Marwell Wildlife Marwell Zoo news 2025
- Thread starter Nisha
- Start date
I agree. From that perspective, of all the hoofstock we’ve lost since the turn of the century, this one would be one of the least upsetting, I feel.
You could spend all day there but if you are pushed for time you can get around in 3 hours
It depends. You can walk round everywhere in two hours. I'd say you'd need at least four to get a good overview of everything. That is without returns to no shows.
HelloCrossy67
Well-Known Member
This is still labelled as such on the PDF, interestingly!
Notes from a visit. Had a few busy weekends lately so I haven't been for a couple of months.
- After it being busy for my last few visits, it was quiet today. Perhaps the weather forecast put people off. I believe I have seen it busier when I have taken time off work to go in the week.
- The giraffes, roan antelopes and plains zebras were all in the large paddock. I can't remember the last time all three species were given access at the same time.
- The residents of the giraffe paddock had access to the old cheetah enclosure again. I did see the two roan antelopes exploring this area.
- Golden lion tamarins were back with the white faced sakis. Either they were temporarily off show or they have acquired some more.
- Lemur Loop has re-opened as a walkthrough although it appeared to be shut today.
- Part of the wall of the old coati "roundabout" enclosure has been removed and there is a sign saying watch this space.
- It looks like the two snow leopards were separated again, unless the enclosures are joined inside the large rock that includes dens.
- With the binturongs it looks like Bellatrix, the existing female has the main part of the exhibit. Hanoi, the new male, has the part that used to be the cusimanse exhibit.
- The red river hogs were allowed into the sitatunga paddock.
- Has anything gone from the Fur, Feathers and Scales walkthrough aviary. It looks a sign has been removed but I couldn't think of anything that appeared to be missing.
- In Thriving Through Nature I believe I saw a starred agama scampering up the large rock at the back. It made short work of it. I regard myself lucky to have noticed that. It also made me appreciate the exhibit. There can't be many where a small lizard like that has the opportunity to climb a rock that size.
- One of the crocodile monitors had climbed right to the top of the tree in their enclosure. A keeper was pointing it out. It was getting some great reactions from people who were amazed they could climb like that.
- In Cold Blooded Corner, I saw the Roti Island snake necked turtle out of the water. I can't remember that last time I saw it on land.
- There is sign on what was the temporary penguin exhibit that it will be maintained as a potential temporary enclosure in case it is needed again.
- It appears that a hedge has been allowed to grow alongside the fence at the far end of the African wild ass/ostrich paddock. It is obscuring viewing.
HelloCrossy67
Well-Known Member
Just on a couple of points, I understand the old Coati area will become a garden area, the Lemur walkthrough I think will just be open for school holidays. The Red River Hogs have been mixed a lot with the Sitatunga they are sometimes kept in there own area because they can sometimes dig up the paddock a lot.
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
A friend, who is a local to the zoo has told me that the Bluestar bus route which was subsidised by the zoo has been scrapped. She said that the zoo found it unsustainable. I hope that this doesn't have an impact on any members.
Councils and zoos should really do something about public transport. How else are you going to promote sustainable living and care for the environment. And if it is invested in for the public good it is actually the most convenient mode of transport.
BTW: My major peeve about some countryside zoos with no access for miles and miles with public transport.....
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Of course Marwell should NOT spend hard-earned money on subsidising unsustainable busses! That cannot be an ethical use of funds. No Zoos should not spend money on this and neither should Councils - it is not their money, it is tax revenue.
This was an example of a zoo subsidising a bus route but hardly anybody used it, What more could be done? You can lead a horse to water and all that.
I believe the local bus service to WInchester stops at the zoo at weekends.
*Edit - The other thing to consider with public transport is if it is a practical option for the whole journey. Out of interest I looked on google maps for a journey to Marwell arriving at opening (10am) on a Saturday morning. I would need to catch 3 different trains and 1 bus, the first of which would be at 6.20am. I am only a 45 minute drive away.
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Joker22Hero
Well-Known Member
Will probably not visit for the foreseeable future without a bus route, so that‘s quite sad, but I can understand that it wasn’t the most useful option for most people.
There IS still a Sunday bus route directly from Winchester. Plus the 69 bus travels within a mile of the zoo every journey. You just have go walk on the verges to get there as there is no path. You could probably order a taxi from the pub at Fishers Pond for less than a fiver, too.
That ... That ... That is how BAD the situation is with public transport in the UK! It is just beyond the pale....(and I am not even going into the politics of it all)!!!
Well, when we need to confront the Sixth Extinction and Biodiversity Crisis and Climate Change ..., than people need to be encouraged to leave their car at home (and good effective and regular public transport is the means to do it). All I will say .... (and yes I am dependent on public transport!!!!).
Unfortunately yes, to avoid going off topic with a political discussion all I will say this that the British public transport system is incredibly fragmented. There are no bodies that have any sort of oversight or control of how services link together to make longer journeys viable.
I do agree with you that more needs to be done to encourage people to use public transport. When I go into the office I do commute by train. But then, I can get a train from my local station (a 15 minute walk away) to one a 5 minute walk from work.
Because no thought is given to connections, if you need one it is down to luck as to whether it is convenient or not. For journeys that require multiple connections it is almost a guarantee that the journey will become so inconvenient that it isn't viable.
To encourage people to use public transport, there needs to be an integrated system. But this is getting off topic so I will stop.
I do agree with you that more needs to be done to encourage people to use public transport. When I go into the office I do commute by train. But then, I can get a train from my local station (a 15 minute walk away) to one a 5 minute walk from work.
Because no thought is given to connections, if you need one it is down to luck as to whether it is convenient or not. For journeys that require multiple connections it is almost a guarantee that the journey will become so inconvenient that it isn't viable.
To encourage people to use public transport, there needs to be an integrated system. But this is getting off topic so I will stop.