Edinburgh Zoo Masterplan shelved?

kiang

kiang

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
It looks as though the plans for a masterplan for the site in Corstophine have been abandoned.
The zoo has been forced to scale back redevelopment plans in the wake of a bitter dispute over plans to sell land for housing.
Zoo bosses admitted there was no prospect of a host of planned improvements being made for the foreseeable future, following lengthy wrangles over the building of dozens of upmarket homes on part of the site.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has admitted a string of "wow" attractions have been shelved, blaming planning delays and the collapse in the housing market.

This looks as though the planned Indian rhino exhibit at the top of the zoo is put, along with a new enclosure proposed for orang utans.

The plan to bring in giant pandas, is still on the table.

Instead, zoo officials are to concentrate on an overhaul of its ageing infrastructure – including what officials have described as "unsexy" improvements to the plumbing and drainage – as well as improving catering and toilet facilities.

Zoo forced to shelve 'wow' attractions - Scotsman.com News
 
kiang said:
as though the planned Indian rhino exhibit at the top of the zoo is put, along with a new enclosure proposed for orang utans.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they could still find another site in the Zoo to build a good Orangutan enclosure if they wanted to. I would definately like to see them keeping Sumatran Orangutans again, as historically they were the first to breed (unsuccessfully) an Orangutan in the UK, with the Sumatran species.

The hill isn't the most suitable site for an asian rhino paddock either but I can see it would be the only area available with sufficient space. So will the rhinos now stay where they are indefinately?
 
Last edited:
It's still one of my favourite zoos anywhere. They have a unique collection and a beautiful site. I don't like chimps but Budongo took my breath away on a foggy morning last summer and the greenery and hilly landscape creates a great atmosphere.

Combined with the great developments at the Highland Wildlife Park I think the RZSS has the potential to become even better without all the theming and massive developments. I hope so anyway.
 
This is what political scare-mongering and trade-offs do to a great vision for a sound and respected zoo and tourist destination! :mad:

Seems you Scots voted in the wrong admins ... (LOL)?! ;)
 
Unfortunately in the United Kingdom there seems to be no sense in public life that zoos have any serious worth, either as scientific institutions or as major tourist attractions and this is reflected in the complete lack of support they receive from governments, local and national.
 
This is terrible news regarding Edinburgh's masterplan, as I've been following the news over the years with great interest. Are there no zoos in the United Kingdom that receive government support? Surely there must be something keeping British zoos going besides donations, charitable funds and visitor attendance.
 
Pertinax said:
I'm sure they could still find another site in the Zoo to build a good Orangutan enclosure if they wanted to. I would definately like to see them keeping Sumatran Orangutans again, as historically they were the first to breed (unsuccessfully) an Orangutan in the UK, with the Sumatran species.

The hill isn't the most suitable site for an asian rhino paddock either but I can see it would be the only area available with sufficient space. So will the rhinos now stay where they are indefinately?
Click to expand...

It's not a matter of finding a location for a new enclosure but paying for it to be done well. The infrastructure is very old and as this is what all enclosures etc rely on this must be in place first.

If the rhinos stay it will have to be where they are if no new enclosure is to be built.
 
The proposed rhino enclosure at the top of the hill was also to double as a central node for the grasslands biome, proposed for that area of the zoo.
Therefore, there is every chance that a rhino enclosure will still be built on that location, but simply an enclosure and house only.
I am quite sure the RZSS is now committed to the EEP and maybe even locked in to receiving a female rhino in the near future, therefore requiring an upgrade to the current housing.
 
kiang said:
I am quite sure the RZSS is now committed to the EEP and maybe even locked in to receiving a female rhino in the near future, therefore requiring an upgrade to the current housing.
Click to expand...

Is that a HUGE hint? :p
 
snowleopard said:
This is terrible news regarding Edinburgh's masterplan, as I've been following the news over the years with great interest. Are there no zoos in the United Kingdom that receive government support? Surely there must be something keeping British zoos going besides donations, charitable funds and visitor attendance.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid zelda is right - apart from Belfast (which is owned by the city council), none of the UK's larger zoos receive any particular government funding. They can sometimes get development agency money, but (as far as I'm aware) this is obtained by application in competition with all the other worthy (and sometimes not so worthy!) causes.

There are one or two smaller places that are local council-supported - Leeds City Council in particular maintains a municipal tropical house at Tropical World and a municipal bird garden at Lotherton.
 
zoogiraffe said:
Chetser is sorted but cannot say any more than that!!!
Click to expand...

That may well be, but am more interested in knowing if Edinburgh is going to recieve a female? Am amusing no one knows or that they cannot say at this time (which I appreciate)?
 
If a male is to leave Edinburgh sometime soon, a female(or another male?) is almost certain to replace it- they will not want 'single rhino syndrome' indefinately.

Is the existing Edinburgh house/paddock suitable to introduce two strange rhinos together? They really need plenty of space for those initial introductions.
 
taun said:
That may well be, but am more interested in knowing if Edinburgh is going to recieve a female? Am amusing no one knows or that they cannot say at this time (which I appreciate)?
Click to expand...
I can answer that one to the best of my knowledge they are getting another male.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top