Marwell Wildlife Marwell Zoo News 2018
- Thread starter Giant Panda
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Zooreviewsuk
Well-Known Member
And there was me thinking that Telford's Exotoc Zoo with the Plastic Penguins in it was embarrassing as they can't get real ones yet. This goes to a whole new level for me. I get kids likes Dinosaurs but we dont just Fake Dino's popping up everywhere in Zoo's where the land could serve so much more purpose.
......etc
I 'liked' your post because I too appreciate a spirited defence of any zoo that has come in for criticism. We're re all zoo enthusiasts, and I would defend Marwell to the hilt against anyone who suggested it should close. No one wants that.
I do agree with much of what you say, but the problem is that the priorities at Marwell don't quite sit well with me.
Yes, the tropical house was past it's sell by date....but it at least had some animals in it. The new one would be fantastic.....in a botanical garden.....it isn't terrible.....just very disappointing. Good tropical houses can be judged by the time visitors spend in them.....I doubt many visitors spend more than 10 minutes in Marwell's (I actually back-tracked on my first visit because I assumed I'd missed a doorway or something). But no, it really is that tiny, despite appearances outside. A perfect example of design over substance. Great planting for sure.....but Marwell is a zoo.
Bottom line here.........a new tropical house was far from top of the list. The money spent here rather undermines the argument that the empty areas are empty because they are awaiting funds to develop them....then why spend the funds on a new tropical house, which provides rather less than the old one. It might have been optimal to just close the tropical house (or better still, keep it open) and spend the money on re-development of older areas.
On the other hand, the new rhino etc. area I think is very good......the house could be better for visitors, but it does the job for the animals and the outside areas work really well. With this development, it looked like the tide was turning, but then the next available funds were invested in the tropical house (which isn't really an animal house at all).
I think the over-riding issue which colours all of the negative comments on Zoochat regarding Marwell is that we all WANT it to be great......it should be great...it has a fantastic site and a wonderful history......there are still some really choice species held there.
I hold off attending for some time, but then go thinking...it must have improved since last time......but it always somehow seems a bit less than it was, even on the previous visit. It certainly isn't the only UK zoo to suffer in this way (London anyone?)......so perhaps its a natural cycle that we must bear.....up and downs and all that.
I do agree with sooty's comments on perhaps the main issue being the premature demise of some excellent animal houses which, on opening, showcased some really good ideas - Desert Carnivores, Heart of Africa, Macaque House, etc. Even Into Africa worked optimally in it's original design.......even if primate species choice could have been better. The new lemur area is very poor.
I am aware of the plans afoot to change the lay-out which could indeed explain the lack of animals in some areas....... and this could really up the ante for Marwell...I just hope it is designed properly.
I do honestly look forward to the day I visit Marwell, and am excited again....and I'll be the first to be on here singing its praises when that's the case.
Not sure I would put twycross in the same category as marwell true they do have a number of empty enclosures however they aren’t loseing species just rehousing them in better enclosures leaving empty ones behind. Apart from the elephants of course which I am still not sure is a good plan, but straight away plans where submitted towards possible rhino and with tigers comeing sone they are bringing in large zoo pleasers to boost the collection where as mar we’ll just seam to be thinning out there collection. As for the Lego I have seen twycross Lego and to be honest it was quite inpressive and discreate with in the zoo making it a nice little change as you walked around unlike Blackpool’s in your face dinosaurs.
Yes, I wasn't commenting on the reasons behind the empty enclosures, merely that both these collections currently have probably more of them than elsewhere. Call me old-fashioned but Lego models of animals seem a poor substitute for the real thing...though I do think Twycross getting rid of the Elephants is the best thing they have done in many years, only sorry it took them so long, or they could have housed a bull- it was their choice to make.
Granted but the lego at twycross is only a winter thing just to get a decent visitor number in the rain and snow not a summer main attraction so I am fine with that as for the elephants ok they didn't have a bull or accomidation for one but they did breed the fact they left with a mother and calf is proof of that
I'd be surprised if the Lego, at either Marwell or Twycross attracted more people in the winter months, however they are a perfectly harmless sideshow I'll agree. Twycross kept the Elephants as adults for several decades, but with no bull of their own, the number of calves they have produced in that time is a tiny fraction of what it should have been. But hopefully that will change at Blackpool now.
Hopefully it will be a success story at Blackpool granted but I think there production rate at twycross was controlled given the facility's capacity as it would be else ware there is only so much space in captive breeding for large mammals such as elephants so the more places giving up on there housing of these can only have some what or an adverse effect on there breeding. With realistically the larger collections being able to house and afford to keep these animals the more choseing not to less space thus the less option to breed, what if Blackpool did bread and they ended up with a heard of Bulls where would they all go ?
A quick reply to Sooty Mangabey as I don't want to make this a very long post and there is plenty I could elaborate on, but firstly I need to correct you as I did not say, or mean to imply, that "role of zoos" is something fixed and immutable" . I completely agree with you that "All zoos, including Marwell, can fulfil one or several of different "roles"...." Indeed, I think that is a key point in this discussion, the balance of the different roles of Marwell (and most other zoos) has changed with time.
"What many would dispute would be the extent to which Marwell has chased visitors - Lego models and all - in the right way" ".... for a zoo of this size, in this area, the half million or so visitors that Marwell is reported to receive is nothing special." I am amongst those who prefer zoos to be all about the animals, but we are probably in a minority. The main competition is rarely other zoos but other tourist attractions, and the Lego/dinosaur type exhibits seem to draw visitors if the number of places that have staged these are anything to go by. Zoo marketing is about getting people to visit who would not otherwise do so, in addition to those who are keen zoo visitors. Whether Marwell could, should, or need to, aspire to an attendance of 500k plus I am not sure.
"Marwell occupies an enormous site! I don't think anyone could argue that developments need to be squeezed into tight spaces!" My point was that most new developments will have an impact on some other parts of the exiting zoo animal accommodation.
I may return to pick up on some of the other matters raised. My initial post was mainly to try to balance some outspoken, often incorrect, and certainly naive, comments that have been made about Marwell (which is not alone in being targeted) by a few people.
"What many would dispute would be the extent to which Marwell has chased visitors - Lego models and all - in the right way" ".... for a zoo of this size, in this area, the half million or so visitors that Marwell is reported to receive is nothing special." I am amongst those who prefer zoos to be all about the animals, but we are probably in a minority. The main competition is rarely other zoos but other tourist attractions, and the Lego/dinosaur type exhibits seem to draw visitors if the number of places that have staged these are anything to go by. Zoo marketing is about getting people to visit who would not otherwise do so, in addition to those who are keen zoo visitors. Whether Marwell could, should, or need to, aspire to an attendance of 500k plus I am not sure.
"Marwell occupies an enormous site! I don't think anyone could argue that developments need to be squeezed into tight spaces!" My point was that most new developments will have an impact on some other parts of the exiting zoo animal accommodation.
I may return to pick up on some of the other matters raised. My initial post was mainly to try to balance some outspoken, often incorrect, and certainly naive, comments that have been made about Marwell (which is not alone in being targeted) by a few people.
I'm not sure making valid and honest observations based on a visit last Saturday counts as 'targeting' Marwell
I agree the new tropical house has not got more people coming to Marwell this year,and you dont have to spend lots of money to do nice things,the walk through aviary which is well liked cost not a lot over a hundred thousand pounds.Two female zebras Grants I think have arrived from Longleat,and are in the buffalo house,so Marwell again has three species of zebra.I'm not sure making valid and honest observations based on a visit last Saturday counts as 'targeting' Marwell
Good news, but where are the buffalo ?
Still there just two females,the house has lots of room,the plan is to mix them zebra giraffe buffalo.
They were both lying down at the very bottom fence of the giraffe paddock last weekend.
New article on zebra death. Marwell Zoo zebra dies in freak accident
Amur leopard cubs, Anik and Kazimir, will be leaving Marwell on 22 November to go to Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park.
Marwell Wildlife
Marwell Wildlife
So currently only the one Plains Zebra at Marwell?
That is what the article says.
Marwell have lost the Hartmann's Zebra foal born in November.
It had a condition call neonatal foal sydrome which caused it to fail and weaken, so it was ulimately pts. Fuller details will be on their FB page.
Marwell have not had good luck with this species in recent years, nearly all the few foals born have died.
It had a condition call neonatal foal sydrome which caused it to fail and weaken, so it was ulimately pts. Fuller details will be on their FB page.Marwell have not had good luck with this species in recent years, nearly all the few foals born have died.
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Marwell have lost the Hartmann's Zebra foal born in November.
Marwell have not had good luck with this species in recent years, the very few foals born have all died.
They had two Foals born to separate females. It is the younger one that has died. The older foal (born in October) is still alive
These are the only offspring from the breeding male, Zac. The studbook reveals that he died in early 2018, having arrived from Paignton via Landau just 6 months earlier