Don't see any reason why they WOULD want to give an exclusive and potential money spinner to someone else....
Hamerton Zoo Park Hamerton News 2023
- Thread starter JurassicMax
- Start date
Don't see any reason why they WOULD want to give an exclusive and potential money spinner to someone else....
Lafone
Well-Known Member
I expect they’d want to establish care for them particularly on establishing possible breeding before looking at sending them anywhere else given they just have worked hard to get them.
There’s probably lots to learn about them and the experience from two pairs will give them a great foundation and the possibility of a larger population later on.
You know that's not what I meant
So despite the kickback from the zoo itself, it turns out quite a lot of what was shared before by staff seems to have come to fruition. I guess timelines were never disclosed, but it's really encouraging to see that they've managed to stick to their plans made over a year ago - in spite of all the challanges that have come since with rising energy costs & inflation.
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That's exactly what I've been thinking too, and I was just sharing the information the keeper I talked to told me which they didn't seem to mind sharing to a mere visitor.
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Was it a keeper, or a loose tongue volunteer who no longer works there though ?
It was definitely a keeper
And there was me, keeping all of this tight-lipped for several months out of trust and all this time, it was being shared across here.
Glad to see there is at least one major development that hasn't reached these forums as of yet.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
I think you did the right thing. It was posted a while ago because someone was told it in public which is a bit different. And it was clear the zoo were not happy the volunteer had shared it.
Alwaysevergreen
Well-Known Member
Yesterday, I headed to Hamerton, on my way to collect a new animal for my own small collection from Ipswich, and spent 3/4 hours at the Zoo.
It was nice and quiet with hardly anyone there, which made it a lot easier to see some of the more elusive animals.
I had been hoping to maybe get a glimpse of the Brown Hyena, which the zoo have recently announced. I quickly realised in the morning, that this would not be very likely. The pathway round to the exhibit, as of yesterday remains closed off a little way before the exhibit, and from this first picture, that is zooming my iPhone camera in to 5x from the gate.
To give you an idea, this is from the 1x view from both ends.
I understand, having chatted to some staff, that the Hyena was a little stressed yesterday morning, so they decided to move the gates back, which gives a very limited view of the exhibit and as the zoos post suggests, you may get a glimpse as they gradually remove the barrier distance to the exhibit.
I'm only posting this, so anyone planning a visit to see them this weekend or so forth, may find that it will be a short time before you get a good view of her, and any chance of photos, would rely on a telephoto lens and the Hyena being on the far right of the indoor exhibit. I patiently waited around for an hour or so, and could hear occasional vocalisations from the Hyena, but she didn't come into view at any stage, and this was on a quiet day.
Obviously, the animals welfare is the most important aspect, and it's good the zoo are taking their time, making sure they are settled in well and not at all stressed before the barriers are removed, but I personally feel, a clearer social media post stating the animals exhibit is not really viewable at present and it would be a short period of time before they can be seen, would be helpful for people deciding to visit, as if you had travelled a long way to see them, and realised they are pretty much offshow, you would be a shade disappointed I'm sure. We all know the images used in social media postings are that of keepers or those with special access, but it would have been nice to have known the exhibit was still mainly offshow.
Hopefully in a few weeks, when I make another visit they will be more viewable.
As for the rest of the day, being quiet, meant a good opportunity to view a lot of the elusive animals who often don't show that well.
Aviary, a Common Brushtail Possum was poking his nose out first thing;
The Golden Possum pair, Tayo and Pauline, who are in the main Golden Possum exhibit, were also out and about, as the keepers cleaned them and put out their food.
Another first for me was being able to see the Squirrel Gliders in white light, as the keeper was just going in to clean them, so I managed a couple of snaps before they scarpered into their boxes, before emerging again when the night light was on.
I did catch a glimpse of Paul, another Golden Possom first thing peering out of his box near the entrance.
During the afternoon, I can safely say, I got two views I don't normally have the luxury of. First of all, Vincent, the Cacomistle / Ringtail was out on his rock, and then a rarer sight, was seeing the Lynx roaming around his paddock.
Over from here, I managed to get a nice head shot of Morris, the White Bearded Civet who is next to the Golden Possoms.
Something else, I hadn't seen mentioned before was a Sarrus Crane chick, who looks very young, and it was nice to see her interacting with mum or dad.
All in all, a good couple of hours visit, and hopefully the next time I visit in a couple of weeks, the Brown Hyena exhibit will be more on show, enough to be able to see them.
It was nice and quiet with hardly anyone there, which made it a lot easier to see some of the more elusive animals.
I had been hoping to maybe get a glimpse of the Brown Hyena, which the zoo have recently announced. I quickly realised in the morning, that this would not be very likely. The pathway round to the exhibit, as of yesterday remains closed off a little way before the exhibit, and from this first picture, that is zooming my iPhone camera in to 5x from the gate.
To give you an idea, this is from the 1x view from both ends.
I understand, having chatted to some staff, that the Hyena was a little stressed yesterday morning, so they decided to move the gates back, which gives a very limited view of the exhibit and as the zoos post suggests, you may get a glimpse as they gradually remove the barrier distance to the exhibit.
I'm only posting this, so anyone planning a visit to see them this weekend or so forth, may find that it will be a short time before you get a good view of her, and any chance of photos, would rely on a telephoto lens and the Hyena being on the far right of the indoor exhibit. I patiently waited around for an hour or so, and could hear occasional vocalisations from the Hyena, but she didn't come into view at any stage, and this was on a quiet day.
Obviously, the animals welfare is the most important aspect, and it's good the zoo are taking their time, making sure they are settled in well and not at all stressed before the barriers are removed, but I personally feel, a clearer social media post stating the animals exhibit is not really viewable at present and it would be a short period of time before they can be seen, would be helpful for people deciding to visit, as if you had travelled a long way to see them, and realised they are pretty much offshow, you would be a shade disappointed I'm sure. We all know the images used in social media postings are that of keepers or those with special access, but it would have been nice to have known the exhibit was still mainly offshow.
Hopefully in a few weeks, when I make another visit they will be more viewable.
As for the rest of the day, being quiet, meant a good opportunity to view a lot of the elusive animals who often don't show that well.
Aviary, a Common Brushtail Possum was poking his nose out first thing;
The Golden Possum pair, Tayo and Pauline, who are in the main Golden Possum exhibit, were also out and about, as the keepers cleaned them and put out their food.
Another first for me was being able to see the Squirrel Gliders in white light, as the keeper was just going in to clean them, so I managed a couple of snaps before they scarpered into their boxes, before emerging again when the night light was on.
I did catch a glimpse of Paul, another Golden Possom first thing peering out of his box near the entrance.
During the afternoon, I can safely say, I got two views I don't normally have the luxury of. First of all, Vincent, the Cacomistle / Ringtail was out on his rock, and then a rarer sight, was seeing the Lynx roaming around his paddock.
Over from here, I managed to get a nice head shot of Morris, the White Bearded Civet who is next to the Golden Possoms.
Something else, I hadn't seen mentioned before was a Sarrus Crane chick, who looks very young, and it was nice to see her interacting with mum or dad.
All in all, a good couple of hours visit, and hopefully the next time I visit in a couple of weeks, the Brown Hyena exhibit will be more on show, enough to be able to see them.
Moorhunhe
Well-Known Member
We went yesterday too, but after a visit to Shepreth first, so didn't came to Hamerton until about 3.30pm.
We didn't see any of the 'regular elusive' animals, but this time we did see the Wombat for the first time outside, from inside the aviary.
With it then being around feeding time, the Maned Wolves, White Tiger and new pair of Jackals were nicely viewable.
A Rusty Spotted Cat was also very viewable, for at least an hour. Going around his entire enclosure and climbing on the branches. That was a succesful visit for me, as all other visits, apart from poking it's head out (when even lucky enough for that) I've never really seen it decently before.
We didn't see any of the 'regular elusive' animals, but this time we did see the Wombat for the first time outside, from inside the aviary.
With it then being around feeding time, the Maned Wolves, White Tiger and new pair of Jackals were nicely viewable.
A Rusty Spotted Cat was also very viewable, for at least an hour. Going around his entire enclosure and climbing on the branches. That was a succesful visit for me, as all other visits, apart from poking it's head out (when even lucky enough for that) I've never really seen it decently before.
I Like Zoos
Active Member
I’m going next week and I deem it to be one of the best small zoos in the uk especially after Bear Meadow , Tiger falls and the Australia house
Hamerton have now officially announced the hatching of the sarus crane chick mentioned in post #110. It was hatched on 4th September and it is the first time that Hamerton has bred the species.
Information comes from the zoo's Facebook page.
Information comes from the zoo's Facebook page.
I Like Zoos
Active Member
I saw it when I visited earlier.
Is Hamerton really a small zoo? I would say not
If it's anything, I recall when I went to the zoo it was easy to go around and then do a second go around of the whole zoo.
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Surely it depends on what your definition of a small zoo is, both in terms of criteria and what you are comparing it to. Hamerton is a small zoo compared to Chester, but a big one compared to Shaldon. I'm not sure time spent at a collection is an important factor, however - for example, I saw the entirety of Noah's Ark Zoo Farm within an hour, but you would be hard-pressed to say that a 40 hectare zoo with elephants, rhinos, big cats and bears is small. The only reason it took me so little time was the fact that, barring a few species, there was little to my interest, and I got very lucky with most species being active the first time around, and those that weren't not being priorities.
I Like Zoos
Active Member
I don’t think it’s a small zoo but it could be a small zoo compared to 20 years time Hamerton
Moorhunhe
Well-Known Member
Spent the late afternoon in Hamerton yesterday.
The Brown Hyenas are still closed off.
And no movement with the Bat Eared Foxes.
We did however see the Lynx up front in his enclosure, but only to stalk one of his neighbor Jackals (sleeping next to the fence) to then also charge at it and pounce it from his side of the fence.
And saw the little Pudu too this time.
The Brown Hyenas are still closed off.
And no movement with the Bat Eared Foxes.
We did however see the Lynx up front in his enclosure, but only to stalk one of his neighbor Jackals (sleeping next to the fence) to then also charge at it and pounce it from his side of the fence.
And saw the little Pudu too this time.