Paignton Zoo Duchess

Kifaru, the area with the Anoa, Tapir etc is horrible and should have been replaced many years ago. Can only hope it is high on the to do list.

We have been in the middle of Feb with ice and frost every where. It was far nicer than it currently is.

The "Gibbon Cafe" is a whole new level of carp. They had five sandwiches to choose from. 2 Ham salad, 2 atlantic prawn and 1 tuna. The hot food was even worse.
 
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Kifaru Bwana said:
Wintertime generally does not seem like a good period down in Devon.

As for the elephant Duchess, I really do feel it would be best for her to be with her own species at a collection holding elderly Africans (Safari Blair Drummond comes to mind or a place like WMSP). They would then be able to convert that part of the zoo into a veritable giraffe and African hoof stock safari area.

Doing up the Asian animal section with anoas would also be nice .. The building IMO is not the most welcoming of structures ... :eek:
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Yes, if Duchess is up to it in the near future I do think it would be preferable for her to be moved to another collection where she will have the company of her own kind.
 
I'm concerned about Satans post re Duchess. Is she not moving at all? The keepers are very good down there and will not let her suffer. As for the suggestions that she should be moved - NO WAY ! She can hardly see and its only because she's created a memory mind map of her whole enclosure that she gets by now. Suggestions of safari parks in Scotland are hideous.

What 'projects' are you referring to Satan and is it just the Gardens that look weathered or the state of the grass in the enclosures which often turn to red torbay clay/mud in winter?

In my earlier post in this thread that Pertinax accidentally cut, I said that I remember when they (Gay & Duchess) were moved from the old enclosure using a set of cables and chains. They walked the 400m or so (it took many hours because they were browsing so freely) with feet chined and linked to cables.
 
Have to agree with Tri, moving here is not an option. They would have done so when Gay went if it was. She didn't move at all. Every couple of minutes she would let out a big exhale but nothing more.

They are creating a new island in the lake. The clearing around the rhino's. THey are only small in themselves but together it is probably a lot of money being spent. The bird renovations are still ploughing ahead. I know I have said they needed doing badly and I stand by that. However I didn't think they would be done at the cost of the other animals. The grass and conditions within the enclosure of the Lions, Tigers etc looks like it normally does this time of year.

As for keepers, there weren't many around yesterday. We normally see 20 or 30 of them either walking around the zoo or in with the animals, I think we saw 3 possible 4. We saw more volunteers who were monitoring visitor numbers.

As I said before , I really do hope I am wrong on both fronts.
 
Satan said:
She is not acting normally at all. She is till standing in the corner, holding on to the enclosure steel work. Face tight against it. Front right leg raised as though limp.

If anyone saw how she was today, I think they would be appalled.

She is getting thinner. Having not been for 6 months, there is a very clear and saddening deterioration in her condition.
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I'm no elephant expert but I don't share your pessimistic view. I was surprised that she survived the operation and, all things considered, feel she has been OK since.

At first she obviously had some discomfort from her eye as she kept throwing hay at it and touching it with her trunk, but I haven't seen her do that for a couple of weeks. She does lean against the railings with her legs crossed but she did that before the operation. I've seen her tucking into her hay and pellets and she's often outside. She was on Wednesday morning, going through her usual routines of walking backwards and so on. I'm sure the staff are doing their best for her.
 
Gigit, I don't doubt the staff, they were wonderful with her after Gays death. There commitment is not in doubt.

As I have already said, I hope I am wrong.
 
Equally here ... also vis a vis re Duchess' welfare status comments. Back on Earth, moving ain't no option.

In context: my comments I was actually merely thinking in terms of behavioral enrichment for her and companionship is the best enrichment for any species.


Incidentally: how old is Duchess now?
 
Satan said:
RE - Duchess.
Today was a little breezy at the top of the zoo so I could understand her staying in, but she didn't move at all. We watched her for 10 minutes or so. Her trunk around a steel upright, with it resting in a tire. Her head was down.
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If you only watched her for 10mins could she have just been sleeping? I am lucky enough to have done research on elephants (captive) and adults usually sleep standing, often leaning against things where possible and either holding on to something with the trunk or extending it to the ground for stability which fits what you describe. Young and old elephants will often nap during the day if they have had enough to eat and they are feeling relaxed and given Duchess's health and recent op she may well be tired? They do often close the eyes to sleep, but not always. Did you see her doing it throughout the day or just that one time?
 
I suppose our esteemed poster made a supposition rather than being in the know on how elephant Duchess would feel at the given moment in time nor any other time ... ;)

The enclosure being quite bare in parts is most probably also for Duchess' benefit .. in that she has no new unfamiliar objects that block her path or might create a difficult stumbling situation for her.

Given her middle age she may well have another 15+ years to sojourn at Paignton.
 
Tunata, you could be spot on, we only watched her for 1, 10 minute period.

Like I say, i'm hoping I am wrong.
 
Hope the following will help regarding Duchess; Recently I returned from a two week holiday and made my way up to see Duchess she was near the lower fencing foraging in the mud when I called her and rustled the bamboo she raised her head recognised me and showered me with red mud it was so funny and she just munched away on the bamboo whilst I tried to clean myself up full length black coat on.

After the comments on site I saw her again yesterday and she was inside . Just about to download some pictures.
 
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