IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
They're expensive to run! The only sizeable zoo aquaria these days in the UK are those at London, Chester and Bristol, if you exclude the Sea Life Centre tacked onto Chessington.
Edinburgh Zoo Edinburgh Zoo News 2013
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They're expensive to run! The only sizeable zoo aquaria these days in the UK are those at London, Chester and Bristol, if you exclude the Sea Life Centre tacked onto Chessington.
Are they really the only ones? That's really surprising. And I always thought Chester's was fairly small-scale, is that right?
London's is very good nowadays despite its age- I really spent some time in there last visit. Bristol's is obviously not on the same scale but is excellent too. What a revelation- that these are the only ones linked to mainstream zoos.
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The fact that they are expensive to run may have something to do with some zoos making and additional entrance charge for the aquarium at one time, London used to charge admission for the aquarium, as they also did for the children's zoo. My old Edinburgh guide book from my first visit to this zoo in 1971 quotes a charge of two and a half pence for all classes to enter the Carnegie Aquarium.
I'm not sure that they are so expensive to run: they do need staffing plus water and power, but fish are cheap to feed. However there is a high capital cost in setting one up and maintenance on old tanks can be very expensive too. It is well known that ZSL and Chester both abandoned plans for new aquariums a few years ago.
Pertinax said:
It's true.
Chester's aquarium is rather like the Tardis. The public area is quite small but there are a lot more tanks off-show. The original public walkway passed the current exit and then went round the other three sides of the square building to exit beside the current entrance. One or two of the original display tanks are still in use behind the scenes, but most were replaced when the aquarium was modernised (around 20 years ago I guess - bongorob will tell us the exact date). They mainly hold breeding stocks for conservation programmes, notably seahorses and goodeids. Don't forget that Gordon Reid was a professional aquarist
Alan
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IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure that they are so expensive to run: they do need staffing plus water and power, but fish are cheap to feed. However there is a high capital cost in setting one up and maintenance on old tanks can be very expensive too. It is well known that ZSL and Chester both abandoned plans for new aquariums a few years ago. ..Chester's aquarium is rather like the Tardis. The public area is quite small but there are a lot more tanks off-show. The original public walkway passed the current exit and then went round the other three sides of the square building to exit beside the current entrance. One or two of the original display tanks are still in use behind the scenes, but most were replaced when the aquarium was modernised (around 20 years ago I guess - bongorob will tell us the exact date). They mainly hold breeding stocks for conservation programmes, notably seahorses and goodeids. Don't forget that Gordon Reid was a professional aquarist
Alan
Agreed. I was thinking about the Herculanean task London faces in terms of keeping its venerable aquarium running; it had a small scale refit about forty years ago in the Marine Hall, but sadly it didn't encompass the entire building.
Chester's aquarium isn't that big, but it is choice. Bristol's is the only one that I would have said made viewing its animals a pleasure. And if there is another mainstream UK zoo that possesses a stand-alone aquarium, rather than aquatic exhibits distributed around the zoo (e,g. Colchester), then I honestly can't think of one.
Edinburgh have had first UK koala birth.
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Edinburgh celebrates the UK's first koala joey!
Edinburgh Zoo's female koala, 'Alinga', has given birth to the first baby koala born in the British Isles.
Edinburgh Zoo has housed koalas for the last eight years. However, only males have been held until 14th February this year when Alinga arrived from Duisburg Zoo in Germany.
Koalas are very sensitive creatures and aren't always deemed a success in captivity as their husbandry can be very challenging. This is largely due to the koala's very selective diet. They are classed as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN's Red List, but their numbers are declining mainly due to habitat conversion and urbanisation.'
'
Edinburgh celebrates the UK's first koala joey!
Edinburgh Zoo's female koala, 'Alinga', has given birth to the first baby koala born in the British Isles.
Edinburgh Zoo has housed koalas for the last eight years. However, only males have been held until 14th February this year when Alinga arrived from Duisburg Zoo in Germany.
Koalas are very sensitive creatures and aren't always deemed a success in captivity as their husbandry can be very challenging. This is largely due to the koala's very selective diet. They are classed as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN's Red List, but their numbers are declining mainly due to habitat conversion and urbanisation.'
Video news report from the zoo here: Edinburgh Zoo Welcomes UK's First Ever Koala Joey! - YouTube
Joey was conceived in April!
Joey was conceived in April!
So rather than getting the UK first breeding of an animal which sleeps all the time, barely moves and only does so in order to eat...... they have got the UK first breeding of an animal which sleeps all the time, barely moves and only does so in order to eat 
It's always nice for there to be a UK first breeding of something, of course.
It's always nice for there to be a UK first breeding of something, of course.
Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
So rather than getting the UK first breeding of an animal which sleeps all the time, barely moves and only does so in order to eat...... they have got the UK first breeding of an animal which sleeps all the time, barely moves and only does so in order to eat
It's always nice for there to be a UK first breeding of something, of course.
I don't think the public will be as impressed as zoonerds
- I think a giant panda cub appeals more to them rather than a koala joey.
So rather than getting the UK first breeding of an animal which sleeps all the time, barely moves and only does so in order to eat...... they have got the UK first breeding of an animal which sleeps all the time, barely moves and only does so in order to eat
And in both cases has such a restricted diet it shoves them into an evolutionary niche - as well as being cuddly and iconic.
Personally I'd be happier if they bred their Tibetan Golden Cats which would also be a UK first breeding.
which would also be a UK first breeding.Personally I'd be happier if they bred their Tibetan Golden Cats
That would be good. Although any cat breeding at Edinburgh would be welcome!
There's a panda update on facebook today:
Panda Watch Update:
Tian Tian is still showing all the right signs that indicate pregnancy and has recently become fairly sensitive to noise, so with this in mind we are closing the panda enclosure today so she can enjoy peace and quiet.
Also from a comment from the zoo elsewhere on facebook the window will close mid next week so we'll soon know either way...
Panda Watch Update:
Tian Tian is still showing all the right signs that indicate pregnancy and has recently become fairly sensitive to noise, so with this in mind we are closing the panda enclosure today so she can enjoy peace and quiet.
Also from a comment from the zoo elsewhere on facebook the window will close mid next week so we'll soon know either way...