Media coverage of UK (and Irish) Zoos

[Brum]

There was also the more recent CBBC series 'The Zoo' where the animals were given voices and characters.

I loved that series, I used to watch reruns on Animal Planet before work and thought it was hilarious!

 

[Zia]

Its almost easier to list the major Zoos that haven't benefited from at least one TV series or programme about them;

Dudley.
Whipsnade?( I think I may be wrong here, they featured in something hosted by Rolf Harris.)
Marwell
Noah's Ark.
West Mids, Woburn and Knowlsey Safari Parks
Howletts and PL. -but what was Aspinall's Animals?
Belfast?
Edinburgh?
YWP.
Blackpool.
Welsh Mountain Zoo.
Banham and AA.
South Lakes- but they had a I hour programme focusing on the 'rescue'.

Others might like to amend this list...

There was a kids tv show about Port Lympne / Howletts called Roar:

Roar (British TV series) - Wikipedia

 

[Maguari]

Was that Vets to the Rescue ? (With vets Brash and Mostue.)

I believe the C5 one referred to is Zoo Days (there was also a Colchester version).

As I recall Vets to the Rescue was a BBC one (and the only one I've actually witnessed being filmed!).

 

[migdog]

I had a quick hunt about YWP as I thought there was something set there last year and bingo: Big Week at the Zoo, and there's going to be a one off special later this year, too. (Edit to add: I don't think the one off special is going to be televised, just an event at the zoo.)

Big Week at the Zoo is back on next week, every day on Channel 5. Although it was poorly presented it did feature quite a few different zoos.

 

[BeakerUK]

There was also the more recent CBBC series 'The Zoo' where the animals were given voices and characters.

Oh yes! One of the children in my class a few years ago was adamant he saw me in the background (the day I had visited, there were signs up to say they were filming). I watched and watched but couldn't see me, so sadly I think he was mistaken.

 

[Babyrousa]

Its almost easier to list the major Zoos that haven't benefited from at least one TV series or programme about them;

Dudley.
Whipsnade?( I think I may be wrong here, they featured in something hosted by Rolf Harris.)
Marwell
Noah's Ark.
West Mids, Woburn and Knowlsey Safari Parks
Howletts and PL. -but what was Aspinall's Animals?
Belfast?
Edinburgh?
YWP.
Blackpool.
Welsh Mountain Zoo.
Banham and AA.
South Lakes- but they had a I hour programme focusing on the 'rescue'.

Others might like to amend this list...

There was one on Belfast, that was shown on BBC One in 2006. Episodes can be found on Amazon Prime, as attached:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nerves-Are-Tested/dp/B01IAMQB6Q/ref=sr_1_1?
keywords=belfast+zoo&qid=1565719995&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tarantulas...s=belfast+zoo&qid=1565720225&s=gateway&sr=8-3

 

[pipaluk]

Its almost easier to list the major Zoos that haven't benefited from at least one TV series or programme about them;

Dudley.
Whipsnade?( I think I may be wrong here, they featured in something hosted by Rolf Harris.)
Marwell
Noah's Ark.
West Mids, Woburn and Knowlsey Safari Parks
Howletts and PL. -but what was Aspinall's Animals?
Belfast?
Edinburgh?
YWP.
Blackpool.
Welsh Mountain Zoo.
Banham and AA.
South Lakes- but they had a I hour programme focusing on the 'rescue'.

Others might like to amend this list...

I'm sure I've seen a few programmes about West Midland Safari Park on a satellite channel, can't remember what it was called though. Whipsnade has featured on some of the recent London itv series.
On another note there was a series based at Paignton called 'Zoo Story' I think around 2005?

 

[Sand Cat]

Big Week at the Zoo is back on next week, every day on Channel 5. Although it was poorly presented it did feature quite a few different zoos.

Nick Baker presented it well, to be fair... Helen Skelton, not so much!

I also remembered Twycross had its own series Molly's Zoo a number of years ago.

 

[Brum]

I'm sure I've seen a few programmes about West Midland Safari Park on a satellite channel, can't remember what it was called though. Whipsnade has featured on some of the recent London itv series.
On another note there was a series based at Paignton called 'Zoo Story' I think around 2005?

I think the WMSP one was originally produced for ITV Central because we got it locally first, and then was syndicated out to (I think) Animal Planet.

 

[Sand Cat]

Yes, that one was particularly good - I think it was just (The?) Zookeepers and narrated by Richard Wilson. It made a bit more of the individual keepers' personalities than some of them do.

I also remember quite a good London one not too long after.

I like the idea of featuring the keepers more, I think its a lot better and more interesting than letting a presenter take over. Obviously Secret Life of the Zoo is also good in this regard for the 'talking heads' approach - Big Week at the Zoo last year was definitely spoilt by the emphasis on celebrities, but positive coverage of UK zoos in general is a good thing of course!

Naturally though, zookeepers do have to be agreeable to featuring in TV programmes, indeed I think some may have become quite famous by accident! When I was younger I did meet a few of the keepers from Paignton who had been in the TV series and even asked them to sign my guide book. I could say that I wouldn't do anything like that now, but I'd be lying!

 

[Pertinax]

I think the WMSP one was originally produced for ITV Central because we got it locally first, and then was syndicated out to (I think) Animal Planet.

Yes, I thought there might be one or two like that, where it would only be shown locally rather than nationally, and then(potentially) internationally.

 

[Pertinax]

It seems of the longer established bigger zoos, that possibly only Dudley and Marwell have missed the boat regarding T.V series.

 

[SHAVINGTONZOO]

Anyway, having got the listing sorted ... ... on to the more controversial issues of:

Why the changes in type of programme?
Why do some collections seem to get more coverage than others?
and
If a collection doesn't get a lot of coverage, what should it do?

 

[SHAVINGTONZOO]

It seems of the longer established bigger zoos, that possibly only Dudley and Marwell have missed the boat regarding T.V series.

It struck me that Marwell always seems to have been low-key in its coverage. Does it get coverage on regional TV?

 

[Pertinax]

It struck me that Marwell always seems to have been low-key in its coverage. Does it get coverage on regional TV?

I used to live in the region. They always get(or got) the usual news reports on local T.V news whenever there was a notable birth etc.

 

[Pertinax]

Anyway, having got the listing sorted ... ... on to the more controversial issues of:

Why the changes in type of programme?
Why do some collections seem to get more coverage than others?
and
If a collection doesn't get a lot of coverage, what should it do?

Changes in type of programme. I guess the rise of the soap opera in T.V. generally has transferred to the zoo world also- its all about developing stories really isn't it- leaving viewers wanting to know what happens next, and focusing on human/animal relationships, while some educational snippets can be included at the same time.

Why do some collections get more coverage? The larger collections with a wide range of species(with plenty of ABC's too) offer more stories to choose from, plus plenty of other back-up species to focus on if some stories don't work out. Ease of access might play a role too- I imagine somewhere like Dudley has been shunned as the steep hilly site isn't very friendly for film crews with camera gear. Doesn't explain why some other places get 'overlooked' though.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I've now moved the various sub-discussions into the relevant locations, FWIW

 

[taun]

I like the idea of featuring the keepers more, I think its a lot better and more interesting than letting a presenter take over. Obviously Secret Life of the Zoo is also good in this regard for the 'talking heads' approach - Big Week at the Zoo last year was definitely spoilt by the emphasis on celebrities, but positive coverage of UK zoos in general is a good thing of course!

Naturally though, zookeepers do have to be agreeable to featuring in TV programmes, indeed I think some may have become quite famous by accident! When I was younger I did meet a few of the keepers from Paignton who had been in the TV series and even asked them to sign my guide book. I could say that I wouldn't do anything like that now, but I'd be lying!

Not really sure on famous, but the secret life of the zoo. There are a few keepers show cased on that which I think would be really interesting people to know in real life.

Maybe come dine with me could do a zoo keeper special.

 

[Goura]

the 1992 series The Velvet Claw,

Actually the entire series in now available online (can't remember whether it's YouTube or Daily Motion) but I downloaded all episodes. I remember thinking it was amazing when it first aired.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Actually the entire series in now available online (can't remember whether it's YouTube or Daily Motion) but I downloaded all episodes. I remember thinking it was amazing when it first aired.

Far as I have been able to find, only three episodes are online now.