoo park, Hucknall
Skegness Dolphinarium
Southend Dolphinarium
Stanley Zoo, Harperley hall, Tantobie, Newcastle on Tyne
Stansted Wildlife Park, Essex
Stapleford Lion & Game reserve
Tropical Bird Garden, Bishops Tatchbrook
Tropicana Aquarium & Mini Zoo, Rhyl
Verulamium British Wildlife , St Albans
Wellingborough Zoo gardens
Wold Pottery Bird Garden
 
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