New zoo for Redbridge

[DesertRhino150]

A zoo will be built in Redbridge (Northeast London) after a £4.5 million funding bid was won from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The zoo will be sited in Hainault Forest County Park. Although the full species list has not been decided, one article states that as well as 'exotic' animals endangered UK native species such as red squirrels and water voles will be bred at the zoo for reintroduction into the wild.

The first article (concerning the announcement of the project):
Are you having a giraffe? Zoo will open in Redbridge in 2020

The second article (includes information about the UK native species):
Endangered animals will be bred at Hainault Zoo

 

[Fallax]

This is very exciting news! It will be nice to have a new zoo opening.

 

[SHAVINGTONZOO]

A few thoughts:

1. The budget mentioned won't buy much of a "zoo" will it?
2. Having been involved with a HLF-funded project I wish them luck Can't see the HLF funding much, if anything, in the way of exotics.
3. If there is lottery funding for a "zoo" (and I don't think there will be) then the other commercial zoos in the area would have grounds for complaint.

I suspect this is the local press confusing "zoo" with "premises requiring a zoo licence". I'd expect to see deer, some Longhorn cows and some native species.

 

[Chlidonias]

From the article I'll link below, I think the media is giving the wrong impression of a new zoo being built. It sounds instead as if there is already a childrens zoo there and the funding will (in part) simply be reworking what they have.

Redbridge - £4.5m National Lottery investment in Hainault Forest Country Park


In the last quarter of the 19th century, conservationist Edward North Buxton preserved the Royal forests and this project will help preserve his legacy. It will focus on four keys areas – investment into the SSSI, landscape and buildings, works to re-focus the popular children’s zoo and a great range of activities on offer for visitors.

....

Councillor Bain added, “The investment will allow Redbridge to more effectively protect habitats and species that are currently in decline. It will also offer much more to visitors who will be able to enjoy the adapted historic buildings and our popular zoo, which will be modified to a centre for the captive breeding of UK native species that are under threat.

 

[Shorts]

A few thoughts:

1. The budget mentioned won't buy much of a "zoo" will it?
2. Having been involved with a HLF-funded project I wish them luck Can't see the HLF funding much, if anything, in the way of exotics.
3. If there is lottery funding for a "zoo" (and I don't think there will be) then the other commercial zoos in the area would have grounds for complaint.

I suspect this is the local press confusing "zoo" with "premises requiring a zoo licence". I'd expect to see deer, some Longhorn cows and some native species.

I pretty much agree with everything you say though I'd argue £4.5million could build a nice little zoo I'm thinking along the lines of Hamerton, Exmoor, Five Sisters which, land excluded, I'd imagine were built for less than that. Then again, I'm cynical that that's not the amount earmarked for the zoo (I think it's for the whole park project, how much will be allocated for the zoo is anyone's guess).