ZSL London Zoo London zoo party nights ‘threaten animal welfare’

sooty mangabey said:
As is so often the case, though, context is all.

A number of zoos now offer themselves as venues for weddings. I can see that certain zoos would be excellent settings for conferences, with evening social gatherings in the zoo grounds. A group of people - be they the local freemasons, or a gathering of zoo nerds, or whatever - may have a (for them) very pleasant evening in a zoo, which for the zoo will be advantageous too.

The difference with these zoo late events is the way in which they are presented, the way in which they are marketed. @Gentle Lemur advised people to look on Youtube. The zoo's official offerings on there, advertising the events, promote a sort of moronic inanity that makes me question wether even the financial gains that have bee discussed merit these things going on.

And as for those financial gains. £800,000 - it sounds like an awful lot of money. But what does it mean? Is that the profit? The turnover? Does it include all evening events? I think I'd take it with a slight pinch of salt....
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I would think the £800,000 is turnover for these events, although stand to be corrected. I agree that a zoo could make a fine setting for a summer evening event, I recall one of the volunteers at Edinburgh telling me of a pleasant evening the members had at the zoo when closed to the public, it was very peaceful occasion and enjoyed by all. I wonder what the honest opinion is of the keepers at London, who after a long day working at Regents Park then have to stop back on an evening to officiate at one of these booze ups? I sincerely hope something really nasty does not happen at one of these events, although part of me thinks they are asking for it, and of coarse, excellent material for the anti brigade.
 
As Sooty mentioned, I think there is a difference between the original "zoo lates" and these more recent versions which are very much more like parties.
And yes it does depend on how they are marketed and organised, incidentally the ones I have been aware of were not "supervised" by zoo staff, and I firmly believe that any event after hours at a zoo SHOULD be supervised completely just in case of idiots!
 
Completely agree. I imagine the 1930's version was a very tranquil affair and advertising and the sorts of things that clearly have happened, even if only infrequently are a world apart. Also, and I don't think anyone else has mentioned it, you get kicked out of the zoo an hour early on Fridays if there is a zoo late.
 
Quite seriously, the Zoo is operated by a charity, which is governed by Royal Charter,and its site is leased from a Royal Park. It also has some very fussy licensing inspectors from Westminster!

There must be some limits as to what it's allowed to do. Presumably strip tease acts in the Casson Pavilion wouldn't be sanctioned. Does anybody know?
 
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Another view from someone who went to one of the zoo lates a couple of years ago - my daughter. She says there were lots of drunk people around, but that is what's going to happen if they sell alcohol and hype it up to be a party.

I'm very surprised that they let anyone near the gorillas now that they know how easily Kumbuka is wound up by 'exuberant' visitors.
 
Gigit said:
I'm very surprised that they let anyone near the gorillas now that they know how easily Kumbuka is wound up by 'exuberant' visitors.
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I'm also surprised that animals like the Gorillas are still on show at that late hour, as I imagine it is way past their normal evening feeding and bedtime routines. And I also wonder if there are actually any animal staff on hand or not to oversee people passing through that area. Presumably so if they need to put them(the gorillas) to bed after its over.
 
I'm personally not too keen on these evenings, having helped out at an early one. But seriously!!! – only three minor incidents were mentioned in the original Guardian report, someone trying to jump into the penguin pool (not unknown during the day only it'll be a small sober child), a squashed butterfly or two (ditto), a slightly biffed bird which presumably recovered in a matter of seconds... really, it was not sensible journalism (more like the Mail than the Guardian) and has resulted in reams and reams of unpleasant hysterical posts on the ZSL London facebook page, attracting the usual people who want to close down all zoos etc. Not helpful.
 
volvox said:
I'm personally not too keen on these evenings, having helped out at an early one. But seriously!!! – only three minor incidents were mentioned in the original Guardian report, someone trying to jump into the penguin pool (not unknown during the day only it'll be a small sober child), a squashed butterfly or two (ditto), a slightly biffed bird which presumably recovered in a matter of seconds... really, it was not sensible journalism (more like the Mail than the Guardian) and has resulted in reams and reams of unpleasant hysterical posts on the ZSL London facebook page, attracting the usual people who want to close down all zoos etc. Not helpful.
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H'mm. Another way of avoiding bad publicity would be if these events were scrapped. I suspect that ZSL is sailing rather close to the wind in terms of what charter, lease and licence will permit at London Zoo.
 
volvox said:
I'm personally not too keen on these evenings, having helped out at an early one. But seriously!!! – only three minor incidents were mentioned in the original Guardian report, someone trying to jump into the penguin pool (not unknown during the day only it'll be a small sober child), a squashed butterfly or two (ditto), a slightly biffed bird which presumably recovered in a matter of seconds... really, it was not sensible journalism (more like the Mail than the Guardian) and has resulted in reams and reams of unpleasant hysterical posts on the ZSL London facebook page, attracting the usual people who want to close down all zoos etc. Not helpful.
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I agree. Reactions need to be proportionate.
 
It is the huge potential for problems, that is the biggest risk in itself.
A zoo is still no place for a rowdy party, or even a slightly less rowdy party.
 
volvox said:
I'm personally not too keen on these evenings, having helped out at an early one. But seriously!!! – only three minor incidents were mentioned in the original Guardian report, someone trying to jump into the penguin pool (not unknown during the day only it'll be a small sober child), a squashed butterfly or two (ditto), a slightly biffed bird which presumably recovered in a matter of seconds... really, it was not sensible journalism (more like the Mail than the Guardian) and has resulted in reams and reams of unpleasant hysterical posts on the ZSL London facebook page, attracting the usual people who want to close down all zoos etc. Not helpful.
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If ZSL is generating anywhere close to 800,000 pounds from these events as reported, it's going to take a lot more than these relatively modest risks (as noted not much greater than those posed by daytime guests) to close down the events. Is it tacky? yes. Is it otherwise replaceable revenue? no
 
I have the upmost respect for London Zoo, also for its country park at Whipsnade, a life time of pleasure visiting both places throughout my life. Not without reservations I must add, I am a realist and do not just wallow in childhood nostalgia. Firstly I recall in the mid seventies when the new lion terraces were being built, lions and pumas that resided in the old lion house were deemed to be "surplus to requirement" and were promptly put down, I remember reading about this as a teenager in the Sunday papers, The People if my memory serves me correctly, and I remember being horrified and dismayed, it was stated in the paper that the keepers concerned were not at all happy with it, however a rather patronising statement from the directors at the time stated "do you think we take these decisions lightly", as a teenager, I then realised, just like other lessons in life, that the London Zoo was not perhaps this wonderful, perfect place that I had always envisaged, The Zoo got over this by promoting their new lion terraces in 1976 as a far netter place for big cats to reside, which it was for those that remained. Things did not go so well for London in the early eighties unfortunately with the Pole Pole tragedy, again after many years London Zoo has overcome these bad days and would appear to be now on top form, which I am very pleased to see, regarding these late night booze ups, all I can say is stop pushing your luck and remember how easily it is to fall out of favour with the public, these events are not an appropriate venue, and if the gorillas are throwing muck, as stated by Pertinax, they are stressed, enough said .
 
As I posted in the Guardian comments thread (if anyone read far enough), I've been three times and I don't think the article gives the most accurate impression of the event. The first two times, at least, were fairly calm and relaxed feeling, and I didn't even see a hint of bad behavior. It was a nicer atmosphere than I've ever experienced in my day visits there. The most recent time, this year, did feel a bit different - certainly there were more annoying, shouty people (though I didn't see anyone shout at the animals). I'm not sure whether it was a one-off or if it has got worse. Or maybe I was just lucky the first two times? Anyway, the article doesn't really reflect my experiences there.

Having said that, I'd be happy to see a ban on alcohol. I think (ok, I'm just guessing really) that they'd still be successful enough to be worth doing, even if they didn't quite make £800,000. It would be a shame to stop them altogether, because it is nice to see the zoo in the evening; I've seen things that I've never seen on day visits before.
 
And that presumably is what the 1930's 'zoo by floodlight' nights were about. Alas, without alcohol, I doubt people would pay to go in sufficient numbers to make this a viable weekly event during the summer season.
 
Panthera1981 said:
This story seems to be snowballing.ZSL simply can't stick it's head in the sand and knock out the same old statements this time-it's embarrassing.

Is anyone at the top listening?!?:confused:
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It is embarrassing. I have been mailed twice in the last week by separate campaigning organisations focussing on what they see as putting profit before welfare.

£800,000 a year profit isn't that much set against what is developing into a sizeable PR disaster.:(

...which has now got attention in Texas, for heavens' sake....Beer thrown at tiger during drunken zoo party | News - Home
 
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When will they learn ? No amount of money should come before animal welfare. I don`t care what anyone says. Zoos and parties just do mix and never should mix. Simple.
 
I believe that the zoo lates have now finished for this summer so there is now ample time for ZSL to consider whether the present format is suitable or not.
 
I went one of these on Friday:

I personally would much rather do a proper day out at zsl where you have time to see everything.

It was soo busy and very drink orientated, loads of little bars popped up everywhere(fiver for a drink mind) and they were givin out lots of free wine samples too. Loads of keepers/security are visable so I imagine theres not to much trouble overall.

The amount of money they make for these nights I doubt very much they will stop them.

ps: was quite impressed with the zoo, very much like the new hippo enclosure, tigers to looked great! Much changed from the old worn down zoo in the past.
 
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