The function room has a separate entrance so it has no impact on the centre when in use. The centre always remains open to the public, it's for public use.
Twycross Zoo Himalaya Opening Date
- Thread starter tomzoo123
- Start date
The function room has a separate entrance so it has no impact on the centre when in use. The centre always remains open to the public, it's for public use.
Been to twycross today, second time since himalaya opened.
Some new birds, behind tropical house there are a pair of Madagascan Turtle doves and the European Rollers are finaly meant to be in that exhibit too but only saw the sign for them
Food is average in himalaya, except it is just basic stuff like jacket potatos or curry, although it is quite cheap.
Also, around the future hyeana exhibit, there are new higher fences been put up for some reasons, theyve basically just added another 3 feet section onto the already existing visitor barrior for some reason, but only on the parts between the house and the 1st viewing window, and the part between the tortoise house and the other viewing window
Some new birds, behind tropical house there are a pair of Madagascan Turtle doves and the European Rollers are finaly meant to be in that exhibit too but only saw the sign for them
Food is average in himalaya, except it is just basic stuff like jacket potatos or curry, although it is quite cheap.
Also, around the future hyeana exhibit, there are new higher fences been put up for some reasons, theyve basically just added another 3 feet section onto the already existing visitor barrior for some reason, but only on the parts between the house and the 1st viewing window, and the part between the tortoise house and the other viewing window
Agree with this one, it would have been nice to at least have a large viewing window on the inside of the zoo on the way down to pets corner as well.
A lot of people go back to their cars, because a lot of people picnic and they don't carry the picnic around with them all day. I really don't see the issue with the wristband, they are flimsy and I would imagine very cheap, they took all of 5 seconds to put on mine and my girlfriends wrists on the way in, as opposed to the couple of minutes that it took to fill in the gift aid sheet (Which I didn't mind doing obviously). If you have to go back for the band then I do see an issue with it, if you get the band on the way in then what's the problem? It causes absolutely no grief, you can wander in and out of the restaurant and the rest of the zoo to your hearts content.
I still think it is, if they had put the payment windows on the way in to that building would you be saying on here that Twycross now has an excellent new entrance building?
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Actual I would still be complaining about the exhibits,but I would be calling it an entrance because it would be but at the moment its just a shop lifters paradise!
I think the point is that Twycross attracts 500,000 visitors a year without much effort, regardless of whether the enclosures are up to the required standard. It does that because it's centrally located, easy to get too, family friendly and it has a personality, based around its past ownership and association with the PG Tips Chimps etc that appeals to a lot of people.
Of those 500,000 visitors, most of them are pretty ignorant as to what is a good enclosure and what is a bad one, what constitutes excellent animal husbandry and what doesn't. I spent a year walking around the place, standing in enclosures with people hearing comments like 'Aren't they well looked after' a million times and 'Look at the Monkeys' when stood in the Bonobo house. These people are the bread and butter for the zoo and Twycross is so well placed to increase visitor numbers massively, they have to take advantage of that because if they optimise visitor numbers then they maximise revenues and they have the maximum amount of cash to invest in (fingers crossed) really great enclosures.
I'm willing to bet that most of these people think Himalaya is bloody brilliant and they don't care that they have to walk through it to get in to the zoo, and the kids probably love the wristband because it's a memento of their day, they probably keep it on for a week afterwards! Himalaya massively improves the visitor experience for all of these people, their negatives about the zoo prior to Himalaya would have been sat in my car queuing to get in, crap toilets, couldn't get the buggy in the restaurant or the shop, had to stand in the middle of a road in the pouring rain to pay, but these issues are solved by this building.
We all know that they have money in the bank, they can spread that thinly across the whole zoo now or they can use it to put the infrastructure in place to attract and cope with many more people and then do it with more funds behind them. The money they have now wouldn't go that far if they wanted to build exhibits that equal Himalayas standard, what did Realm of the Red Ape cost at Chester £3.5million?
I'm not saying that I agree with absolutely everything about Himalaya, but they have taken best advantage of private funding, created a spectacle that will bring in more people and improve their experience of the place and I hope that will in turn help to bring the money in that will enable them to do something special with the rest of the zoo, and satisfy you guys on here who are serious and passionate about zoos and the way that they look after their animals.
Of those 500,000 visitors, most of them are pretty ignorant as to what is a good enclosure and what is a bad one, what constitutes excellent animal husbandry and what doesn't. I spent a year walking around the place, standing in enclosures with people hearing comments like 'Aren't they well looked after' a million times and 'Look at the Monkeys' when stood in the Bonobo house. These people are the bread and butter for the zoo and Twycross is so well placed to increase visitor numbers massively, they have to take advantage of that because if they optimise visitor numbers then they maximise revenues and they have the maximum amount of cash to invest in (fingers crossed) really great enclosures.
I'm willing to bet that most of these people think Himalaya is bloody brilliant and they don't care that they have to walk through it to get in to the zoo, and the kids probably love the wristband because it's a memento of their day, they probably keep it on for a week afterwards! Himalaya massively improves the visitor experience for all of these people, their negatives about the zoo prior to Himalaya would have been sat in my car queuing to get in, crap toilets, couldn't get the buggy in the restaurant or the shop, had to stand in the middle of a road in the pouring rain to pay, but these issues are solved by this building.
We all know that they have money in the bank, they can spread that thinly across the whole zoo now or they can use it to put the infrastructure in place to attract and cope with many more people and then do it with more funds behind them. The money they have now wouldn't go that far if they wanted to build exhibits that equal Himalayas standard, what did Realm of the Red Ape cost at Chester £3.5million?
I'm not saying that I agree with absolutely everything about Himalaya, but they have taken best advantage of private funding, created a spectacle that will bring in more people and improve their experience of the place and I hope that will in turn help to bring the money in that will enable them to do something special with the rest of the zoo, and satisfy you guys on here who are serious and passionate about zoos and the way that they look after their animals.
There is an exit next to the tills you know and an information centre next to the entrance, so both doors are covered. I'm sure they've thought about shop lifters, maybe there isn't much of a black market in stuffed animal toys and copies of Mollys Zoo.
You do seem particularly keen to hate the place, is there anything that you do like about it and would like to see taken in to the rest of the zoo?
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Actually I don`t hate the place it just frustrates me with the fact that its stuck in a time warp which has long gone,and when they do something out of the time loop they never seen to get it quite right,like the Bornean Longhouse Aviary with only 3 species from the area and 1 of those is an occasional migrant.
Absolutely - would have been perfectly straightforward to include that.
I'm not gonna lose too much sleep over the wristbands, but I still think they're an extra nuisance that could have been avoided if they weren't forced into putting everything outside the zoo.
Excellent or not I cannot say, but at least then it would be the entrance. I just can't understand building something so elaborate outside the zoo.
GillP
Well-Known Member
It does seem a bit of a dead end but I agree it's a good example of a Pets corner if you like that sort of thing. I personally have no interest in guinea pigs but the walkthrough aviary is quite nice and there was a very friendly wallaby when we went the other week. I expect the zipwire, giant elastic climbing pyramid and xylophone will probably be the main draw in that area kids being what they are (and must admit as a parent that that play area is better than many) so hopefully the pets corner won't be overlooked.
I wonder if there's a viewing window in the ladies too ? If not that's discrimination (!!) but really, does anyone want to linger any longer than necessary in a public loo ?
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Well thats the plan that they can be viewed from both the Ladies and Gents Toilets,and the hole for the window was there when I saw it being built a last year.
Whether there's a black market for the goods is irrelevant, it still represents lost revenue to the zoo! Seriously, looking at the layout and knowing school children (I was one myself once) I reckon at least one in thirty will be helping themselves to free sandwiches, pasties and bottled drinks.
I'd also state that I don't hate Twycross, like many others I'm continually frustrated by the "two steps forward, one sideways, one back" way in which the zoo evolves. It's progress over the last twenty years is very poor compared with other zoos (Marwell, Colchester, Paignton) which have similar or lower visitor numbers.
I think Twycross has a lot of goodwill, both from the general public and zoo enthusiasts, and historically has been privileged to have little competition from other animal attractions nearby.
It will also be interesting to see what happens medium-term to vistor numbers given, to the general public (to whom a monkey's a monkey), apart from a grand looking "entrance" few new ABC species have been added and the entrance fees have jumped considerably in the last two or three years.
Whilst I'm disappointed on a number of levels with the new entrance, I hope this expansion strategy works and will reserve my final opinion on this strategy and its results for a few more years (let's hope we're not all having deja vu in five years time).
Last edited:
I think that statement rings true for the sentiments of a number of people on here, including myself.
Just back to the viewing for the snow leopards, there is all the coloured restraunt seating yes, but the other half of the room there are large gaps to view them from. Its where the coffee bar is there is a huge section of glass about the same size as the amur viewing panel.
Went twycross today and the snowleopard enclosure is coming on great, almost done with some more plants and the river working. Also they have got another two booths open and a members entrance, and also you get the wrist bands as you go in with your tickets rather than as you leave the zoo.
I visited the other day and my impressions of the new Visitor Centre were quite favourable really- it provides a much larger 'food court' style eating area and retail outlet(huge gift shop!!) than they have ever had before and which they badly needed. The Snow Leopard enclosure is hugely impressive and nicely done, and makes a good backdrop for the whole length of the building, my only doubt is still that the Snow Leopards themselves will not create a very active display but even as a 'static' exhibit it is probably impressive enough for most visitors to get something from it.
I didn't see any sign of a 'Wetlands' aviary though I did notice how the 'Pets at Twycross' section has almost completely been seperated from the main Zoo by these new developments.
I didn't see any sign of a 'Wetlands' aviary though I did notice how the 'Pets at Twycross' section has almost completely been seperated from the main Zoo by these new developments.
Last edited:
mazfc
Well-Known Member
I've been to twycross a couple of times this month, and I actually like the new himalayan entrance. It's give the zoo a nice modern feel. And I think definitely be a crowd pleaser - that is what brings in the revenue.
Like the rest of you I hope that they use the money to improve enclosures. I'd love to see the primates in better areas, but the next urgent priority, as I see it are the giraffes and sealions, as their enclosures break my heart every time I see them.
I was impressed with the Woolley monkey area, which I have somehow missed on every other visit ihave ever made there!
I actually find the new pets corner a bit sterile and soulless and preferred the atmosphere in the old stables pet corner.
Like the rest of you I hope that they use the money to improve enclosures. I'd love to see the primates in better areas, but the next urgent priority, as I see it are the giraffes and sealions, as their enclosures break my heart every time I see them.
I was impressed with the Woolley monkey area, which I have somehow missed on every other visit ihave ever made there!
I actually find the new pets corner a bit sterile and soulless and preferred the atmosphere in the old stables pet corner.
I agree with you on that- the old area had a friendly atmosphere/smell which is missing in the new one, but maybe it will mellow with time. I did like the walkthrough Aviary though.
I would still rate some of the Primate enclosures as higher priority for change than the Giraffe or Sealions though.
johnstoni
Well-Known Member
what was impressive about it? Have they had a new enclosure, or has their old area been refurbished?
I agree the primate areas remain Twycross's single top priority: great apes and colobine primates first and foremost.
Is a shame really that zoos are so constricted with the amount of money they have to spend on development.
If i became priminister (could probably do a better job than the current!) I would make every multi millionairre and footballer donate to a local zoo.
Is also a shame that they are not part funded by the government as they are abroad.
Would definately like the zoo to redevelop all its primate enclosures and once again become the worlds (undoubted) leading primate collection.
If i became priminister (could probably do a better job than the current!) I would make every multi millionairre and footballer donate to a local zoo.
Is also a shame that they are not part funded by the government as they are abroad.
Would definately like the zoo to redevelop all its primate enclosures and once again become the worlds (undoubted) leading primate collection.