That would make such a great exhibit, some sort of mangrove specialist.
ZSL London Zoo London Zoo discussion thread
- Thread starter Fallax
- Start date
Very interesting. One of several empty enclosures at London I seemed to not even notice existed during my visits last year.
Thank you for the information.
I'm definitely aware of climate concerns but I know some zoos here but tortoises/turtles out or more visible during the warmer periods and bring them in during colder, and while it would be much preferred to have an all-season resident, inhabited during the summers might be better than empty all around.
The pool wasn't filled when I visited last year and I hadn't been aware it was filled since then, I assumed it was just entirely empty.
It's good that more space is being used in the zoo, especially the old tortoise enclosure which is a decent size for the capybara. I'm also really glad that some of the lawn space and amphitheatre got replaced with the new tortoise and reptile houses, which gives me hope that more of the unused space will get developed on in the future.
Does anyone know if there are any plans to renovate the Animal Adventure section? It hasn't felt the same since the fire and the departure of the aardvarks, and comes across as a bit empty. I am pleased that white-nosed coati have joined the collection, since previously Hamerton was the only place in the UK to see them I think, so it's nice to have another rarity in UK collections.
Does anyone know if there are any plans to renovate the Animal Adventure section? It hasn't felt the same since the fire and the departure of the aardvarks, and comes across as a bit empty. I am pleased that white-nosed coati have joined the collection, since previously Hamerton was the only place in the UK to see them I think, so it's nice to have another rarity in UK collections.
Battersea also have white-nosed coati.
Ah ok I wasn't sure if other collections in the UK had them too.
Kalaw
Well-Known Member
That would be because, for whatever reason, it's been entirely blocked off since the tortoises left. Not sure why, as they clearly didn't have an intended replacement until recently (the plan was always to have the capys move to Whipsnade) so there can't exactly have been ongoing construction work. It was a major inconvenience, making the Komodo house a dead end. It used to be possible to access the Komodo house from a path between Bird Safari and the former reptile house, passing the tortoises en route. While it's blocked off, it is just about impossible to see the old tortoise enclosure, as it is tucked away discretely behind the old Stork and Ostrich Pavilion (the big building which serves as the backdrop to Bird Safari and the indoor area for the tigers).
I hadn't thought of Coconut Crabs for those big collumn-like enclosure on the corners of TG, that's a great suggestion. I wouldn't mind seeing some small birds there though of course a bit out-of-place in an invertebrate house.
I'm pretty sure there were some birds in one of those tall corner enclosures a while back but not sure what species.
Also I have a lot of nostalgia about going through the reptile house and then being able to go and see the giant tortoises and Komodo dragons after, not to mention Professor Wu the Chinese giant salamander.
Also I have a lot of nostalgia about going through the reptile house and then being able to go and see the giant tortoises and Komodo dragons after, not to mention Professor Wu the Chinese giant salamander.
There were Montserrat orioles in there at one point, but not especially recently.
I think I remember seeing Bali starlings there at one point.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Everyone saying it's been a dead end since the tortoises moved...it hasn't, it's only been the past few months (and the few months after they moved) while building works happened. On my first visit there last year and the majority of visits since there was access down the side and through the other komodo entrance, with the tortoise area fenced off with plywood.
As for Animal Adventure, no plans as far as I'm aware. But the coati (named Klaus I believe) has settled in well and hopefully he'll get some companions soon. Animal Adventure definitely needs a bit of sprucing up in my opinion, there's a lot of space there that could benefit from London's expertise in acquiring slightly weird and fairly unique species
As for Animal Adventure, no plans as far as I'm aware. But the coati (named Klaus I believe) has settled in well and hopefully he'll get some companions soon. Animal Adventure definitely needs a bit of sprucing up in my opinion, there's a lot of space there that could benefit from London's expertise in acquiring slightly weird and fairly unique species
I was about to say in response to the people telling me it made the Komodo House a dead-end that on my visit in March 2024 I'm referring to, it wasn't a dead-end to my memory. I would've definitely missed something fenced with plywood though.
I specifically went down there to look at what was happening at that exhibit one of the last times I went and it was still accessible, though as @cerperal said it was fenced up.
And yeah ZSL has a knack at acquiring species you wouldn't necessarily expect which is always a nice surprise, like the new sengi. Perhaps due to to all the connections with conservation projects they have helps that fact.
And yeah ZSL has a knack at acquiring species you wouldn't necessarily expect which is always a nice surprise, like the new sengi. Perhaps due to to all the connections with conservation projects they have helps that fact.
Shepreth Wildlife Park also has White Nosed Coati, so the UK currently has 4 holders
As is happening across most of Europe, holders of White-nosed Coati will keep increasing as long as breeding Ring-tailed remains officially banned - they will be the standard coati before long and Ring-tailed the rarity. Lovely animals either way. 
So, somewhat of a random thought I had lately, but does anyone think London Zoo could one day bring back the sea lions or other Pinnipeds?
Obviously they’re a decently challenging type of animal to cater for, but there is technically room that could be developed for them if the zoo ever chose to bring them back.
The Mappins, with its raised viewing area and high glass panels on the lower portion, could be a good place to put them. They’d have to heavily redevelop it to remove the grassy hills and replace them with faux rock and a large pool, but it could be done relatively flexibly (without affecting the large fake mountains behind).
Could even give the zoo a reason to reopen part of the upper stairways for viewing purposes, which have remained closed for around 25 years or more. I don’t think an overhead walkway between the left and right hand stairways would be out of the question either, although they’d probably have to reconfigure the lower left path a bit.
That’s about the only pre-existing space that wouldn’t need a complete demolition to make it suitable, and in fact could be optimised to contain a range of different animals.
Penguin Beach is also almost perfect for Pinnipeds in terms of space/facilities, and would mainly need a raising of the barriers to become totally suitable. But I don’t think the zoo would be wise to get rid of the penguins, and I wouldn’t want to see them go either :/
Obviously they’re a decently challenging type of animal to cater for, but there is technically room that could be developed for them if the zoo ever chose to bring them back.
The Mappins, with its raised viewing area and high glass panels on the lower portion, could be a good place to put them. They’d have to heavily redevelop it to remove the grassy hills and replace them with faux rock and a large pool, but it could be done relatively flexibly (without affecting the large fake mountains behind).
Could even give the zoo a reason to reopen part of the upper stairways for viewing purposes, which have remained closed for around 25 years or more. I don’t think an overhead walkway between the left and right hand stairways would be out of the question either, although they’d probably have to reconfigure the lower left path a bit.
That’s about the only pre-existing space that wouldn’t need a complete demolition to make it suitable, and in fact could be optimised to contain a range of different animals.
Penguin Beach is also almost perfect for Pinnipeds in terms of space/facilities, and would mainly need a raising of the barriers to become totally suitable. But I don’t think the zoo would be wise to get rid of the penguins, and I wouldn’t want to see them go either :/
Szazomy
New Member
I think the days of encouraged sea lion presence in UK zoos are behind us - urban zoos at least. I'm not sure that London could really justify being the right environment for m/any aquatic mammals, and any space for them would likely have to be bespoke - which would come at such an expense it'd need to be with commitment to a long term presence for them. I'm by no means nothing of an expert though, maybe it would be more feasible than I suspect.
I do think the subject around adequate and suitable space for animals in London is at something of a fever pitch right now though, what with the protests surrounding the Gentoo Penguins down at the Aquarium - something I've personally opposed for many years. On that subject though I did wonder as to the feasibility of the zoo being able to take on the Gentoo's - for which there is more than adequate space within the zoo somewhere, just perhaps not the funds for the bespoke enclosure required once again.
I do think the subject around adequate and suitable space for animals in London is at something of a fever pitch right now though, what with the protests surrounding the Gentoo Penguins down at the Aquarium - something I've personally opposed for many years. On that subject though I did wonder as to the feasibility of the zoo being able to take on the Gentoo's - for which there is more than adequate space within the zoo somewhere, just perhaps not the funds for the bespoke enclosure required once again.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
No I don’t think it a sensible use of the space or indeed of the investment required. If you look at the sealion enclosure at say YWP which is one of the newer ones to be built that’s what London would need to aspire to. I can’t see how it would have any real ROI for the zoo or the animals and shoehorning large animals into spaces that are no longer fit for them just isn’t how zoo trends are going whatever peoples preference might be.
Oh wow, had a look at the YWP one and yeah, the space requirements have changed considerably in only the last 15 years or so
I was under the impression that the now demolished Sea Lion Pond was still in the ballparks of their bare minimum space requirements, seeing as it was still fit for use until 2012 (although only on a temporary basis).
Also recall other UK zoos having spaces for the sea lions and seals that didn’t exceed the kind of area that was on the Mappins (or were considerably smaller even), have they all been recently revamped or are being phased out?
Either way, it’s a shame London Zoo will probably never hold them again, as they are one of the most popular and playful aquatic species most zoos can (or could) reasonably hold.
I’m still not entirely sure why they didn’t spread the word about their temporary return in 2012, although perhaps they didn’t want to risk people crowding around them.
Well if it were the ones from the aquarium, it’s a small enough group that they might potentially be able to sort something out, although it depends on how long they’d be staying in London for.
The obvious place to try and place them would be in Penguin Beach. But of course, as Gentoos live in a different environment to Humboldts, it might not pan out as hoped (besides the potential risk of conflict between both species, although they got along fine with Ricky for years despite his differences).
If the zoo is able to invest some money in a more permanent enclosure for them, the old Anteater Lawn would probably be a good space to develop. There’s at least some room there for a pool and areas for them to walk, and as it’s mostly grass there would be very little to demolish on the lawn itself. And as I said before, the Mappins has enough space to augment it for a number of different creatures, although it would be a very large and expensive space to develop for just a small number of penguins.
Now, if temporary, and I mean very temporary (so we’re talking maybe a week or less), it could be possible to stick them in the Penguin Pool. It would have to be stressed that it was a temporary move (and only if nowhere else is available), both due to the issues with the enclosure and the negative attention an extended stay there might receive.
And really, they’d need to at least put down some extra padding or something similar to reduce the risk of bumblefoot seen in its earlier inhabitants. On the plus side, they would get plenty of sunshine and more traversable space overall than they have in the aquarium, so I could imagine it being considered if there really was nowhere else to go.
I imagine this approach was also taken for the sea lions when they occupied their old pond in 2012, as it was disused (for that species) for a similar amount of time as the Penguin Pool has now gone disused. It was a temporary move from Whipsnade in order to clean their enclosure there, so the same considerations might have been made.
Either way, I don’t doubt London Zoo would think of a good solution, especially since they have a deeper knowledge of the exact requirements (and also of their many backstage areas).