Longleat Safari & Adventure Park Longleat Safari Park News 2010

I think they said on an episode of Animal Park, that it'll probably just be turned over to the sealions. It is too small to house anything really.
 
Something like gibbons would work well in my opinion? They can be quite active and aren't that small that they will be missed by people on the boat. I can picture that working quite well, the island wouldn't require a huge make over, what do people think?
 
Gibbons would be good. I love Longleat but I really think the safari park with the loss of driving through monkey jungle needs more animals perhaps cheetahs, hunting dogs and the return of the much missed elephants!
 
Where would cheetahs actually fit in if they were bought back? I don't know how much room Longleat has to expand the Safari Park?
 
I think they'd go in the pygmy goat paddock; wide space and a great view to serve the cheetah's needs for vantage points.
 
Many years ago they used to keep Cheetahs and looking at a old guide book map they where inbetween the two prides of Lions.

i would like to see the return of the Elephants does anyone know what happened to them?
 
I think the elephants were moved to Zooparc de Beauval in France; I think there was an Animal Park episode completely dedicated to it.
 
Well, unfortunately we didn't get the chance to stop at the East Africa reserve. To many coaches already stopped so we had to move on.

Sorry DesertRhino, didn't get the chance to look at the family tree sheets etc. Saw both young giraffes. Kaiser wouldn't leave his mothers side. The new female was laying down in the grass slightly away from the main group. Her mother wasn't to far away in amongst the trees. Her neck still hasn't fully straightened yet. Although only seen from a distance both baby zebra looked pretty happy.

We could see the monkeys running around a playing, so they seem well enough in themselves, will be good to see those enclosures open once more. The two female rhinos were out and not so active, happily laying down by the fence which breaks them from the deer. The white stag was nice to see, the doe's and the stags were in two distinct groups as you would expect. The males over by the food hut and the females over the other side of the enclosure towards the lions.

It was very nice to see two or three different species mixed together.

The tigers were reasonably active, walking around the roads, playing in the corners and rolling on their backs. Photographs to come. Only two of the wolves were out and about yesterday morning. The rest of the pack seemed very eager to be let out.

The lions were typical lions. Occasionally moving but generally doing bugger all. It seemed very strange going through both prides and there not being any young cubs or a male. It will be a very good day when the new male arrives.

The sealion pup was really cute. He was playing catch his own flipper for the entire time we were on the boat. Nico was Nico. I think that sums it up. He was sat with his back to the water looking for bugs on the wooden sides of the gorilla house. Only just got a glimpse of a hippo head. Didn't see both of them.

The bat enclosure was good. To be able to actually see them instead of just feeling them as they flew by is a big improvement on what chester have. If the lighting was increased at chester a little it would make the attraction there a much better experience than it already is.

Rosie and Romeo were doing what they seem to do best. I would not want to be the one to clean out the little pond they have. The two baby otters that were born on the 19th July were being fed when we were in the animal adventures. They both have strong sets of lungs. Will post the least fuzzy photo in a while.

They fed the porcupines whilst we were there. One of the cutest pair of faces you could see. Especially when Russell was taking the food pellets from the keepers hand.

Not much else to report really.

Must say the the staff were friendly and very helpful. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get her name, but one of the 'bunny huggers' was especially nice and approachable. Was a real difference compared to recent experiences of Chester and Paignton.

The food was reasonable as well. The drinks were a little expensive but is was still over all value for money.

My only negative to take from the experience is that there are now more gift shops than attractions.
 
The bat enclosure was good. To be able to actually see them instead of just feeling them as they flew by is a big improvement on what chester have. If the lighting was increased at chester a little it would make the attraction there a much better experience than it already is.


Bear in mind they're different species of bat - the Egyptians at Longleat are much less strictly nocturnal in my experience - I've seen them active in full daylight (at Exmoor, for example). While Chester's Rodrigues and Livingstone's may be reasonably active in the kind of light levels Longleat has there's no way the Seba's would be - and they're the best bit!
 
I don't mean to the levels of Longleat. Just a slight increase in the light level would make a bid difference.

In Chester it takes you 10 minutes to adjust fully to the light, by which time the staff are telling you to move on because you blocking the way through.

I know Chester is a more realistic exhibit but they either need to tell the staff to stop being pushy and rude to let people actually enjoy it or raise the levels a little so people can see the magnificent display a little quicker.
 
I know Chester is a more realistic exhibit but they either need to tell the staff to stop being pushy and rude to let people actually enjoy it or raise the levels a little so people can see the magnificent display a little quicker.

Can't say I've had any problems with rudeness - in fact I've found the presenters there to be very helpful. Sounds like you may have caught them on bad day. I've never been asked to move along (or heard anyone else being asked).
 
It's happened a couple of times. I guess it must depend on who is presenting on the days we've been there.

I'm beginning to think my camera hates me. Looking through the photo's now and they are terrible. The wife has far better ones. Will take the best of both post some later.
 
What exactly are they doing with Monkey Jungle to make it a drive-by? I'm imagining large windows looking into the enclosure?
 
JamesB, at the moment the areas are just still closed to traffic. It doesn't appear as though anything has yet been started to make the enclosure viewable once more.

I would imagine they would wait until after the summer holidays before commencing any work.
 
More monkeys have been found to possibly carry herpes, so any work there is kinda in limbo. :(
 
Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere but what has happened to the longleat male lions?
 
Charlie (Pride A) went off to Newquay Zoo to retire (even though he never bred)
One male (Pride B) moved to Blair Drummond Safari Park
3 others gone missing, presumed euthanised (Pride B)

New males will be brought in for Pride B towards the end of the year from another collection
 
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