Mai Thai’s Speculative Zoo (Hull Wildlife Park)

[Mai Thai]

Hello Everyone!
It has been a while since I was last active on the fantasy forums but great to be here again. If anyone has any problems with my ideas please, feel free to tell me as all criticism is welcome! I will try to post habitats weekly for the thread. Hope you enjoy!

Welcome to Hull Wildlife Park
Located just outside the city of Kingston Upon Hull, England, Hull Wildlife Park sits on 324 acres of land. The wildlife park was accredited by the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums as well as British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2006. Hull Wildlife Park first opened it’s gates in 1921 with a small collection which eventually grew to what it is today! Our current hours are 9 AM to 5 PM seven days a week excluding major holidays.

The first habitat will be coming soon!

 

[Mai Thai]

Flamingo Lagoon
As soon a guests walk into the zoo, they are led to a a small boardwalk overlooking a 1658 sq m habitat. The area is surrounded by foliage with a small shelter in the back. In the center of the exhibit is a large pond with a island in it. In here live Chilean Flamingo, Black Swan, Freckled Duck, White-Faced Whistling Duck, Marbled Teal, Bar-Headed Goose, and Hooded Merganser. You can often find wild waterfowl roaming in the habitat as well. Throughout the boardwalk area are educational signs about the pollution of lakes and streams and how these animals depend on them for survival.
The habitat looks something like this:

Photo Credit to Elephant Enthusiast

 

[Bengal Tiger]

Is the flamingo exhibit netted over?

 

[Mai Thai]

Is the flamingo exhibit netted over?

No, all of the animals wings are clipped. My bad for not mentioning it in the initial post.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

No, all of the animals wings are clipped. My bad for not mentioning it in the initial post.

Hmmmm, I’m a little skeptical of pinioning, but it is your zoo...

 

[KevinB]

Pinioning or clipping isn't ideal for different reasons - animal welfare/criticism by certain groups and breeding issues in larger bird species (including flamingos). Also with clipping there is a risk of not doing it in time if one does not watch birds carefully.

Netted exhibits are usually safer in areas with high densities of predators such as foxes and martens.

The tendency in mainland European zoos in the last few years seems to have been more towards netted exhibits, even for large birds such as flamingos.

 

[Mai Thai]

Pinioning or clipping isn't ideal for different reasons - animal welfare/criticism by certain groups and breeding issues in larger bird species (including flamingos). Also with clipping there is a risk of not doing it in time if one does not watch birds carefully.

Netted exhibits are usually safer in areas with high densities of predators such as foxes and martens.

The tendency in mainland European zoos in the last few years seems to have been more towards netted exhibits, even for large birds such as flamingos.

You have valid points but I am trying to keep this thread somewhat realistic. Netted exhibits are a lot more expensive and take more maintenance than open top habitats. Most larger UK zoos use open top such like both the ZSL facilities, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Paignton Zoo, and many others. I will probably go back and change in the future though.

 

[Mai Thai]

Seal Harbor
Next up is the Seal Harbor. Covering 4.1 acres the Seal Harbor is made up of two main habitats, a seal hospital, and a off-show facility. The zoo is currently home to 3.2 Grey Seal and 5.12 Eastern Atlantic Harbor Seal. Hull Wildlife Park partners with local seal sanctuaries and hospitals to rehabilitate and release these local seals back to the wild. Since it’s opening in 2014, the zoo has rehabilitated and released 32 seals. The exhibit even won a gold award from BIAZA in 2015.

You first walk through a rocky outcrop with a lighthouse looming above you. After a couple meters you come to what looks like a small bay. After looking closer you see seals! There is a large group of them sleeping and swimming through the rocks and sand. You could watch them all day but you got to keep going. Soon you seen a looming rock tunnel ahead of you. You hear the sound of splashing waves and seagulls. Father down are giant glass panels looking out into both of the seal pools. Throughout this area there are interactive displays educating guests about seals and their natural habitat. Moving father along, you come back up to what looks like a port. There is a keeper doing a public demonstration with the seals. Also nearby is a small splash pad for kids during the summer. As you near the end, you arrive at the seal cafe which overlooks the second seal exhibit. The last thing on your journey is the seal hospital. Throughout the area are interactive displays educating guests about threats to seals and what the zoo is doing to save them. There is even a couple windows looking into the building where to may be able to catch one of the seals currently in rehabilitation. Now you walk back out through the rocky outcrops back into the rest of the zoo.

First Seal Exhibit:

Credit to Dhole dude

Second Sea Lion Exhibit

Credit to Moebelle